Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

**Council of the**
**European Union**

**Interinstitutional File:**

**2023/0285(NLE)**

**PROPOSAL**

**Brussels, 14 July 2023**
**(OR. en)**

**11850/23**
**ADD 1**

**RECH 357**
**EDUC 315**
**COMPET 763**
**IND 393**
**MI 617**
**EMPL 381**

From: Secretary-General of the European Commission, signed by Ms Martine
DEPREZ, Director

date of receipt: 13 July 2023

To: Ms Thérèse BLANCHET, Secretary-General of the Council of the
European Union

No. Cion doc.: COM(2023) 436 final - Annexes 1 to 2

Subject: ANNEXES to the Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on a
European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and
entrepeneurial talents in Europe

Delegations will find attached document COM(2023) 436 final - Annexes 1 to 2.

Encl.: COM(2023) 436 final - Annexes 1 to 2

11850/23 ADD 1 MM/lv

## COMPET.2. EN

EUROPEAN

COMMISSION

Brussels, 13.7.2023
COM(2023) 436 final

ANNEXES 1 to 2

**ANNEXES**

**to the**

**Proposal for a**
**COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION**

**on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepeneurial**

**talents in Europe**

# **EN EN**

**ANNEX I**

**Examples of occupations for researchers across sectors along the R1-R4 profiles** **[1]**

|R1 - First Stage Researcher|R2 - Recognised Researcher|
|---|---|
|doctoral candidate<br>junior academic<br>junior consultant<br>junior policy adviser/officer<br>junior research analyst<br>junior research engineer<br>junior researcher/scientist<br>junior scientific officer<br>research apprentice/intern<br>research assistant/technician|junior academic<br>junior consultant<br>junior policy adviser/officer<br>junior lecturer<br>junior research analyst<br>junior research engineer<br>junior researcher/scientist<br>junior scientific officer<br>postdoctoral researcher<br>research assistant/technician|
|**R3 - Established Researcher**|**R4 - Leading Researcher**|
|accredited researcher<br>assistant professor<br>associate professor<br>associate researcher<br>principal consultant<br>principal investigator<br>principal researcher/scientist<br>reader<br>research fellow<br>research specialist<br>scientific councillor<br>senior academic<br>senior consultant<br>senior lecturer<br>senior policy adviser/officer<br>senior research and development<br>associate<br>senior research engineer<br>senior researcher/scientist<br>senior scientific officer|chief scientific officer<br>distinguished professor<br>full professor<br>principal consultant<br>principal investigator<br>principal researcher/scientist<br>reader<br>research fellow<br>research professor<br>research specialist<br>scientific councillor<br>senior academic<br>senior consultant<br>senior lecturer<br>senior policy adviser/officer<br>senior research and development associate senior<br>research engineer<br>senior researcher/scientist<br>senior scientific officer|

1 The examples are not intended to be exhaustive but serve as an indication of the types of titles for researchers

across the R1-R4 profiles and across all sectors. Some researcher occupations may appear in multiple R1-R4
where the decision of profile will be determined case-by-case and will be dependent on the level of
independence, experience, and recognition. Some of the examples (such as consultant and policy
adviser/officer) are included under the assumption that the occupation involves actual research activities.
The profiles R1-R4 are strictly of relevance for researchers and are not relevant for research management.
Similar types of profiles might be considered for research management once the category is adequately framed.

# EN 1 EN

**ANNEX II**

**European Charter for Researchers**

The European Charter for Researchers is a set of principles underpinning the development of
attractive research careers to support excellence in research and innovation across Europe.
The focus of the Charter for Researchers is the rights and responsibilities of researchers,
employers, funders and policy makers consisting of 20 key principles. These are classified
under the following four pillars,

(a) Ethics, Integrity, Gender and Open Science

(b) Researchers Assessment, Recruitment and Progression

(c) Working Conditions and Practices

(d) Research Careers and Talent Development

The Charter for Researchers is directed at all researchers, research performing sectors and
respective umbrella organisations (stakeholders),

(a) Researchers in all sectors (academia, public and private organisations performing
research).

(b) Employers of researchers in the public and private sector

(c) Funders of research and researchers in the public and private sector

(d) Policy makers concerned with policies relevant to the Charter

It addresses researchers across all disciplines including Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), including the Arts. It covers all
types of research from frontier, targeted, strategic, applied and close to market.

