International and National Developments in Research Careers Presentation by: Dr. Conor O’Carroll UCC Researcher Conference

Research Careers OR Careers for Researchers?

Research Career Structure European Framework for Research Careers 2011 R1 First Stage Researcher (up to the point of PhD) R2 Recognised Researcher (PhD holders or equivalent who are not yet fully independent) R3 Established Researcher (researchers who have developed a level of independence) R4 Leading Researcher (researchers leading their research area or field)

National / International Policy Funding

National Policy Strategy for Science Technology & Innovation (2006) Advisory Science Council (ACSTI) Research Careers (2008) Higher Education Research Group (HERG) Research Careers (2010) Hunt Report – Higher Education Strategy (2011) Report on Research Prioritisation (2012) Irish Research Council (IRC) 2012?

Higher Education Strategy for 2030 The researcher’s role should be afforded a wider focus, better mobility and increased career opportunities. A clear career path should be established for researchers that develops their talents and rewards them appropriately. In addition to all research-active staff normally participating fully in undergraduate teaching, researchers should, where possible, be afforded opportunities to participate in teaching such as laboratory supervision and tutorials. Greater mobility of staff should be facilitated between higher education on the one hand and enterprise and the public service on the other,

Higher Education Research Group (HERG) HERG Recommendations HEIs and funding agencies should adopt the following career title structure

HERG Recommendations All researchers should prepare a career/research- development plan at the start of a contract. Principal Investigators should have a formal role in the mentoring and management of researchers A systematic and continuous professional development and appraisal system

HERG Recommendations Researchers at all levels should be encouraged to engage in continuous professional development. HEIs and funding agencies should provide opportunities for researchers to acquire generic/transferable skills. allow contract researchers that have made a significant contribution to a funding application to be named on the application as a significant contributor. experience and skills developed should be formally recognised and taken into account in performance appraisal systems.

HERG Recommendations Mobility experience should be encouraged, facilitated and fully valued A transparent, open and competitive-based recruitment process Research funding bodies should review their programmes to ensure consistency with the proposed researcher title structure. should develop a salary structure for contract researchers employed in HEIs, which can be adopted on a national basis.

National Funding

N ational Funding for Career Development - direct Science Foundation Ireland senior postdoc (PIYRA, SIRG) Irish Research Council (IRCHSS + IRCSET) PhD + Early Postdoc Senior Researcher (HSS) Health Research Board (HRB) Clinician Scientist

University Funding Funding mechanism Academic Positions (long-term funded from Core Grant based on undergraduate student numbers) Research Positions (short-term funded by research income from national and international agencies, industry etc) Status Researchers are employees (FTWA2003)

Research Activity University Research Activity Source€ million Direct Research Funding Government Departments Private Sector / Industry EU Indirect Research Support Staff Costs University Research Overhead Costs Research Administration Costs TOTAL

Research Activity

European Policy and Funding European Research Area Treaty of Lisbon Framework Programmes Innovation Union (2010)

Relevant Innovation Union Commitments #1 - training of a sufficient number of researchers to meet national R&D targets and promotion of attractive employment conditions in public research institutions; #30 - ensuring that leading academics, researchers and innovators reside and work in Europe and attracting a sufficient number of highly skilled third country nationals to stay in Europe.

Relevant Innovation Union Commitments #4 - removing obstacles to mobility and cross- border co-operation through a common approach including on the following topics: –quality of doctoral training, –attractive employment conditions and gender balance in research careers, –mobility across countries and sectors, –open recruitment in public research institutions, –comparable research career structures –creation of European supplementary pension funds;

European Policy and Funding The Principles of Innovative Doctoral Training (2011) The European Framework for Research Careers (EFRC) 2010 R1 - research training (PhD) R2 - research training to independence (postdoc) R3 - research independence to leadership (senior postdoc) R4 – research leadership (professor)

European Framework for Research Careers Guiding Principles –Research Excellence –Core competencies linked to research –Overarching framework for all sectors –Transferability of the competencies and skills –Not linked to any job title or career track

SGHRM Working Group - “Skills” 1. What are the national /regional strategies/initiatives for these levels (R1 to R4)? IRELAND R1 - High level of activity R2 - R1 + grant writing, networking etc R3 - Linked to independence R4 - Limited (Leadership, Deans, VP’s)

SGHRM Working Group - “Skills”

“Charter & Code” 40 principles Charter: framework for career management for researchers Code: promotes open and transparent recruitment and appraisal

Human Resources Strategy for Researchers “Next-step” - encourage mainstreaming of C&C in research entities’ policies 5-Step Procedure Results in Commission acknowledgment (permission to use HR Excellence logo) Irish HEIs taking part to-date are UCD, RCSI, UCC, UL, DCU and WIT –Working towards permission to use the logo

European Funding – direct FP7 to Horizon 2020 Marie (Slowdoska) Curie (R2+R3+R4) €4bn to €6.5bn European Research Council (ERC) = R3+R4 €7bn to €14bn

National Trends

PhD Numbers

Academic & Research Staff

Top 20 Countries in All Fields 2011* in terms of citations per paper) Sources: In 2008 Ireland appeared in the ‘Top Countries in All Fields’ list for the first time. Currently at 20 th place in the world, we have moved up from 36 th in the world in 2003

The Growth of Ireland’s Research Impact In the early 1980’s the impact of Irish research was on a par with Greece, Poland and Portugal. From 2000 onwards Ireland’s research impact grew, exceeding the world, EU-15 and (by 2008) the OECD averages. Source: Thomson Reuters InCites, accessed March 15 th 2012

Where we came from. Where we are now. Source: Thomson Reuters InCites, accessed March 15 th 2012

Research Careers OR Careers for Researchers?