Having a sufficient number of skilled and resilient researchers, or a strong academic human capital, is crucial for advancing scientific knowledge, driving innovation, improving quality of life, and enhancing the competitiveness of Europe. The goal of Work Package 3 is to enhance the capacity of the EC2U Alliance to support its researchers, from undergraduate to senior levels, in their career development. This includes providing professional recognition, tools, and training, as well as promoting balanced mobility (physical, virtual, blended) across the EC2U pan-European campus and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

• Definition of a reference framework aligned with the HRS4R label

The HRS4R  Human Resources Strategy for Researchers label represents an institution’s commitment to excellence in scientific human resources recruitment and careers . Currently, four EC2U partner universities hold the HRS4R labels: Turku (since 2013), Iasi (since 2014), Salamanca (since 2019), and Poitiers (since 2020).

The EC2U Alliance provides non-labelled partners with an opportunity to gain insight and learn from the experience of labelled partners in creating an initial action plan for applying to the HRS4R label.

This reference framework will be developed by analysing the Gap Analysis and OTM-R Checklist documents of labelled partners. The Gap Analysis identifies areas for improvement by comparing current and desired states, while the OTM-R Checklist documents are used to assess and enhance recruitment processes in research and academic institutions, promoting fairness, transparency, and meritocracy in hiring.

Afterwards, recommendations will be produced, addressed to each non-labelled partner, and an EC2U Alliance HRS4R reference framework will be defined.

• Development of a Researcher Career Development Scheme

Career development is most effective when it starts early and becomes a continuous activity.

The objective of the EC2U Alliance is to create a common online platform that aggregates skills and career development resources, with a focus on promoting cross-regional and cross-sectoral mobility to make reflections on how to do a better career management in academia, research and innovation. This initiative will be supported by the design of a toolkit for Researcher Career Development, which will promote “Career Reflections” through showcases of academic career options, assessments of geographical and inter-sectoral mobility prospects, and opportunities within the EC2U Alliance.

• Empowering gender-underrepresented researchers and innovators by creating a Masterclass

To effectively tackle the issue of gender imbalance and empower all genders, the task at hand will involve the development of a comprehensive Masterclass. This Masterclass will be designed by drawing upon the vast array of Gender resources and programmes offered by the EC2U Alliance. It will provide practical and concrete guidance on how to implement Gender Equality policies, procedures, and behaviours in research and innovation activities.

The EC2U Alliance will receive robust support that will be built upon the utilisation of specific instruments, including the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) and the Research Charter and Code of Conduct endorsed by the European Commission. Additionally, the development of Gender Equality policies, procedures, and behaviours will be integral to this support, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing gender imbalance and promoting inclusivity within the Alliance.

Building upon these tools and policies, WP3 aims to build a robust and qualified scientific community with the ability to advance scientific development and innovation. A scientific community that is the basis of a more competitive Europe, capable of responding to the various societal challenges that require an interdisciplinary effort and cooperation between the various European institutions, including EC2U universities.

The Masterclass for Gender Equality in Research & Innovation

The second  masterclass : “The ethics of gender equality in Science and Research”, with Daniela Ovadia, University of Pavia.

This masterclass, presented by Daniela Ovadia—an Italian science journalist, neuroscientist, and neuroethicist—aims to address the gender gap in science through an ethics of research approach. Providing an overview of relevant data, current policies, and best practices, the session offers insights into one of the main contemporary challenges in research.

The third masterclass : “Fostering gender equality at the university through policy and practice”, with Catherine Rannoux and Albane Rozenholc

In the first part of this masterclass, Catherine Rannoux, Professor of French and Stylistics at the University of Poitiers and head of the Equality and Diversity Task Force, presents recent measures and actions introduced by the University to promote gender equality, diversity, and combat discrimination. As President of the Select Academic Board, she shares experiences and reflections on developing a policy of substantive equality and the university’s role in the contemporary world.

In the second part of this Masterclass for Gender Equality in Research & Innovation, Albane Rozenholc, a PhD student in Microbiology and Molecular Biology at the University of Poitiers, highlights women’s career paths in research and entrepreneurship, addressing stereotypes and gender inequality. She also provides an overview of the “Sciences En Mouvement d’Elles” project, sharing her experiences and involvement as a PhD student at the University of Poitiers.

The Toolkit for Researcher’s Career Development

As part of our commitment to developing a comprehensive Researcher Career Development Scheme, we are pleased to announce that the toolkit is now available, providing essential resources to enhance academic and research career management. You can have a look by clicking on the icon below :

D3.1 – Roadmap towards HRS4R label

D3.3 – Toolkit for Researcher Career Development

D3.4 – Masterclasses on Gender Equality