# EN 2 EN

**PILLAR 1 – ETHICS, INTEGRITY, GENDER AND OPEN SCIENCE**

1. ETHICS AND RESEARCH INTEGRITY

2. FREEDOM OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

3. OPEN SCIENCE

4. GENDER EQUALITY

5. EMBRACING DIVERSITY

6. THE RESEARCH PROFESSION

7. FREE CIRCULATION OF RESEARCHERS

8. SUSTAINABILITY OF RESEARCH

_This pillar gathers the fundamental principles of the Charter for Researchers and its_
_commitment towards supporting excellence in research, understood in this context as_
_fostering the best possible research teams and projects, free from gender and other biases._
_The principles under this pillar are expected to contribute to the foundations of the vision of a_
_revitalized European Research Area, and to inspire European researchers, research_
_employers, funders and policy makers. Because of the transversal nature of all these values_
_they are expected to be mainstreamed and taken into consideration in the deployment of rest_
_of the principles._

_**(1)**_ _**Ethics and Research Integrity**_ _**[2]**_

Researchers should comply with strict ethics rules and approach their work with honesty;
reliability; objectivity; impartiality and independence; open communication; duty of care;
fairness and responsibility for future science generations. These are the foundations of
responsible and trustworthy research free from undue influence (including foreign
interference [3] and conflict of interest), a prerequisite for achieving excellence, and underpin
the responsibility of researchers to guard against biases and methodological shortcuts.

Researchers should adhere to the recognised ethical practices and fundamental ethical
principles [4] appropriate to their discipline(s) as well as to ethical standards as documented in
the different national, sectoral or institutional Codes of Ethics.

The primary responsibility for research integrity is with researchers themselves. Researchers
should be supported by an institutional culture of research integrity to create and respect rules,
procedures and guidelines as well as training and mentoring based on the exchange of best
practices.

In order to foster good research practices and a culture of research integrity, a number of
dimensions need to be considered by all the involved stakeholders, such as research integrity
in research environments; training and capacity building on research integrity; research

2
Council Conclusions Research Integrity 14853/15 (2015), https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST
14853-2015-INIT/en/pdf.
3 Tackling R&I Foreign Interference, European Commission (SWD), 2022, doi:10.2777/513746.
4 For example the European Code for Research Integrity ALLEA (2017), https://allea.org/code-ofconduct/.

# EN 3 EN

processes and policies embedding research integrity; data, publication, dissemination, review,
evaluation and editing policies. Equally, mechanisms to identify, report and deal with research
misconducts need to be put in place.

Researchers must avoid plagiarism of any kind and abide by the intellectual property rules
and the principles of joint ownership in the case of research carried out in collaboration with a
supervisor(s) and/or other researchers (as appropriate to the discipline). This should apply at
all stages of the research process including conception, preparing funding applications, the
development and delivery of results. The need to validate observations by showing that
findings are reproducible should not be interpreted as plagiarism, provided that the data to be
confirmed are explicitly referenced.

_**(2)**_ _**Freedom of Scientific Research**_

The freedom of scientific research is a common core value and principle for research
cooperation within the European Research Area and with international partners [5] . Researchers
should focus their research for the good of humanity and for expanding the frontiers of human
knowledge, while enjoying the freedom of thought, opinion and expression, the freedom to
define research questions, the freedom to identify methods by which problems are solved, the
freedom to choose and develop theories, the freedom to question accepted wisdom and bring
forward new ideas and the freedom to associate in professional or representative academic
bodies. Researchers should have the right to disseminate and publish the results of their
research including through training and teaching. Researchers should, however, recognise the
limitations to this freedom that could arise because of particular research circumstances
(including supervision/guidance/management) or legal or operational constraints, e.g., for
intellectual property rights, budgetary or infrastructural reasons.

_**(3)**_ _**Open Science**_

Researchers should target engagement in all aspects of Open Science [6] and be facilitated by
their employers and funders in this regard. They should share their results openly, e.g.,
through open and FAIR data, open access publications, open software, models and
algorithms. They should take measures to ensure reproducibility of research results. They
should aim to practice Open Science methodologies and engage in open peer review.
Employers and/or funders should support and reward a true Open Science culture across the
Union, including mainstreaming open access to scholarly publications, research data and other
research outputs (i.e. following the “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” principle)
and the diffusion and uptake of Open Science principles and practices, whilst considering
differences between disciplines and cultural differences, including multilingualism,
supporting the development of Open Science skills, and further developing and integrating the
underpinning digital infrastructure and service.

Citizen Science

5 See article 13 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and Bonn Declaration on Freedom

of Scientific Research, Adopted at the Ministerial Conference on the European Research Area on 20 October
2020 in Bonn, https://www.bmbf.de/bmbf/shareddocs/downloads/files/_drp-efr-bonner_erklaerung_en_withsignatures_maerz_2021.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1.
6 Council Conclusions, The transition towards an Open Science system, 9526/16 27 May 2016.

