LERU Research Careers and HR Policy Group

Each LERU university has one/two member(s) in the Research Careers& HR Policy Group; this may be the Vice-Rector or equivalent senior academic responsible for research careers, the HR director, or a head of the career development office or equivalent. The activities of Research Careers& HR Policy Group are guided by a steering group.

The group focuses on policy development in areas linked to research careers, starting at post-doc level. The group works pro-actively aiming at influencing the developments in these areas and participate in EU meetings as appropriate. In 2021 the group will focus on finalizing its work on assessment of researchers, continue it work on cultural change which is mostly about the implementation of open science principles and practices. The group is also planning a discussion on the (possible) tensions between university policies and the (personal) attitude of PIs vis a vis these policies.

Activities/Topics
At the meeting in October 2019, the following topics were discussed
– cultural change is an essential part of the Open Science roadmap
-Recognition and Rewarding of Academics
-Assessment of researchers

The aim of the LERU Group Careers and HR is to promote the development of attractive research careers at LERU universities and to help build successful policies at the European level. The group organises meetings and other activities to compare and discuss policies, practices and common challenges.

The LERU Policy Group Careers and HR focus on EU policy developments with relation to HR issues, recruitment, professional development, career stages and promotion.

The group monitors the development the EU agenda in the context of completing the European Research Area (ERA):
– International mobility (Euraxess)
– pan-European supplementary pension fund – RESAVER- Retirement Savings Vehicle for European Research Institutions,
– the social security of mobile researchers – (see LERU Advice Paper, Improving Social Security for Internationally Mobile Researchers)
– professional development: ERA-SGHRM WG Report on Professional Development of Researchers 2014 and HRS4R
– H2020 Research Grants (MSCA),
– collaborated with Vitae in a project to investigate the careers of researchers at LERU Universities, to see destinations of post-docs leaving academia about their subsequent careers:
– Careers paths and dynamics at LERU universities: Presentation of work undertaken at a few LERU universities to identify the steps towards a professorship and the roles and responsibilities of researchers. This work builds on the RCC’s earlier career maps work, now with different perspectives and aims.

-The careers of European Research Council (ERC) grantees: What are ERC grantees’ next career steps and opportunities after finishing their ERC grants (in particular starting grants), do they stay or go elsewhere, how to retain them, relation to tenure and tenure-track programs, implications for policies and practices at LERU universities.

-Ratio of post-docs to professors/permanently employed academics: What is a healthy balance between temporary and “permanent” staff. What can/should universities do?

-What do researchers do next- project – Careers outside of academia. The project is carried out by Vitae and Nature Jobs, which LERU has agreed to support. Presentation on the goals of the project and first results in the UK.

On these topics, LERU informs and consults its members, provides advice to the EU and participate in EU meetings as appropriate.

The Research Careers Community has prepared the following publications:
LERU paper Harvesting_talent, strengthening reserach careers in Europe 2010
LERU Advice paper, Tenure track at LERU Universities, models for attractive research careers in Europé
LERU Advice Paper, Improving Social Security for Internationally Mobile Researchers

The activities of the LERU Gender Working Group is connected to this Community for example in observing the transparency of research careers frameworks and gender issues. Contacts with other organisations active on research careers, includes Vitae, Go8, AAU and ESF.

Lund University is a member of LERU