IST4Balt Workshop April 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia 1 LATVIAN RESEARCHERS MOBILITY CENTRE AND PORTAL – NEW TOOLS TO PROMOTE RESEARCHERS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS Arnis Kokorevics Latvian Researchers Mobility Centre, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, Riga, Latvia

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia2 The situation of human resources in field of RTD in Europe Positive aspects: + Europe is the world’s biggest ‘science and technoogy brain factory’ with graduate numbers (2.14 million in 2000 ) above that of the US (2.07 million) and Japan (1.1 million); Negative aspects: - a lower proportion of workforce in RTD, particularly in industry (5.1 in every thousand of the workforce in Europe, against 7.4 in the US and 8.9 in Japan); - brain drain of young scientific and technological personnel from Europe to the USA (more than specialised workers entering the US were from the European countries and more than from the acceding countries in 2001); - decreasing number of young people in Europe attracted to careers in RTD; - underused potential of women in scientific careers in Europe. Europe fall behind to its main competitors: the USA and Japan.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia3 Reaction of EU institutions the decisions of the Lisbon Summit (March 2000); the decisions of the Lisbon Summit (March 2000); vision and work programme of the European Research Area (ERA) in 2000; vision and work programme of the European Research Area (ERA) in 2000; the strategic initiative “Mobility Strategy for the European Research Area” in 2001; the strategic initiative “Mobility Strategy for the European Research Area” in 2001; The target:  the more abundant and more mobile human resources;  the European dimension to scientific careers;  bringing together the researchers of Western and Eastern Europe;  making Europe more attractive to researchers from the rest of the world (to third country researchers);  removal of obstacles to the mobility of researchers;  the creation of a favorable environment for the mobility of researchers in the ERA.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia4 The two dimensions of mobility the international mobility - geographic and regional dimension – the mobility between the EU, candidate countries, and countries associated in FP6, involvement of third countries’ nationals to researches in ERA; the international mobility - geographic and regional dimension – the mobility between the EU, candidate countries, and countries associated in FP6, involvement of third countries’ nationals to researches in ERA; the intersectoral mobility – between business (industry) and academia, between public and private-funded research organizations and vice- versa. the intersectoral mobility – between business (industry) and academia, between public and private-funded research organizations and vice- versa.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia5 Specific character of researchers mobility concerns all ages and steps in a researcher’s career path, which differ it from other types of mobility; concerns all ages and steps in a researcher’s career path, which differ it from other types of mobility; specific obstacles and barriers of mobility - economic, legal, social, cultural, linguistic; specific obstacles and barriers of mobility - economic, legal, social, cultural, linguistic; lack of specific information; lack of specific information; the legal situation is also distinctly different for third country researchers than for EU citizens; the legal situation is also distinctly different for third country researchers than for EU citizens; the researchers from young EU countries are facing additional obstacles - the largest part of old EU counties sets up the transition periods for offering their labour market for personnel from young EU countries; the researchers from young EU countries are facing additional obstacles - the largest part of old EU counties sets up the transition periods for offering their labour market for personnel from young EU countries; the interregional mobility within ERA will manifest itself also as a “brain drain” in less developed regions (Latvia and other Eastern European countries). the interregional mobility within ERA will manifest itself also as a “brain drain” in less developed regions (Latvia and other Eastern European countries).

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia6 Specific character of researchers intersectorial mobility is necessary to find employment vacancies; is necessary to find employment vacancies; researchers can lose some of their acquired benefits and professional status; researchers can lose some of their acquired benefits and professional status; researchers will have to start their career development in some step again. researchers will have to start their career development in some step again. The differences in labour relations, culture, career development, confidentiality of research results, and the pressure of publication for evaluation and intellectual property protection also must be taken into account. In some aspects, the intersectoral mobility is close to returning of researchers after the participation in international mobility actions. In both cases:

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia7 The priority directions for providing information, improvement of legal environment and removing of obstacles and barriers * admission to the country (visas) and access to employment (work permits); admission to the country (visas) and access to employment (work permits); social security rights (including pension rights) and fiscal issues (taxation); social security rights (including pension rights) and fiscal issues (taxation); financial issues and financial support; financial issues and financial support; return and career development; return and career development; intellectual property rights (IPR), especially for intersectoral mobility; intellectual property rights (IPR), especially for intersectoral mobility; recruitment conditions and methods; recruitment conditions and methods; family issues (maternity leave, day-care), especially for young researches; family issues (maternity leave, day-care), especially for young researches; gender issues. gender issues. * The High-Level Expert Group on Improving Mobility of Researchers. Final Report. 4 April 2001.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia8 Promoting of researchers mobility The two main instruments: a Special Support Action within the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) under the guidance of the Research Directorate Generale. The European Researcher’s Mobility Portal (European RMP) The European Network of Mobility Centres (ERA-MORE) !!! together with network of the national mobility portals

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia9 Information services on European RMP and national mobility portals research job opportunities database; research job opportunities database; anonymous researchers CV database; anonymous researchers CV database; collected information about fellowships and grants, offered by different actors worldwide; collected information about fellowships and grants, offered by different actors worldwide; information about research job vacancies – links to employers portals and home pages; information about research job vacancies – links to employers portals and home pages; information to incoming, outgoing and returning researchers and its family members about - the legal and administrative issues, - daily life issues; information to incoming, outgoing and returning researchers and its family members about - the legal and administrative issues, - daily life issues; information about EU researchers mobility policy. information about EU researchers mobility policy.