# EN 4 EN

Researchers should incorporate citizen science into their projects as much as possible and
where relevant. This means involving citizens in the concept, design and implementation of
research projects in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics (STEAM), Social
Sciences and Humanities (SSH). This is an ideal means to democratise science, build trust in
science, and leverage the vast societal intelligence and capabilities to conduct excellent
research and innovation.

_**(4)**_ _**Gender Equality**_

All stakeholders should foster gender balance in research teams, managerial, decision-making
bodies, recruitment and promotion committees, and advisory groups. This also includes
fostering the integration of the gender dimension in research, teaching and innovation content
in order to improve the scientific quality, excellence, and societal relevance of the produced
knowledge. Gender Equality also aims at combating gender-based violence and sexual
harassment. Gender Equality shall be understood from an intersectional perspective, where
different systems of power between gender and other social categories and identities intersect
and reinforce each other. Sustainable institutional changes, channelled through Gender
Equality plans [7] or similar, that allow for proper reporting of infringements, and include
monitoring and evaluation systems, are adequate mechanisms to promote Gender Equality.

_**(5)**_ _**Embracing Diversity**_

A core principle of European Research Area is to take account of diversity in the broad sense,
including, inter alia, gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, social diversity,
disability, age, sexual orientation and combating discrimination on all grounds. Employers
and/or funders should embrace diversity in their researchers since different life experiences
add valuable perspectives to research projects. Also, diversity in participants can inform
research results applying to and enriching the diverse societies we live in. Acknowledging
unconscious biases, for instance in hiring, promoting and in reviewing tasks, and
compensating for them where possible is also needed, particularly in the realm of science.

_**(6)**_ _**The Research Profession**_

All researchers engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge should be recognised
as professionals and be treated accordingly. This should commence at the beginning of their
careers, independently of the sector in which they operate, namely at postgraduate level, and
should include all levels, regardless of their classification at national level (e.g., employee,
postgraduate student, doctoral candidate, postdoctoral fellow, civil servants).

Employers and funders should encourage and support non-linear and multi-career paths, to be
intended as paths characterised by geographical, disciplinary, sectoral, and interorganisational mobility (secondments). They should also encourage hybrid paths combining
simultaneously different sectors, which should be considered on a par with linear career paths.

Professional Attitude

7 See [https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-](https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality/gender-equality-strategy_en%20and)
[equality/gender-equality-strategy_en](https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality/gender-equality-strategy_en%20and) and [https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gear/what-](https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gear/what-gender-equality-plan-gep)
[gender-equality-plan-gep.](https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gear/what-gender-equality-plan-gep)

# EN 5 EN

Researchers should be familiar with the strategic goals governing their research environment
and funding mechanisms and should seek all necessary approvals before starting their
research or accessing the resources provided. Researchers should make every effort to ensure
that their research is relevant to society and does not needlessly duplicate research previously
carried out elsewhere.

There should be clear communication between researchers and employers, funders, or
supervisors when a research project is delayed, redefined or completed; notice should be
given if a research project is to be terminated earlier or suspended for whatever reason.

Accountability

Being accountable means taking responsibility for one’s actions when carrying out research.
Researchers need to be aware that they are accountable towards their employers, funders or
other related public or private bodies as well as, on more ethical grounds, towards society.
Researchers funded by public funds are also accountable for the efficient use of taxpayers’
money. Consequently, they should adhere to the principles of sound, transparent and efficient
financial management and cooperate with any authorised audits of their research, whether
undertaken by their employers/funders or by ethics committees. This expectation requires
them to serve as examples of ethical behaviour for their peers and for the broader society.

Methods of collection and analysis, the outputs and, where applicable, details of the data
should be open to internal and external scrutiny, whenever necessary and as requested by the
appropriate authorities. This is also important to make the data open and help ensure the
reproducibility of results.

_**(7)**_ _**Free circulation of researchers**_

Funders and employers should promote free circulation of researchers and other research
professionals, scientific knowledge and technology, while attracting talent and avoiding
potential talent drain. They should recognise the value of geographical, inter-institutional,
intersectoral, inter- and trans-disciplinary, and virtual mobility [8] as important means of
enhancing knowledge and professional development at any stage of a researcher’s career and
fully value and acknowledge any mobility experience within their career
progression/appraisal system. This also requires that the necessary administrative instruments
be put in place to allow the portability of both grants and social security provisions, in
accordance with national legislation.

_**(8)**_ _**Sustainability of Research**_

Researchers, employers and funders should promote the sustainable implementation of
research activities in line with the European Green Deal, the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda
and the Sustainable Development Goals. Researchers should be supported by an institutional
culture of sustainable research management, as well as training and mentoring based on the
exchange of best practices. They should take the lead in reducing their carbon emissions in a
way that sets a positive example to others within the research community.

