Transcript Diapositiva 1

the European Council
of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers
Eurodoc: interactions and
collaboration
between doctoral candidates
and early career
researchers at international
level
Sarah
Cruso
Delegato italiano in Eurodoc
What is eurodoc ?
Eurodoc is the federation of the national associations of
PhD candidates and young researchers in Europe
Members
Individual
contacts
Applying for
membership
Objectives of Eurodoc
 to represent the Early Stage Researchers (ESRs)
and post-docs at the European level
 to promote excellence in research
to make Europe a more attractive environment
for research
 to be a common platform for the discussion
of current and future problems of science policy,
its implementation and the consequences for
young researchers
www.eurodoc.net
Why was eurodoc founded ?
 Bologna
declaration, 1999
 Lisbon strategy, 2000, "3%
objective" in R&D
 Knowledge-based society: a
challenge for Europe
European frame
The European dimension is becoming increasingly important at the
national level and Young Researchers are a specific and key target
of policies.
THE BOLOGNA PROCESS
 Aims at creating the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
 Started in 1998, only lately focusing on the “3rd level”
 Grassroots process: started and driven by the universities through the
European University Association (EUA)
 Mobility through converging higher education systems
 Competitiveness & Attractiveness of higher education stakeholders
 Salzburg declaration (Eurodoc input)
 Tries to catch up with Lisbon process
« […] Ministers consider it necessary to
go beyond the present focus on two main
cycles of higher education to include the
doctoral level as the third cycle in the
Bologna Process. […] Ministers call for
increased mobility at the doctoral and
postdoctoral levels and encourage the
institutions concerned to increase their
cooperation in doctoral studies and the
training of young researchers. […] »
Berlin Communiqué of Ministers,
19th september 2003
The Salzburg declaration
THE BACKGROUND
 2005 conference in Salzburg (Austria) by EUA + Eurodoc heavily involved
(associated organiser).
 First steps to define a common approach to PhD training in Europe: lays
down the basis for mobility and calls for mobility at the PhD level.
THE DECLARATION
 i. Doctoral training = core component is advancement of knowledge through
original research
 ii. research training designed to include professional career development.
 iv. Doctoral candidates as early stage researchers = professionals with
commensurate rights.
 v. Supervision and assessment based on a transparent contractual framework of
shared responsibilities.
 vii. Duration = 3-4 years full-time as a rule.
 ix. Increasing mobility (geographical, interdisciplinary and intersectoral)
 x. Ensuring appropriate funding (quality of doctoral programmes).
Eurodoc history: main steps
► PhD
candidates’ associations from Europe
met in Uppsala, Sweden, in February 2001:
Need for an official frame of representation and discussion at
the European level
February 2002: Foundation and 1st
annual meeting in Girona, Spain (informal
basis)
►
►
March 2005: Eurodoc was formally
estblished in Strasbourg, France
How does eurodoc work ?
 7-member Board
 Annual Conference (Eurodoc 2006: Bologna)
 Delegates representing countries from all Europe
 Workgroups for a number of priority issues:
 Supervision & Training
 International Mobility
 Professional Future
 Labour Conditions
 Gender Equality
 Communication
www.eurodoc.net
The Main Areas of Concern
► Quality
of Education and Supervision
► Labour
Conditions
► Mobility
► Future
Career Prospects
Quality of Education
► Need
for the supervisor and researcher to work
actively to support the researcher’s training needs.
► Need for access to a broad range of training to
develop complementary skills
► Facilitated by the relation between the doctoral
school and the research environment - both have
important complimentary roles.
Quality of Education
► More




►
PhD candidates may lead to
Increase in taught courses
Standardised projects
Less individuality
Even higher student/supervisor ratio
Eurodoc answer: Supervision and Training
Working Group
Supervision and Training Working
Group’s aims:
► sharing
the experience of people doing their thesis
under different PhD supervision system. Focusing
in the pros and cons of them (regualted VS open)
and bringing new ideas. Tools: questionnaires
► Implementing
the European Researcher Charter
and the involvement of national associations
(Eurodoc input played a significant role)
Labour Conditions
Young researcher represent a significatn
proportion of the labour workforce in
reserarch. In spite of this, there is no
commone regulation to ensure the
quality of training, research and
working conditions for young
reserchers.
Comparative table on
roles and working
conditions of PhD
candidates.
(Eurodoc/FJI 2003.)
Labour Conditions WG
► The
main aim is to provide a series of Guidelines
to ensure adequate regulation of the working
conditions.
► To help defining auch regulations, te estblishment
of a specific status for PhD candidates must be
considered. This status should act so as to provide
a contractual framework and address the issue of
funding and social benefit (social security, pension,
parental level…)
What kind of mobility ?
Mobility is desirable since moving back and forth between countries, job
sectors or scientific fields can be very profitable for
 the researcher
 the employer/institution
 the research or HE system/country.
Geographic mobility
 Within the EU/Europe
 From outside the EU/Europe (non-European nationals)
 Outside the EU/Europe and Back (EU/European nationals)
Intersectorial mobility
The career of a young researcher can include work in different sectors:
 Private companies
 Higher public administration
 Other sectors (such as charities)
Thematic mobility
Particularly important in science. Allows to improve knowledge and
technical skills and develop original approaches
International Mobility Working Group
To promote mobility Eurodoc has joined forces
with MCFA (marie Curie Fellowship
association). We have jointly organized the
ESRM2004 conference in Lison in wich we
discussed the problem faced by ESR’s when
considering mobility. A central goal of the
conference was to show several examples of
good practise in which organisations or
institutions provide mobility plans that avoid
those problems.
Future Career Prospects
Academic Career
► The
current system with short term
contracts and job insecurity is not very
attractive to junior researchers.
► Will the funding be much more focussed on
applied research neglecting other research
areas?
► Are there clear stages defined in academia
that are recognised universally?
Professional future working Group’s
focus and questions:
► The
academic career path is no longer the
dominant career path – Are the PhD
education prepared for that?
► Will the increase in PhD candidates lower
the quality of the PhD education?
► Will PhD ever get recognized as
proffessionals?
Cooperation and contacts
 European Commission
http://europa.eu.int/comm/
 Marie Currie Fellowship Association MCFA
http://www.mariecurie.org/
 Euroscience
http://www.euroscience.org/
 European University Association
http://www.eua.be/
www.eurodoc.net
Conclusions:
Eurodoc work from the national to the international level
To share ideas, promote collaboration, create a new European system
How to join Eurodoc ?
Via EAYS
 For eligible young researchers
Via other national member or
observer organisations
 Other countries
 See the list of organisations on
the website
 possibility to create new
national organisations and join
Via the workgroups
 Contact the coordinators
 See website for details
Grazie a tutti voi per
l'attenzione
www.eurodoc.net
www.dottorato.it