This paper emphasises the importance of intellects in research careers and examines how they can grow in these institutions. It comes to the conclusion that to realise this potential researchers should for example be given strong funding, be immersed in a research-rich and well-equipped environment, and be given independence and responsibility at an early stage. This project produced a four-stage career framework as well as a set of academic career maps in nine different national settings, which will support and help both researchers and institutions. Furthermore, it resulted in a Model Code of Practice for research employment. This paper also underlines that universities and research institutions cannot achieve this goal alone, but research funders in the public and private domain, local and EU governments and policy-making bodies bear part of the responsibility.