Presentation given in the session "The Future for Research Careers" at the Marie Curie Conference (MC2) that took place at the University of Manchester on 10-12 April 2006. For more details on the conference see: http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/mc2/overview/index.html

1. Creating framework conditions
for sustainable research careers
Dagmar M. MeyerDagmar M. Meyer
Marie Curie Fellowship AssociationMarie Curie Fellowship Association

2. „Europe needs more Researchers!“
 Attract more people into science andAttract more people into science and
researchresearch
 more efforts at all levels of school andmore efforts at all levels of school and
university educationuniversity education
 strategies for brain gain from outsidestrategies for brain gain from outside
EuropeEurope
 Make sure you don‘t lose those that areMake sure you don‘t lose those that are
already in the system!already in the system!

3. Optimal use of human resources?
 Excellence as the only thing that counts?Excellence as the only thing that counts?
 strive for very high quality research andstrive for very high quality research and
reward it appropriately, but:reward it appropriately, but:
 an army not only consists of Generalsan army not only consists of Generals
 make best use of people‘s potentialmake best use of people‘s potential
rather than discouraging themrather than discouraging them
 provide appropriate framework for theprovide appropriate framework for the
development of this potential!development of this potential!

4. Differentiation and diversification
 At individual level:At individual level:
 allow for diverse profiles that mayallow for diverse profiles that may
change over timechange over time
 accept non-standard career paths andaccept non-standard career paths and
utilize the potential they bearutilize the potential they bear
 At institutional level:At institutional level:
 new types of institutions withnew types of institutions with
different focusesdifferent focuses

5. Create supportive environment
 Treat researchers as professionalsTreat researchers as professionals
 contracts with decent level of pay andcontracts with decent level of pay and
social securitysocial security
 appropriate resources to do their job!appropriate resources to do their job!
 OOpportunities for professional developmentpportunities for professional development
 iindependently of contractual situationndependently of contractual situation
 change of mechange of mentalityntality and a broaderand a broader
understanding ofunderstanding of „investment in the„investment in the
future“future“

6. Combining flexibility with stability
 More stability through longer term contractsMore stability through longer term contracts
 oopen-ended contracts and regularpen-ended contracts and regular
evaluationsevaluations rather than life-long civilrather than life-long civil
servent statusservent status
 Allow for sustainable work-life balanceAllow for sustainable work-life balance
 fflexible arrangements to combinelexible arrangements to combine
personal life with professional lifepersonal life with professional life

7. Combining flexibility with stability
 More stability through longer term contractsMore stability through longer term contracts
 oopen-ended contracts and regularpen-ended contracts and regular
evaluationsevaluations rather than life-long civilrather than life-long civil
servent statusservent status
 Allow for sustainable work-life balanceAllow for sustainable work-life balance
 fflexible arrangements to combinelexible arrangements to combine
personal life with professional lifepersonal life with professional life