EURODOC: Who we are and what we are/plan on doing

Rome, 20

th

October 2014 www.eurodoc.net

MISSION

WHO are we?

A volunteer, not for profit, international federation of 35 national associations + 2 observers founded in Girona (Spain) in 2002

WHAT do we do?

Eurodoc represents doctoral candidates and junior researchers across Europe and at the European level in order to improve their conditions. It fosters and promotes a community of doctoral candidates, junior researchers, and their representatives across Europe. www.eurodoc.net

Eurodoc on a Map

www.eurodoc.net

HOW we do what we do?

- by being a discussion partner for the European Commission and the major European stakeholders - by having active participation in policy-making and in European funded research projects - by acting as a link and promoting and supporting cooperation between national member organizations and other non-European organisations - by sharing best practices and circulating information among DCs and JRs www.eurodoc.net

VISION

a European Research Area and European Higher Education Area where all researchers are duly recognised and respected for the essential contributions they make www.eurodoc.net

Board Secretariat Members Observers Individual Observers Council / General Meeting Working Groups www.eurodoc.net

Wolfgang Müller (GBM) AT Margaux Kersschot (GBM) BE Kristina L.

Ferkovic (GBM) HR John Peacock (President) BE Filomena Parada (Vice-President) PT Fabian Faller (Treasurer) LU Anna Tschaut (Secretary) DE www.eurodoc.net

Policy Officers Career Development (CDWG) Policy Research (PRWG) Open Access (OAWG) Mobility (MWG) Employment & Social Security (ESSWG) Gender Equality (GEWG) Interdisciplinarity (IWG) Finance Governance Communications (Internal WGs) Secretariat Coordinator www.eurodoc.net

COMMUNICATION TOOLS • • • External: Newsletter Website Social media • • • • Internal: Mailing lists (different topics/WGs) Wiki (day-to-day tool) Skype/personal meetings Annual Conference & General Assembly www.eurodoc.net

GENERAL ACTIVITIES  to: To attend conferences and other events in order A) inform people about the situation of DCs and JRs in Europe B) voice the need for improving their situation (e.g., better employment conditions, better training opportunities) www.eurodoc.net

 To raise awareness to our members activities: A) by writing statements/articles and posting them on our website/newsletter/social media B) by talking to other stakeholders/journalists about these activities (e.g., ABIC campaign, PNN court case in Groningen, Visas in Norway) www.eurodoc.net

 To promote/attend our members events (e.g., Smithy of Ideas, Academic Senators Conference)  To develop and disseminate policy papers on all topics relating to DCs and JRs  To provide platforms for discussion and for dealing with specific topics of DCs and JRs in Europe – WGs  To support events of relevance and interest to DCs and JRs (e.g., OpenCon – OAWG has been helping to organise)  To collaborate (regular exchange and/or projects) with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Science Europe, EUA, EuroScience, EURAXESS, Initiative for Science in Europe, ESU) www.eurodoc.net

 To take part in discussions/policy making at the European level A) European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (e.g. Steering Group on Human Resources and Mobility WG; Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions) B)Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG) ad-hoc Work Group on the Third Cycle www.eurodoc.net

(on going) PROJECTS New Erasmus+ project (SuperPRofDOC) which will look at supervision practices in industrial PhDs (or non-traditional PhDs)  survey development (aim: to gather the opinions and experiences of people working on these non-traditional PhDs) Other projects: UNIKE, PromoDoc; EduCoach; DocLinks; DocCareers II; Eurodoc Survey I www.eurodoc.net

CDWG: projects/policy papers on all sorts of aspects related to the CD of DCs and JRs (e.g., dual career opportunities for doctoral candidates and early stage researchers) IWG: statements/policy papers on interdisciplinarity (e.g., journal rankings and interdisciplinarity; recommendations for Implementing Interdisciplinary Mobility) www.eurodoc.net

GEWG: plans on preparing a survey on the non-sexist use of language - is in the process of joining the COST (European Cooperation and Science and Technology) GenderSTE network MWG: is developing a survey to explore the current state of mobility and understand its main barriers www.eurodoc.net

PRWG ongoing projects: -"H2020: Spread the word" project -"Raise your voice“ project 1. Survey our members (what are the most important issues they are addressing; what they consider to be the most important issues to be dealt with at the European level) 2. Disseminate DCs and JRs main concerns 3. Help shape Eurodoc’s direction + ideas to bring to the EC www.eurodoc.net

FUTURE PLANS:  Bring awareness and contribute to the solution of ongoing problems of DCs and JRs in Europe (lobbying). Ex.: - funding cuts (research grants, human resources) - lack of employment prospects and increased precariousness of research careers – brain drain!

- (negative) changes in working conditions, affecting DCs/JRs status, contracts, benefits (such as access to social security or maternity/paternity leave) - quality of training and supervision www.eurodoc.net

Contact us at

[email protected] / [email protected]

www.eurodoc.net

http://www.linkedin.com/company/eurodoc & https://www.linkedin.com/groups/EURODOC-4368831 http://twitter.com/#!/Eurodoc https://www.facebook.com/eurodoc www.eurodoc.net