8 i.e., remote collaboration over electronic networks and infrastructures.

# EN 6 EN

The European Commission’s “MSCA Green Charter” [9], developed in the framework of the
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, can be used as reference point.

9 Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions Green Charter, https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/about
msca/msca-green-charter.

# EN 7 EN

**PILLAR 2 – RESEARCHERS ASSESSMENT, RECRUITMENT AND**

**PROGRESSION**

1. RESEARCHERS ASSESSMENT

2. RECRUITMENT

3. SELECTION

4. CAREER PROGRESSION

_Research assessment should ensure an equal recognition and reward of researchers’ careers_
_regardless of the sector of employment or activity and follow an unbiased talent-based_
_approach. Fair recruitment and selection of researchers´ policies are fundamental for_
_achieving an open labour market for researchers, contributing to the advancement of the_
_European Research Area._

_**(1)**_ _**Researchers Assessment**_ _**[10]**_

Research assessment should enable evaluating the performance of researchers and research to
achieve the highest quality and impact. This requires recognition of increasingly diverse
research outputs, activities and practices, including collaboration, open sharing of outputs, and
ensuring high research integrity standards. Consequently, assessment should be based
primarily on qualitative judgement, for which peer review is central, supported by the
responsible use of quantitative indicators. Assessment should also include a wider range of
evaluation criteria, such as teaching, management and leadership, supervision, mentoring,
knowledge valorisation, entrepreneurship and collaboration with industry, teamwork, services
to society, science communication and interaction with society, and methodological rigour
and Open Science practices. Contributions to innovation through inventions or development
should also be recognised, particularly for candidates from an industrial background.

Employers and funders should support a system for the assessment and reward of researchers
that considers the overall quality of impact of researchers on society, science and innovation,
the diversity of activities performed, Open Science practices, and the value of geographical,
interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. Such a system should:

(a) be based on qualitative judgement provided by peers, supported by responsible use of
quantitative indicators;

(b) reward quality and the various potential impacts of research on society, science and
innovation;

(c) recognise a diversity of outputs ( _inter alia_ publications, datasets, software,
methodologies, protocols, patents), activities ( _inter alia_ mentoring, research
supervision, leadership roles, entrepreneurship, data management, peer review,
teaching, knowledge valorisation, industry-academia cooperation, support for
evidence-informed policy-making, interaction with society) and practices ( _inter alia_

10 Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (2022)

https://coara.eu/app/uploads/2022/09/2022_07_19_rra_agreement_final.pdf.

# EN 8 EN

early knowledge and data sharing, open collaboration), as well as all mobility
experiences;

(d) ensure that the researcher’s professional activity meets high standards of ethics and
integrity, rewards appropriate conduct of research, and values good practices, in
particular open practices for sharing research results and methodologies, whenever
possible;

(e) use assessment criteria and processes that respect the variety of research disciplines
and national contexts;

(f) support a diversity of researcher profiles and career paths, and value individual
contributions, but also the role of teams, collaborative work, and cross-disciplinarity;

(g) ensure gender equality, equal opportunities and inclusiveness.

To ensure coherence in the implementation of these principles, employers and funders should
foster continuous training for the actors involved in the assessment and reward process.

_**(2)**_ _**Recruitment**_

Employers and/or funders should establish recruitment and selection procedures which are
open [11], transparent and merit-based, without any penalisation for career breaks or intersectoral mobility. They should seek for excellence, gender equality, diversity, and be tailored
to the type of position advertised. Advertisements should include a comprehensive description
of knowledge and competencies required, including description of the working conditions and
entitlements, career development prospects and an overview of the timeline. Candidates
should be informed, prior to the selection, about the recruitment process and the selection
criteria, the number of available positions and the career development prospects.

Variations in the chronological order of CVs

Career breaks or variations in the chronological order of CVs should not be penalised, but
regarded as an evolution of a career, and consequently, as a potentially valuable contribution
to the professional development of researchers towards a multidimensional career track.
Candidates should therefore be allowed to submit evidence-based CVs, reflecting a
representative array of achievements and qualifications appropriate to the post for which
application is being made.

Seniority

The levels of qualifications required should be in line with the needs of the position and not
be set as a barrier to entry. Evaluation of qualifications should focus on judging the
achievements of the person rather than their circumstances or the reputation of the institution
where the qualifications were acquired. As professional qualifications may be acquired at an
early stage of a long career, the pattern of lifelong professional development should also be
encouraged and recognised.

