ERA Chair and Mobility schemes in H2020 Mary O’Connell 24th May 2016

Why is mobility important? Sharing of expertise and knowledge. To transform the local environment and make it more competitive

What is required for mobility? Talented people willing to move location. Local population seeking them.

My mobility Irish, undergraduate in University College Galway Ph.D in AECOM, New York, USA Postdoc in MIT, MA. USA Postdoc in Biocenter, Basel Switzerland Group Leader in MRC Edinburgh UK Sabbatical in Uni of Stockholm, Sweden ERA Chair in CEITEC Brno Czeh Republic

My Impression/ experience in different countries Ease of living in a country Sweden USA UK Switzerland Czech Republic Social language, inclusiveness to foreigners Economic Lack of transparency Insecurity of colleagues

Other problems are

How to enhance mobility Create an environment within the country where mobility is seen as being positive. This is the most important challenge and needs to be addressed. Unless this is achieved all projects are doomed!

Suggestions. Encourage mobility of scientists to return to their home country. Advantage : They more easily accepted. More aware of the local situation Recruitment that is transparent, fair, merit based, gender balanced, open publication of posts and identification of people

But how to motivate Universities to want these talented émigrés? Encourage/ motivate reform of national funding! Wasting tax payers money Example of Ireland

Are we choosing the best people to fund at a national level?

Are the H2020 mobility goals realistic?

Points to ponder If large projects are dependent on mobility then perform a risk assessment! Is it dependent of local/national funding? Where is the national funding coming from? Impact on the national science? Local resentment Is there an infrastructure that will fund it?

Problems not only in academia Ministries/funding agencies They require training and advice MOTIVATION

Hit list for mobility Motivate governments to reform their national funding schemes. If only the best are chosen, this will lead to better competition and hiring of better researchers. This will ensure mobility.

Final message Be responsible, these are peoples lives! Tax payers money!

Thank you for your attention