Mobilitet og forskerkarriere: implementeringsrapport 2007

Mobilitet og forskerkarriere: implementeringsrapport 2007

Mobility of Researchers and Career Development Implementation Report 2007

Rapport lagt fram av Kommisjonen 17.3.2009

Nærmere omtale

BAKGRUNN (fra kommisjonsrapporten, engelsk utgave)

2007 was a particularly important and stimulating year for mobility and career development for researchers in the European Research Area (ERA). It was driven by the second cycle of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs and by public and political discussions on a relaunch of the ERA following a Commission Green Paper. This created new momentum for the ERA, recognising the importance of its role in bringing about the European knowledgebased economy. As part of five major new initiatives to advance the ERA, the Commission has in the meantime proposed a partnership with Member States to accelerate and focus work at national and European level on key outstanding issues pertaining to researchers’ mobility and careers.

This sixth annual report, however, reflects in the first instance national progress in 2007, based largely on objectives set out in earlier Commission Communications and their endorsement by Council Resolutions. This report is part of the regular reporting process on the mobility of researchers and career development, requested by the Council.

In addition to activities under the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, in particular the “People” Programme, a considerable part of the work is pursued with the help of the dedicated Steering Group on Human Resources and Mobility (SGHRM)*. In line with the Open Method of Coordination in research, the SGHRM regroups representatives of 36 countries, including since 2007 Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia — FYR Macedonia — in view of their association to the Framework Programme. The members of the SGHRM provided written input on national activities. However, the nature of the feedback does not allow a fully fledged monitoring nor a proper assessment. They also helped collect and verify data on EU action.

The overall impression deriving from this collection of information is that, while a number of initiatives were taken and progress was made at European and national level to promote researchers’ mobility and career prospects, these efforts remain too weak, dispersed, and piecemeal to be really effective.

This observation stresses the need for a more structured approach, both in terms of formulating a strategy and of following it up, as defined in the Communication “Better careers and more mobility: a European Partnership for researchers” adopted in May 2008.

*Red anm.: Norge deltar i styringsgruppen med representanter fra Kunnskapsdepartementet og Norges forskningsråd