11 All available instruments should be used, international or globally accessible web-based resources such as the

EURAXESS Portal: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu.

# EN 9 EN

_**(3)**_ _**Selection**_

As part of recruitment, the selection process should take into consideration the whole range of
experience of the candidates. While focusing on their overall potential as researchers, their
creativity and level of independence should also be considered. Selection committees should
bring together diverse expertise, competences and experience relevant to assess the candidate.
There should be adequate gender balance and, where appropriate and feasible, include
members from different sectors (public and private) and disciplines, and other countries.
Whenever possible, a wide range of selection practices should be used, such as external expert
assessment and face-to-face and online interviews. Members of selection panels should be
adequately trained especially for minimizing gender or any other possible unconscious biases.
All candidates should be informed after the selection process about the strengths and
weaknesses of their applications.

Non-discrimination

Employers and/or funders of researchers should not discriminate against researchers in any
way based on gender, age, ethnic, national or social origin, religion or belief, sexual
orientation, language, disability, political opinion, social or economic condition.

_**(4)**_ _**Career progression**_

Employers and/or funders should introduce for all researchers, including senior researchers,
evaluation/appraisal systems for assessing their professional performance on a regular basis
and in a transparent manner by an independent (and, in the case of senior researchers,
preferably international) committee. A multiple career path, characterised by geographical,
sectoral, and inter-organisational mobility (secondments), or hybrid paths characterised by the
simultaneous combination of sectors, deserves full recognition and consideration on a par
with a linear career path.

Such evaluation and appraisal procedures should take due account of researchers’ overall
potential, their research creativity, their research results (e.g. publications, data, software,
models, algorithms, methods, protocols, patents, policy contributions), their activities (e.g.
management and leadership, teaching/lecturing, peer review, supervision, mentoring,
entrepreneurship, knowledge valorisation, national or international collaboration,
administrative duties, service to society, science communication and interaction with society),
their research behaviour (e.g. ethics and integrity practice, methodological rigour, early
knowledge and data sharing, open collaboration) and their mobility, and should be taken into
consideration in the context of career progression.

A transparent, structured, inclusive and gender-equal career accession and progression system
is needed to reinforce careers in academia, up to the top positions [12] . The adoption of tenuretrack-like systems, to be intended as a fixed-term contract with the perspective of a
progression to a permanent position subject to positive evaluation, could be considered for
this purpose at the level of Member States and research performing organisations.

Co-authorship

12 See MORE 4 study (2021)       https://cdn5.euraxess.org/sites/default/files/policy_library/more4_final_report.pdf.

# EN 10 EN

Co-authorship should be viewed positively by institutions when evaluating staff, as evidence
of a constructive approach to the conduct of research. Employers and/or funders should
therefore develop strategies, practices and procedures to provide researchers, including those
at the beginning of their research careers, with the necessary framework conditions so that
they can enjoy the right to be recognised and listed and/or quoted, in the context of their
actual contributions, as co-authors of papers, co-inventors of patents, etc, or to publish their
own research results independently from their supervisor(s).

Recognition of mobility experience

Any mobility experience, e.g., a stay in another country/region or in another research setting
(public or private) or a change from one discipline or sector to another, whether as part of the
initial research training or at a later stage of the research career, or virtual mobility
experience, should be considered as a valuable contribution to the professional development
of a researcher.

# EN 11 EN

**PILLAR 3 - WORKING CONDITIONS AND PRACTICES**

1. WORKING CONDITIONS, FUNDING AND SALARIES

2. STABILITY OF EMPLOYMENT

3. CONTRACTUAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

4. DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS

_Improving researchers working conditions should be at the core of the Union policy_
_framework for research careers. Within this area several actions are proposed to contribute_
_to the stability of employment, to the definition of researchers´ labour rights and obligations_
_and the need for employers and funders to develop a research culture for research excellence_
_and facilitate a thriving researcher community._

_**(1)**_ _**Working conditions, funding and salaries**_

Employers and/or funders should ensure that the working conditions for researchers,
including those with disabilities, provide where appropriate the flexibility and accessibility
deemed essential for successful research performance in accordance with existing national
legislation and with national or sectoral collective-bargaining agreements. They should aim to
provide working conditions which allow all researchers to combine a personal and
professional life [13] . Particular attention should be paid, inter alia, to flexible working hours,
part-time working, remote working and sabbatical leave, as well as to the necessary financial
and administrative provisions governing such arrangements. Employers should provide a
working environment that promotes the mental health and wellbeing of researchers, including
appropriate procedures for preventing and tackling gender-based violence, including sexual
harassment.

