EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion

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EURAXESS: Background

◦ Europe aims to become the most innovative region in the world (former Lisbon Strategy, ‘Innovation Union’ flagship initiative of the current Europe 2020 strategy)– Europe needs researchers

◦ Measures:– Increase EU funding for training, mobility and

career development of researchers (Marie Curie Actions)

– Improve the environment for researchers in Europe by enhancing mobility and removing obstacles

Categories of obstacles to mobility:-Legal and administrative aspects (visa regulations, social security, taxes, recognition of degrees, language issues)-Social and cultural aspects-Career of a researcher (continuity: how beneficial is it to work in a research organisation outside of Europe?)-Intersectional mobility between academia and industry

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EURAXESS initiatives: Overview

recruitment tool with job opportunities, funding opportunities, grants, employment, etc.

relocation assistance for researchers and their family

information on the Charter and Code

a networking tool for researchers outside Europe

To this end the initiative EURAXESS: Researchers in Motion was launched

-Primary target group: researchers -Name references the key concept of the initiative: mobiltiy-Consists of 4 parts, which deal with the various aspects of mobility and the stages when moving to a new place (relocation, support, job database, staying in contact)-Not all 4 parts were launched at the same time, but consecutively and in modeled along the natural order of events (finding a job, need for support, clarifying the legal situation, staying in contact):

- Jobs: July 2003- Services: June 2004 (network operational in 2005)- Rights: 2005- Links: started in the USA in 2006

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EURAXESS Jobs

Virtual job market: vacancies and CV databaseFunding and job opportunities in 32 European countriesAll job vacancies funded by Marie Curie actions have to be published on EURAXESS Jobs databaseLinks to international research careers

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EURAXESS Jobs: In a nutshell

◦ Target group: professional researchers and research organisations

◦ Content: info about job and funding opportunities in 38 European countries– Registered organisations: > 5,000– Researcher profiles stored: > 60,000– Active CVs: ~ 18000– Fellowships volume: ~ 300/ day– National EURAXESS portals complementing it in 33

countries– Unique visitors in 2010: ~ 500,000 (~ 100,000 more than in

2009)– Page views in 2010: ~ 5.000,000 (~ 1.400,000 more than

in 2009)

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EURAXESS Jobs: Data & Statistics

◦ EURAXESS Jobs database is fed by following sources– All Marie Curie funded jobs have to be published on

EURAXESS jobs database– Several external job databases with which

agreements exist (e.g. Naturejobs) or are currently negotiated (Euro*ScienceJobs)

◦ Access statistics to EURAXESS Jobs– In descending order: France, Spain, Italy, Germany,

UK …– Highest access rates from non-EU countries are from

the US and India– 1/3 of site traffic is direct access, 1/3 through referring

sites and 1/3 through search engines

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EURAXESS Services

What is EURAXESS Services?

-What is the aim of the Service centres?-What do the Service centres offer?

Was launched in June 2004, became operational in 2005 and replaced the former ERA-MORE initiative (ERA – European Research Area: integrating/ coordinating the scientific resources of the EU and MS)

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EURAXESS Services: In a nutshell

◦ Service Centres – Offer customized assistance to researchers and

their families before, during and after their move abroad

– Act as a point of entry for researchers looking for practical information and guidance

– Advise on visas, work permits, accomodation, legal issues, social security, health, tax issues, everyday life, family support etc.

What is the difference to national academic exchange support organisations like DAAD? (DAAD is more targeted towards students and more detailed issues on the level of a particular institution, e.g. a specific university, while the EURAXESS service centres provide support on a pre-institution level)

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EURAXESS Rights

What is the reason for EURAXESS Rights?

-Huge differences in career structures in individual European countries-Fragmentation at local/ regional/ national level-Protected, if not closed, non-transparent recruitment

This lead to the formulation of the “European Charter for Researchers” and the “Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers”-It was adapted by the European Commission on 11 March 2005

European Charter for Researchers is a recommendation of good practice for researchers and employers and/or funders of researchers issued by the European Commission. It sketches rights and duties of researchers and their funding institutions. It was published together with the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers which outlines principles for hiring and appointing researchers

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EURAXESS Rights: In a nutshell

◦ European Charter for Researchers– A recommendation of good practice for

researchers and employers and/or funders of researchers

– It sketches rights and duties of researchers and their funding institutions.

◦ Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers– outlines principles for hiring and appointing

researchers

European Charter for Researchers

-Reference point for the career management of researchers: minimum set of rights and obligations

Code of Conduct-Reference point for transparency and merit based recruitment, fair recognition of qualifications and mobility experiences

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EURAXESS Links

EURAXESS Links is a networking tool for European researchers working outside Europe.

It provides information about research in Europe, European research policy, opportunities for research funding, for international collaboration and for trans-national mobility.

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EURAXESS Links: Vision

◦ To become a global community acting as the forum for European researchers abroad giving them a virtual connection to Europe and thus maintaining them as a European resource even if they are not physically present and allowing them to act as catalysts for scientific cooperation with the host country

With EURAXESS Links the youngest sub-initiative of EURAXESS, what is the ultimate purpose of EURAXESS Links?

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EURAXESS Links: Motivation

◦ Maintain the link with European researchers abroad

◦ Keep them informed on career, funding and collaboration opportunities in Europe

◦ Change the paradigm of Brain Drain to Brain Circulation: No net loss for Europe, but a valuable resource

◦ Does not have as its primary aim bringing back EU researchers

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EURAXESS Links: Type of Activities

◦ Networking (events, web forum, researchers’database)

◦ Information Dissemination (website, newsletter, info days)

◦ Collaboration, Career & Funding Opportunities in Europe (career fairs, matchmaking, joint conferences & workshops)

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EURAXESS Links: Future

◦ 2011 – 2013: – Brazil: hub for Latin America– Canada– South Africa: hub for Sub-Saharan Africa– Singapore becomes hub for ASEAN EURAXESS

Links◦ 2011 – …:

– Links becomes the overseas branch of EURAXESS

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EURAXESS Links: India

◦ EURAXESS Links India community– 128 members (registration open since mid-

March)– Growing in average by 10 new members per

week◦ Monthly newsletter (released around 15th every

month)– Currently 3 editions published

◦ Activities– Planned get-together event late 2011

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EURAXESS Links: Added Value

◦ EURAXESS in general:– Access to a vast academic jobs database including post-docs,

fellowships etc.– In case of moving to Europe support in all kinds of practical

issues◦ EURAXESS Links India in particular:

– Latest news and updates on research and development activities in India and Europe

– Information on funding opportunities, latest calls for proposals, fellowships and scholarships

◦ Further information:– EURAXESS http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/– EURAXESS Links India http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/india/– Join Community http://europa.eu/sinapse/directaccess/euraxess-

links-india/

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