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

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Other problems are

8. 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!

9. 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

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

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

13. Are the H2020 mobility goals realistic?

14. 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?

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

17. 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.

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

20. Thank you for your attention