Research environment

Employers and/or funders of researchers should ensure that the most stimulating research or
research training environment is created which offers appropriate equipment, facilities and
opportunities, including for remote collaboration over research networks, and the highest level
of health and safety in line with Union, national or sectoral regulations. Funders should ensure
that adequate resources are provided in support of the agreed work programme. In particular,
it is important to have qualified support staff (e.g., professionals including research managers
and administrators).

Complaints/appeals

Employers and/or funders of researchers should establish, in compliance with relevant
national, Union or international law rules and regulations, appropriate procedures, possibly in
the form of an impartial ombudsperson, to deal with complaints/appeals of researchers,
including those concerning conflicts between supervisor(s) and First Stage (R1)/Recognised

13 –
See SEC (2005) 260, Women and Science: Excellence and Innovation Gender Equality in Science.

# EN 12 EN

(R2) researchers. Such procedures should provide all research staff with confidential and
informal assistance in resolving work-related conflicts, disputes, and grievances, with the aim
of promoting fair and equitable treatment within the institution and improving the overall
quality of the working environment.

Participation in organisation governance

Employers and/or funders of researchers should recognise it as wholly legitimate, and indeed
desirable, that researchers be represented in the relevant information, consultation and
decision-making bodies of the institutions for which they work, to protect and promote their
individual and collective interests as professionals and to actively contribute to the workings
of the institution [14] .

Funding and salaries

Employers and/or funders of researchers should ensure that researchers, irrespective of their
status, enjoy fair and attractive remuneration conditions (funding and/or salaries) with
adequate and equitable social security provisions (including sickness and parental benefits,
pension rights and unemployment benefits, invalidity benefits and benefits in respect of
accidents at work and occupational disease) in accordance with existing national legislation
and with national or sectoral collective bargaining agreements. This must include researchers
at all career stages including First Stage researchers (R1), commensurate with their legal
status, performance and level of qualifications and/or responsibilities. Researchers should be
made aware of their rights and obligations when it comes to understanding how their salaries
are being taxed, and should be provided transparent information on social protection rights
such as national pension rights.

_**(2)**_ _**Stability of employment**_

Employers and/or funders should take resolute actions to counter the phenomenon of precarity
and to support job security and stability, including by way of a limited maximum total
duration of fixed-term appointments, and a recommended maximum threshold of one third of
fixed-term contracts in the overall researchers’ human resources of a given employer.
Whenever permanent or long-term or highly recurrent research tasks are being fulfilled,
permanent or open-ended contracts should be the appropriate instrument.

Post-doctoral positions (R2)

Precarity of employment is a particular issue in academia. To counter this situation and to
support job security and stability, clear rules and explicit guidelines for the recruitment and
appointment of postdoctoral researchers (R2), including the maximum duration and the
objectives of such appointments, should be established by the institutions appointing
postdoctoral researchers. Such guidelines should consider time spent in prior postdoctoral
appointments at other institutions and take into consideration that the postdoctoral status

14
In this context see also EU Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11
March 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European
Community - Joint declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on employee
representation, (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 29)..

# EN 13 EN

should be transitional, with the primary purpose of providing additional professional
development opportunities for a research career in the context of long-term career prospects
with fixed contract or tenure.

_**(3)**_ _**Contractual and legal obligations**_

Researchers at all levels must be familiar with the national, sectoral or institutional
regulations governing training and/or working conditions. This includes Intellectual Property
Rights regulations, and the requirements and conditions of any sponsor or funders,
independently of the nature of their contract. Employer and funders should provide copies of
these documents in English. Researchers should adhere to such regulations by delivering the
required results (e.g., thesis, publications, patents, reports, new products development, etc) as
set out in the terms and conditions of the contract or equivalent document.

Researchers should always adopt safe working practices, in line with relevant national and
Union legislation, including taking the necessary precautions for health and safety and for
recovery from cybersecurity attacks, information technology disasters, e.g., by preparing
proper back-up strategies. They should also be familiar with the current national and Union
legal requirements regarding data protection and confidentiality protection requirements and
undertake the necessary steps to always fulfil them.

_**(4)**_ _**Dissemination and exploitation of results**_

Open Science should be practiced by all researchers to ensure, in compliance with their
contractual arrangements, that the results of their research are disseminated, made openly
available and exploited, e.g. communicated, transferred into other research settings and, if
appropriate, commercialised. Senior researchers are expected to take a lead in ensuring that
research is fruitful and that results are either exploited commercially or made accessible to the
public (or both) whenever the opportunity arises.

Researchers should be facilitated in this regard by their employers and funders through the
relevant skills training and access to the appropriate funding, infrastructure and support. The
engagement of researchers in Open Science should be recognised, incentivised and rewarded
by employers and funders in recruitment, career progression and funding programme

assessment.

