26 Nov 2024
YERUN presents position paper on European Charter for Researchers
YERUN, the Young European Research Universities Network, has published a paper on 'Advancing careers in research: YERUN Position on the European Charter for Researchers'. The position refers to the new unified 'European Charter for Researchers,' replacing the original Charter and Code from 2005, and adopted by the Council in December 2023. The new Charter aims to provide a cohesive framework for creating effective human resources (HR) strategies that support attractive and sustainable research careers across Europe.
In this context, YERUN reflects on the experiences with both the past and current versions of the Charter and provides the following recommendations to the European Commission to address key challenges:
- Urgently update the HR Excellence in Research accreditation process to align with the 2023 updated principles of the Charter.
- Focus on profoundly harmonising and simplifying the Charter implementation procedures while improving synergies with other R&I policies.
- Commit to and set up concrete processes to improve communication between the Commission, experts/assessors and HR award applicants so institutions are facilitated in this process instead of facing uncertainties and barriers.
- Prioritise the creation of a community-building and peer learning system to enhance engagement with the Charter and facilitate its implementation.
Clarity in implementation and balanced objectives are vital for the new Charter’s success. YERUN urges the European Commission to address existing challenges and support institutions in advancing research careers. Despite past obstacles, the YERUN still regards the Charter as a strong foundation for meaningful progress. YERUN reaffirms its commitment to collaborating with the Commission and stakeholders to enhance HR policies and drive positive change in Europe’s research landscape.
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