Summary of joint strategy for all initiatives in WP3
Transform4European Research and Innovation (T4ERI)
About
In the rapidly evolving landscape of 21st-century research and innovation, collaboration is vital to harness scientific talent and drive progress. “Transform4European Research and Innovation” (T4ERI) is a project that seeks to cultivate a robust research ecosystem in Europe. An important element to T4ERI is Work Package 3 (WP3), known as “The Best Careers for the Brightest Minds,” tasked with creating and implementing joint standards for scientific careers within the T4EU alliance. This summary outlines the main aspects of WP3’s joint strategy and its potential impact.
Mission and Vision
WP3 is on a mission to modernize academic and research career landscapes, making them more appealing and supportive. The ultimate vision is to not only create scientific careers but to make them thriving and attractive, enhancing the allure of T4EU partner universities for top researchers worldwide.
Collaborative Strategy Development
WP3’s collaborative approach ensures that the strategy represents the interests of all partner universities. Leading partners, including the University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland), the University of Trieste (Italy), and the University of Alicante (Spain), play key roles in this inclusive process. Inputs from Saarland University (Germany), Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia), Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski (Bulgaria), and Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) further enrich the strategy. Activities between December 2021 and May 2023 have facilitated alignment and integration of interests.
Comprehensive Methodology
WP3’s methodology combines surveys, interviews, SWOT analysis, stakeholder surveys, and competence development workshops. This inclusive approach offers valuable insights into academic and research careers.
Key Findings
The research conducted by WP3 has unearthed a complex landscape of scientific careers. It revealed barriers such as gender biases, publication pressures, job security concerns, and the need for more expertise, impacting researchers at various career levels.
Joint Standards
To address the identified challenges, WP3 has created seven joint standards. These standards focus on financial and organizational resources, stakeholder involvement, gender bias reduction, mentoring effectiveness, research visibility, and open science competencies.
Alliance-Level Standards
At the alliance level, five common standards emphasize mentorship, measurable mentoring effectiveness, increased research visibility, and open science competencies. These standards provide a holistic approach to enhancing scientific careers within the T4EU alliance.
Inclusivity Beyond Academic Staff
WP3 commits to support non-academic staff, such as data stewards, project managers, HR officers, and more. This inclusivity enhances the overall research environment.
Joint Strategy for All Initiatives
The joint strategy encompasses talent promotion, leadership and entrepreneurship in science, and the development of research support staff. These components together create
a comprehensive approach to improving scientific careers. This strategy is detailed in the Action Plan (Deliverable 3.3), as illustrated in Figure 1, which provides a roadmap with specific key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and evaluate the success of its implementation.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Specific KPIs, outlined in the Action Plan (Deliverable 3.3), will measure the success of the strategy’s implementation.
Conclusion
WP3’s joint strategy is a transformative roadmap with the potential to enhance scientific careers within the T4EU alliance. It aims to shape the future of research and innovation, enabling breakthrough discoveries and driving positive societal impact. The collaborative approach, supported by all partner universities, ensures shared commitment to the vision of T4ERI. Through the implementation of joint standards and strategic initiatives, the T4EU alliance is poised to be a leader in global research and innovation, contributing to knowledge and innovation.
Fig 1. WP3 Action plan for Joint Strategy for All Initiatives
WP3 Action plan for Joint Strategy for All Initiatives (pptx, 208 KB)
