Research and innovation are essential to finding solutions to the pressing challenges we face. It requires opening up the research and innovation system to the participation and collective intelligence of society, embedding high integrity and ethics standards, raising interest in science, and supporting Europe’s brightest minds engage in scientific careers. Put simply, Europe cannot thrive without ensuring the best possible match between the immense potential achievements science has to offer and the needs, values and aspirations of citizens.
The objective of "Science careers - Achievements in Horizon 2020 and recommendations on the way forward" report is to convey the achievements of the science careers projects funded under the Science with and for Society (SwafS) part of Horizon 2020. Its purpose is to serve as input for the preparation of the Horizon Europe programme implementation.
Overview of SwafS Implementation in Horizon 2020
A budget of EUR 462 million was earmarked for SwafS in Horizon 2020. Close to 2,000 proposals submitted in response to the annual calls for proposals, conveys strong interest in SwafS matters.
The annual evaluations are deemed to be highly robust. So far, they resulted in 150 funded projects and close to 50 more projects are expected to stem from the final calls under Horizon 2020. Since the start of this Framework Programme, REA Unit B.5 manages the projects. SwafS projects are typically composed of large consortia with an average of 11 partners and tend to run for around 3 years.
Science careers
The European Research Area (ERA) priorities underline the importance of an open labour market for researchers, entailing the removal of barriers to researchers’ mobility as well as enhancing their training and career opportunities. The EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion initiative strives to become the global support and career development tool for researchers, both in terms of their mobility within and beyond Europe as well as networking with researchers from all over the world.
Enhancement of EURAXESS services included expanding its services centres geographically as well as offering researchers a suite of tools for their career development to equip them for an international career. On-campus events in a number of countries complemented this effort.
The challenge of migration flows led to the Science4Refugees initiative directed towards enabling refugee researchers or scientists (granted asylum in a host country) to pursue their educational path or enter the labour market. Finally, with the advent of the Open Science Agenda, attention has shifted to developing the open science skills of researchers with new projects recently embarking in this area.
Source: European Commission