The support for career development (formerly ERA action 4) is extremely important for VTT. We also see that the national coordination is important to ensure that the views of Finnish researchers in companies, research institutes and universities are taken into consideration. We had reservations on the previous outcome of the ERA action 4, namely the new framework on research careers to be adopted by the end of the year . Overall, the goals of the new European framework for research careers are excellent, i.e. to promote the research profession and facilitate trans-national and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers including outside of academia. However, in practice, the final recommendations are based on the universities’ model and poorly reflect the career structures and progression in research institutes, like VTT, and in companies. The biggest concern is whether from the ERA action a rigid framework will become mandatory in EU or national projects. Therefore, the proposed co-created guidelines based on the new framework should better include researchers outside academia and be explicitly considered voluntary. Employers of researchers should be left free to find their own processes to achieve fair and transparent recruitment and appraisal procedure as well as a positive working environment for them, in accordance with national employment laws and policies. Such processes should of course be open to scrutiny and development as indicated with the HSR4R certification for HR excellence in research that was already awarded to VTT in 2018. We also hope that the critical issue concerning the excessive administrative burden on international mobility caused to EU directives, e.g. for business travels and staff exchanges or secondments is addressed in the next period. This issue has been raised also at European level, see EARTO Position Paper on Current Hurdles to Mobility of Researchers.
Concrete steps to support of research careers inside and outside of academia equally
@lula_rosso_vtt
11. december 2023 klockan 15.39.04
The support for career development (formerly ERA action 4) is extremely important for VTT. We also see that the national coordination is important to ensure that the views of Finnish researchers in companies, research institutes and universities are taken into consideration. We had reservations on the previous outcome of the ERA action 4, namely the new framework on research careers to be adopted by the end of the year .
Overall, the goals of the new European framework for research careers are excellent, i.e. to promote the research profession and facilitate trans-national and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers including outside of academia. However, in practice, the final recommendations are based on the universities’ model and poorly reflect the career structures and progression in research institutes, like VTT, and in companies.
The biggest concern is whether from the ERA action a rigid framework will become mandatory in EU or national projects. Therefore, the proposed co-created guidelines based on the new framework should better include researchers outside academia and be explicitly considered voluntary. Employers of researchers should be left free to find their own processes to achieve fair and transparent recruitment and appraisal procedure as well as a positive working environment for them, in accordance with national employment laws and policies. Such processes should of course be open to scrutiny and development as indicated with the HSR4R certification for HR excellence in research that was already awarded to VTT in 2018.
We also hope that the critical issue concerning the excessive administrative burden on international mobility caused to EU directives, e.g. for business travels and staff exchanges or secondments is addressed in the next period. This issue has been raised also at European level, see EARTO Position Paper on Current Hurdles to Mobility of Researchers.