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IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia14 ERA-MORE – The European Network of Mobility Centres launched 2004, launched 2004, 200 mobility centres in 33 countries, 200 mobility centres in 33 countries, free of charge information and personal assistance to mobile researchers and their families before, during and after their stay abroad. free of charge information and personal assistance to mobile researchers and their families before, during and after their stay abroad.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia15 The achievements and the experience regarding to the promotion of intersectoral mobility on the Community and national levels education of students, doctoral candidates and scientists with the knowledge of the business aspects of RTD, entrepreneurship and project management ; education of students, doctoral candidates and scientists with the knowledge of the business aspects of RTD, entrepreneurship and project management ; financial support to spin-offs and enterprises established by universities and scientists, to setting up of innovative enterprises; financial support to spin-offs and enterprises established by universities and scientists, to setting up of innovative enterprises; keeping of researchers’ rights to pension and promotion during their work in industry, rights to return to universities; keeping of researchers’ rights to pension and promotion during their work in industry, rights to return to universities; measures for recognizing the research work carried out in the private sector in lieu of a doctoral degree; measures for recognizing the research work carried out in the private sector in lieu of a doctoral degree; special programmes, which support the staff transfer between companies and science. special programmes, which support the staff transfer between companies and science. special financial schemes and funding channels to support joint research programmes and market activities, where representatives of industry and universities (public research institutes) are involved. The “Market Oriented Investigations” programmes and “National Innovation Programme” will be also regarded as such tools in Latvia. special financial schemes and funding channels to support joint research programmes and market activities, where representatives of industry and universities (public research institutes) are involved. The “Market Oriented Investigations” programmes and “National Innovation Programme” will be also regarded as such tools in Latvia.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia16 The main goals of the project RESMOB-LATVIA operation of the Latvian Researchers Mobility Portal (Latvian RMP) in English and Latvian; operation of the Latvian Researchers Mobility Portal (Latvian RMP) in English and Latvian; establishing of a national-scale mobile researchers support system to provide personal assistance through the Central Help Desk and through advisory bodies with trained personnel and the circle of contact persons at the site (universities, scientific centres, etc.); establishing of a national-scale mobile researchers support system to provide personal assistance through the Central Help Desk and through advisory bodies with trained personnel and the circle of contact persons at the site (universities, scientific centres, etc.); organizing of information dissemination channels around the Latvian RMC and Latvian RMP; organizing of information dissemination channels around the Latvian RMC and Latvian RMP; preparation and continuous up-dating of information dossiers, which will reflect all issues regarding incoming, outgoing and returning mobile researchers (legal and administrative regulations, daily life issues); preparation and continuous up-dating of information dossiers, which will reflect all issues regarding incoming, outgoing and returning mobile researchers (legal and administrative regulations, daily life issues); dissemination of the targets and activities of ERA-MORE towards society, especially the researchers' community. dissemination of the targets and activities of ERA-MORE towards society, especially the researchers' community. a national steering group, composed of intersectional experts, will be set up to analyze the situation of researchers' mobility and its obstacles, and to prepare recommendations for policy makers and institutions responsible for the policy development. a national steering group, composed of intersectional experts, will be set up to analyze the situation of researchers' mobility and its obstacles, and to prepare recommendations for policy makers and institutions responsible for the policy development.

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IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia18 Conclusions ERA-MORE, European RMP and national mobility portals, Latvian RMC, and Latvian RMP will be relevant and valuable tools to promote the international and intersectorial mobility of researchers. will be relevant and valuable tools to promote the international and intersectorial mobility of researchers. Different initiatives both on the Community and national levels form an excellent basis for the development of further actions, for benchmarking and the identification of examples of good practice. Next steps Next steps predicted by EC to support researchers mobility - “The European Researcher’s Charter” and “The Code of Conduct” the new principlesfor the recruitment of researchers; - “The European Researcher’s Charter” and “The Code of Conduct” the new principles for the recruitment of researchers; - the new scientific visas for third country researchers.

IST4Balt WorkshopApril 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia19 You are welcome to participate in Project RESMOB-LATVIA, Project RESMOB-LATVIA, Latvian Researchers Mobility Centre (Latvian RMC ), Latvian Researchers Mobility Centre (Latvian RMC ), Latvian Researchers Mobility Portal (Latvian RMP ). Latvian Researchers Mobility Portal (Latvian RMP ). May 19, 2005, 10:00 Mazā Ģilde (Amatu str. 5), Riga, Latvia. Participation is free of charge. Please to confirm attendance by to Launching event of

IST4Balt Workshop April 6-8, 2005, Riga, Latvia 20 Thank you for your attention The material prepared as a part of the project supported by the European Commission within the FP6 and the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science. For further contacts: Arnis Kokorevics, Dr.chem., Project leader, Latvian Researchers Mobility Centre, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, 27 Dzerbenes str., LV-1006, Riga, Latvia, Phone: ,