Newsletter
The European Research Area (ERA) is a pivotal initiative within the European Union aimed at enhancing collaboration, coordination, and integration across national research systems. One of the most significant efforts under ERA has been the series of ERA Actions, designed to address specific aspects of the research landscape, including the mobility of researchers, career progression, gender equality, and the alignment of national research agendas with European priorities.
At the recent MCAA Annual Conference, an important panel discussion featuring key stakeholders in the European research ecosystem provided valuable insights into the progress, challenges, and future directions of ERA Actions. This report summarizes the perspectives shared by the speakers during the panel, focusing on their views on what ERA Actions have achieved, what is still missing, and what needs to be done going forward.
The Achievements of ERA Actions
ERA Actions have made notable strides in addressing various barriers faced by researchers and research institutions in Europe.
Pil Maria Saugmann, the President of Eurodoc, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers, discussed the importance of stakeholder engagement in the ERA process, particularly through organizations like the MCAA, Eurodoc, ISE, and AERT, which represent researchers at the European level. According to Pil Maria, the best way to engage in ERA is through national and university-level involvement, where individuals can contribute to decision- making and gradually gain knowledge and experience. She emphasized the value of the new ERA website launched by the European Commission, which is more user-friendly and accessible than previous versions. Pil Maria also expressed optimism about the improvements made in the ERA Actions agenda, even though these Actions are still in their early stages. She remarked: “I see this as a significant improvement. But I believe this is just the first round. We’ll continue refining it moving forward.”
ERA Actions Under Review: Achievements, Challenges, and the Path Forward
Renaud Jolivet, Full Professor at Maastricht University and representative for individual researchers and innovators, emphasized a major breakthrough in governance representation: “The most significant achievement over the last three years is that we, as individual researchers and innovators, now have a seat at the table,” he stated. “Previously, we were consulted only at the end of the process, when policies were already decided. Now we are part of the actual negotiation of policy actions at the European level.” He added that while coordination among researcher organizations had its challenges, progress has been made to create unified positions.
Alexander Hasgal, expert in the field of European research and innovation policy (SNSF Swiss National Science Foundation), highlighted that researchers often underestimate the importance of engaging with ERA at the institutional level. He stressed that many researchers are already involved in their universities, and by engaging with the ERA Actions, they could become some of the best-informed individuals in their institutions, even influencing university leadership. Alexander also pointed out that the ERA Actions are not just about policies; they are about fostering a dynamic European research area where barriers are overcome. He noted that the culture of cooperation and the willingness to overcome barriers are fundamental to ensuring the success of ERA.
Emmanuelle Gardan, director of the Coimbra Group and co-sponsor of the ERA Action 4, focused on the tools that have been developed as part of the ERA Actions, particularly the ERA Talent Platform, which offers researchers the opportunity to navigate mobility, assess their competencies, and find career development opportunities. She acknowledged that for many researchers, ERA’s policy frameworks might seem disconnected from their daily work. However, she pointed out that platforms like the ERA Talent provide concrete, user-friendly resources that can directly improve the working conditions and career progression of individual researchers: “The ERA Talent platform was designed specifically for researchers. It helps you with mobility, assessing your competencies, and finding career opportunities.” She also stressed that while policy frameworks may seem disconnected from researchers' daily realities, tools like the Talent Platform offer tangible benefits, making it easier for researchers to advance their careers.
Existing Barriers Faced by Researchers
However, despite these initiatives, researchers still face significant barriers to mobility, such as visa restrictions, language barriers, and cultural differences that can hinder the ease with which they transition between countries. Pil Maria noted, “Mobility is key to the development of European research, but we must ensure that the hurdles to cross-border mobility are addressed more effectively. Without overcoming these barriers, the full potential of ERA will remain unrealized.” Pil Maria also mentioned that academic governance is one of the weakest links in the research ecosystem, particularly at the postdoctoral level. She pointed out that many researchers struggle to engage in decision-making processes, leaving them without a platform to voice their concerns and contribute to shaping policies that affect them. Pil emphasized the need for universities to provide better training for researchers in governance, as this group will eventually become the academic leaders of tomorrow. She said: “We need to focus on developing future academic leadership. This training should empower the next generation of researchers to take on leadership roles and drive democratic processes within academia.”
Renaud noted that postdoctoral researchers often face significant challenges in terms of career progression, with many working under temporary contracts and limited job security. “Many of the challenges we face cannot be solved with more funding alone. What we need is a culture of cooperation within Europe, one that encourages overcoming barriers to collaboration,” he remarked.
Emmanuelle added that while policymakers are focused on large frameworks and strategies, many researchers are more concerned with the day-to-day challenges they face, such as career advancement and mobility. She pointed out that there is often a gap between policy frameworks and the reality of working conditions for researchers, which needs to be addressed to make ERA more relevant to individual researchers' lives.
ERA Actions Under Review: Achievements, Challenges, and the Path Forward
The Future of the ERA Actions
Looking toward the future, the speakers emphasized the importance of continuing to evolve the ERA framework to meet the needs of both researchers and policymakers. Pil Maria stressed that academic governance should be a focus for universities, which need to train and empower the next generation of academic leaders. By strengthening the ability of researchers to engage in governance, the European research system will become more democratic and responsive to the needs of the research community. Renaud pointed out the fragmentation of the European research landscape, suggesting that it leaves ample room for policymakers to disregard the research community’s concerns. “The science policy landscape in Europe is unnecessarily fragmented, with many organizations often competing against each other. This fragmentation makes it easier for policymakers to dismiss us. We need to find a way to speak with a louder, more unified voice.”
Alexander emphasized that ERA should continue to encourage cooperation among European researchers and institutions. He noted that Europe is facing numerous global challenges, including AI, climate change, and societal development, and addressing these will require strong, collaborative research efforts. He argued that while funding is crucial, it is equally important to create a culture of collaboration and information exchange to ensure that researchers can work together across borders. Emmanuelle added that ERA’s focus should shift towards making tools and frameworks more accessible and useful for individual researchers. She acknowledged that ERA has introduced important tools like the ERA Talent Platform but called for further efforts to ensure these tools are more user-friendly and relevant to researchers at different career stages.
Takeaways
The discussion revealed that while the ERA Actions have made important progress, significant challenges remain. Researchers continue to face barriers in mobility, career progression, and academic governance. Future efforts should focus on ensuring that early-career researchers have a platform to engage in decision-making processes, reducing fragmentation between national research systems, and making the ERA tools more accessible and impactful for individual researchers. By addressing these issues, ERA can continue to evolve and strengthen the European research landscape.
Sandra María Fernández Moya
Orcid
MCAA Newsletter Editorial Board Member
Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
smfernandez@uic.es