Intellectual Assets including Intellectual Property Rights

Employers and/or funders should ensure that researchers at all career stages are adequately
compensated for the benefits resulting from the exploitation (if any) of their research and
innovation activities results, where appropriate by guaranteeing co-ownership of the
intellectual property rights such as copyright. Employers and or/funders should address this
explicitly in their intellectual assets management strategy and should make the strategy
publicly available. The intellectual assets management strategy should cover the creation,
management, ownership and utilisation of all types of intellectual assets (including data,
know-how, standards), and support Open Science.

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The strategy should explicitly refer to ownership provisions and access rights to researchers
and/or, where applicable, to their employers or other parties, including industry partners, as
possibly provided for under specific collaboration agreements or other types of agreement [15] .

Public Engagement

Researchers should ensure that their research activities are made known to society at large in
such a way that they can be understood by non-specialists, thereby improving the public’s
understanding of science. Direct engagement with the civil society and citizens will help
researchers to better understand public interest in priorities for research and the public’s
concerns, and to harness the potential of co-design and co-creation with society where
relevant.

15 Further recommendations can be found in the Commission Recommendation on a Code of Practice for

Intellectual Assets Management, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32008H0416.

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**PILLAR 4 -RESEARCH CAREERS AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT**

1. VALUING DIVERSE RESEARCH CAREERS

2. CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND ADVICE

3. CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

4. SUPERVISION AND MENTORING

_The research community is diverse in talents, skills, competences and capacities and roles._
_The more these talents are fostered and developed, the better the research quality, and_
_societal relevance of the produced knowledge. Encouraging continuous professional_
_development along with skills training is needed to maintain competence and provide_
_researchers with a broad range of career opportunities in the public and private sectors._

_**(1)**_ _**Valuing Diverse Research Careers**_

Employers and/or funders should recognise that researchers may have highly diverse careers
both in research and in other functions. Diversification typically includes mobility in all its
forms: inter/intra-national, inter-sectoral, inter-institutional, inter- and trans-disciplinary and
virtual mobility. This requires more talent-based and diversity-sensitive quality assessment,
fostering responsible use of metrics, considering diverse contributions and their potential
impacts, diverse activities and practices like teaching and skills, peer review, research
management and leadership, supervision, mentoring, knowledge valorisation,
entrepreneurship and collaboration with industry, services to society, science communication
and interaction with society, methodological rigour and Open Science practices, team science,
among others as well as mobility.

Employers and/or funders should put measures in place to make researchers, in particular
early-career ones, aware of opportunities available in all relevant sectors and to promote a
culture of diversification of careers for better personal and professional development. This
will require career advisory and support services to stimulate inter-sectoral, inter-disciplinary
and geographical mobility, as well as the creation and development of entrepreneurial
activities.

_**(2)**_ _**Career Development and Advice**_

Employers and/or funders of researchers should draw up, preferably within the framework of
their human resources management, a specific career development strategy for researchers at
all stages of their career, regardless of their contractual situation, including for researchers on
fixed-term contracts. In this context, researchers should be supported to develop an individual
career plan to identify the necessary training and research required to attain their career goals.
It should include the availability of mentors involved in providing support and guidance for
the personal and professional development of researchers, thus motivating them and
contributing to reducing any insecurity in their professional future. All researchers should be
made familiar with such provisions and arrangements and be proactive and responsible for
their career development.

Employers and/or funders should ensure either in the institutions concerned, or through
collaboration with other structures, accessible and up-to-date career guidance and job

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placement assistance, providing information, guidance and support for career development
both within and beyond the institution concerned. This shall be offered to researchers at all
stages of their careers, regardless of their contractual situation

_**(3)**_ _**Continuous Professional Development**_

Researchers at all career stages should seek proactively and be given opportunities by their
employer/funder to continually improve themselves by regularly updating and expanding their
skills and competencies. This may be achieved by a variety of means including, but not
restricted to, formal training, workshops, conferences and e-learning or collaboration within a
team and the respective networks. Particular attention should be paid to the training of First
Stage Researchers (R1) the majority of whom are PhD candidates at the beginning of their
research career [16] .

Access to research training and continuous development

Employers and/or funders should ensure that all researchers at any stage of their career,
regardless of their contractual situation, are given the opportunity for professional
development and for improving their employability through access to measures for the
continuing development of skills and competencies. Employers and funders should take
action to support the development and provision of targeted training, including in the form of
micro-credentials, to ensure up-skilling and re-skilling opportunities for researchers with a
lifelong learning perspective and to foster inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary mobility. Such
measures should be regularly assessed for their accessibility, take-up and effectiveness in
improving competencies, skills and employability.

