1. Charter & Code and
HR Strategy for Researchers:
Introduction to the Policy Context
Seminar “The "Human Resources Strategy for
Researchers" in a European context”
Nicosia, 24 March 2011

2. Background / History
• COM Communication (2001) “A Mobility Strategy for
the European Research Area”
• COM Communication (2003) “Researchers in the
ERA: One profession, multiple careers”
• COM Recommendation to MS (2005) on a “European
Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for
their Recruitment” – based on broad stakeholder
consultation process
• Follow-up activities focusing on implementation: EU
Presidency Conferences London (2005), Vienna
(2006), and in a broader context: Rennes (2008),
Brussels (2010)

3. Charter & Code
Reference framework for rights and obligations of
researchers, their employers and funders
Key topics addressed:
•Ethical & professional aspects, incl. research freedom
and accountability
•Recruitment, incl. transparency and recognition of value
of mobility
•Working conditions & social security, incl. gender
issues, career development, and representation in
governance
•Training, incl. supervision and access to training

4. European Partnership for Researchers
• ERA Green paper – Expert Group report (2008) on
“Realising a single labour market for researchers”
• COM Communication (2008) “Better careers and more
mobility: a European partnership for researchers”
Four main themes:
 Open recruitment and portability of grants
 Meeting the social security and supplementary pension
needs of mobile researchers
 Providing attractive employment and working conditions
 Enhancing the training, skills and experience of
researchers

5. National Action Plans (1/4)
• MS to develop National Action Plans demonstrating
implementation of the EPR (implementation monitored
through SGHRM). 5 MS & 3 AC have submitted NAPs.
Some quotations:
 DE: “There is broad consensus … that all universities
and research institutions should provide courses to
enable upcoming scientists to acquire additional
competencies…”
 DK: “In 2010 the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation will initiate a dialogue with the universities
about open recruitment, including broad job
advertisements and international advertisements.”

6. National Action Plans (2/4)
 UK: “The key instruments setting out policy on
researcher career and mobility issues in the UK are the
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
Code of Practice and the Concordat to Support the
Career development of Researchers (The Concordat). …
The Concordat and the QAA Code of Practice … have
been mapped on to the principles set out in the …
Charter and Code … and are the mechanisms through
which the Charter and Code will be delivered in the UK.”

7. National Action Plans (3/4)
 AT: “Together with the universities, the BMWF also aims
to incorporate specific plans and goals by individual
universities to implement the primary principles of the
… Charter and Codex … into the 2010-2012
performance agreements…”
 SE: “A HEI providing third level education must provide
training for supervisors.”
 CH (related to Sciex-NMS fellowship scheme): “Swiss
Research Institutions which want to employ Sciex
Fellows must sign a performance agreement which is
based on the Charter and the Code for Researchers.”

8. National Action Plans (4/4)
 NO: “Norwegian support to the European Partnership for
Researchers is closely related to the implementation of
Charter and Code, coordinated with EURAXESS
initiatives.”
 HR: “It is recommended that all scientific and research
institutions become signatories to and commence the
implementation of the European Charter for
Researcher … and the Code of Conduct for the
Recruitment of Researchers …, thus creating a more
favourable environment for the mobility of
researchers.”

9. Europe 2020 and the Innovation Union
• COM Communication (2010) “Europe 2020 - A strategy
for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”
 Big Societal Challenges - Climate, Energy, Health,
Security, Resource Efficiency…
 Need an integrated and strategic approach
 7 Flagship Initiatives: Innovation Union, Agenda for New
Skills and Jobs, Digital Agenda, Youth on the Move, etc.
• COM Communication (2010) “Europe 2020 Flagship
Initiative - Innovation Union”
 Innovation overarching policy objective
 Main obstacles: unfavorable framework conditions &
fragmentation of effort

10. The Innovation Union Commitments (1/4)
• Over 30 Action Points (“Commitments”) proposing
initiatives in key areas, including:
 #1: By the end of 2011, MS should have strategies in
place to train enough researchers to meet their national
R&D targets and to promote attractive employment
conditions in public research institutions. Gender and
dual career considerations should be fully taken into
account in these strategies.

11. The Innovation Union Commitments (2/4)
 #2: In 2011, COM will support an independent multi-
dimensional international ranking system allowing the
best performing European universities to be identified.
Further steps to be proposed in 2011 in a
Communication on modernisation of higher
education.
COM will also support the creation of "Knowledge
Alliances" between education and business to develop
new curricula addressing innovation skills gaps, helping
universities to modernise towards inter-disciplinarity,
entrepreneurship and stronger business partnerships.

12. The Innovation Union Commitments (3/4)
 #4: Completing the ERA: In 2012, COM will propose an ERA
framework and supporting measures to remove obstacles
to mobility and cross-border cooperation (to be in force
by end 2014), addressing among others:
- quality of doctoral training, attractive employment
conditions and gender balance in research careers;
- mobility of researchers across countries and sectors,
including through open recruitment in public research
institutions and comparable research career structures
and by facilitating the creation of European
supplementary pension funds.

13. The Innovation Union Commitments (4/4)
 #30: By 2012, EU and MS to put into place integrated
policies
- to ensure that leading academics, researchers
and innovators reside and work in Europe and
- to attract a sufficient number of highly skilled
third country nationals to stay in Europe.

14. What’s next?
• Three cohorts of “Institutional HR Strategy Group”
 Aim: include all major public employers of researchers in
Europe (critical mass, spill-over effects)
• Stronger reference to principles of Charter & Code in
CSF / FP8 ??
 Already reality in ‘People’ programme
• Working more closely with funders and umbrella
organisations for increased impact
• Utilise expertise of “HR Strategy Group” for consultations
related to EU policy initiatives in relevant areas (increased
focus on advisory role of the group)

15. Thank you for your attention!
dagmar.meyer@ec.europa.eu
Dr. Dagmar Meyer
European Commission - DG Research and Innovation
Unit B2 - “Skills”