Harvesting talent - Strengthening research careers in Europe

The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has released a report setting out the priority issues that need to be addressed to improve the attractiveness and excellence of research careers.

It is crucial that some of the best intellects in each generation continue to be attracted to research careers, and are given every opportunity to grow in ambition and creativity. To realise that potential, researchers must be immersed in a research-rich and well-equipped environment with stimulating local and international connections to other researchers, disciplines and organisations. They also need to be given independence and responsibility at an early stage.

Because most researchers are trained in universities, it is vitally important that universities provide well-designed, well-funded and well-supported jobs that are embedded in clear career structures where pathways from one career phase to the next are clearly signalled, whether they remain in or venture outside of academia.

These are the conclusions of an in-depth investigation of research careers among the members of LERU, an association of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities. The project has produced a four-stage career framework and a set of academic career maps in nine different national settings, which graphically demonstrate the maze of options that researchers need to navigate in building a research career. The maps provide information and a transparency that was previously not easily available to researchers and to institutions. It can help both of them to make better informed decisions about individual careers and about institutional strategy.

In addition, the initiative has resulted in a Model Code of Practice for research employment through which LERU institutions show their shared commitment to provide research staff with optimal working conditions in a stimulating and challenging professional environment.

Although LERU and other universities work on these challenges as institutions, responsibility for research careers cannot be borne by universities and research institutions alone. Research funders in the public and private domain, local and EU governments and policy-making bodies each share part of the responsibility. They must work individually and collectively to ensure that Europe continues to train and attract talented young people into research.