Employers and funders should attribute adequate relevance to the need to foster
entrepreneurial competences in researchers, with the objective of allowing those who
undertake an entrepreneurial career path to couple their knowledge production capabilities
with knowledge valorisation proficiency, turning innovative ideas into business and fostering
innovation and progress.

Employers and funders should take steps to ensure that doctoral training is adapted for
interoperable careers in all relevant sectors and for the practice of Open Science, including by
making use of the European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp) and of
any other future initiatives taken by the Commission for the purpose of strengthening
transversal skills of researchers.

Validation of skills

As part of broadening researchers’ skills sets, employers and/or funders should provide for the
appropriate assessment and evaluation of formal and informal training including on-the-job
skills and training, particularly within the context of international and professional mobility.
The assessment should be done on harmonised criteria, in a fair and transparent manner
within a reasonable timeframe.

16 For example, see Innovative Doctoral Training Principles (2011)
https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/policy_library/principles_for_innovative_doctoral_training.pdf,
Salzburg Principles (2016) https://www.eua-cde.org/downloads/publications/2016_euacde_doctoral-salzburgimplementation-new-challenges.pdf, Hannover Principles (2022)
https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/176626?_pos=1&_sid=d5bf44607&_ss=r.

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Teaching
Teaching is an essential means for the structuring and dissemination of knowledge and is a
valuable option within a researcher’s career path. Teaching should benefit from and make use
of scientific knowledge and promote research interest among students. Involvement of
researchers in teaching should be fully supported and recognised, and might vary at different
moments within a career. Special attention should be paid to researchers at the beginning of
their careers, ensuring that they are rightly supported and that teaching responsibilities
(including lecturing, tutoring, supervising and mentoring) are compatible with their research
activities or research training.

Employers and/or funders should ensure that teaching duties are adequately remunerated and
considered in the evaluation/appraisal systems from early stage of researchers’ careers. It
should also be ensured that time devoted by senior members of staff to the training and
mentoring of First and Second Stage (R1, R2) researchers is counted as part of their teaching
commitment. Suitable training should be provided for teaching and coaching activities as part
of the initial training and professional development of researchers.

_**(4)**_ _**Supervision and Mentoring**_

Proper people and team management are crucial in research working environments as science
is by definition a joint endeavour. The necessary training, tools and evaluation mechanisms
should be put in place as to ensure that senior and leading researchers are capable of
managing their staff and teams in a fair and non-discriminatory manner, free of gender and
other types of biases, and are capable of establishing fruitful and cooperative working
relationships to their peers. This should contribute to healthy, fair, creative environments
where every individual is respected, duly motivated, recognized and their general well-being
fostered.

Employers and/or funders should ensure that a person or a group of persons is clearly
identified to whom First Stage (R1) and Recognised (R2) researchers can refer for the
performance of their professional duties and should inform the researchers accordingly.

Such arrangements should clearly define that the proposed supervisor/s have an adequate
level of expertise in supervising research and have the time and commitment to be able to
offer the research trainee appropriate support and provide for the necessary progress and
review procedures, as well as the necessary feedback mechanisms.

Specific provisions for the integration, research support and career development of
researchers, for their mentoring and wellbeing, for communication and conflict resolution as
well as for the training and professional development of supervisors are provided in the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Guidelines for Supervision [17] . The MSCA Guidelines on
Supervision are a set of recommendations for individuals and institutions who receive MSCA
funding. The Guidelines promote effective supervision, mentoring and appropriate career
guidance.

Relation with supervisors

Researchers in their training phase should have a structured and regular relationship with their
supervisor(s) and faculty/departmental representative(s) and be able to take full advantage of

17 https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/about-msca/msca-guidelines-on-supervision.

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their relationship with them. Supervisors should also actively support especially early-stage
researchers by organising feedback meetings with them and promoting training activities
relevant to their work.

This includes keeping records of all work progress and research findings, obtaining feedback
by means of reports and seminars, applying such feedback and working in accordance with
agreed schedules, milestones, deliverables and/or research outputs.

Senior researchers

Senior researchers (R3 and R4) should devote particular attention to their multi-faceted role as
supervisors, mentors, career advisors, leaders, project coordinators, managers or science
communicators. They should perform these tasks to the highest professional standards and
have access to the appropriate training. Regarding their role as supervisors or mentors of
researchers, senior researchers should build up a constructive and positive relationship with
the First Stage (R1) and Recognised (R2) researchers, in order to set the conditions for
efficient transfer of knowledge and for the further successful development of their careers.
This is a highly responsible role to support the career development of R1 and R2 researchers
communicating experience and values in a trusted and confidential environment.

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