Research Careers and Freedom of Scientific Research in the spotlight: all the announcements from the dedicated conferences

On 10-11-12 December, the European Commission organised the Conference on Freedom of Scientific Research and the third edition of the Conference on Research Careers. The events brought together policymakers, research professionals and stakeholder networks to discuss how Europe can build a more sustainable, attractive and free environment for all research professionals, and how European and national initiatives can shape a policy landscape supporting these objectives.

The Conferences included important announcements and policy updates on European initiatives addressing the promotion and protection of freedom of scientific research and the improvement of research careers, from key findings by the Commission and other institutional organisations (UNESCO and OECD) to the launch of new instruments and policy initiatives.

What’s new on freedom of scientific research

The Conference on Freedom of Scientific Research was co-organised by the European Commission and UNESCO with the purpose to highlight rising pressures on researchers and to discuss ways to protect scientific freedom in Europe and globally. The programme combined first-hand accounts from scientists who faced threats with new evidence on emerging challenges, alongside reflections on forthcoming EU policy responses. The choice of date was symbolic, coinciding with Human Rights Day and underlining that freedom of scientific inquiry is inseparable from fundamental rights.

What’s new on research careers

Brand-new initiatives, policy tools and key findings were presented during the Conference on Research Careers. They included:

• Updates on the two Competence Frameworks for researchers and research managers (ResearchComp and RMComp): testimonials from research professionals and employers in the private sector raised awareness on RMComp and ResearchComp and their possible uses, supported by the newly launched ResearchComp’s Self-Assessment Tool.
• Launch of the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO): the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have co-developed the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO) to provide reliable evidence on research, bridging the policy and evidence gap in this field.
• Launch of EUROPASS – EURAXESS Interoperability: the two initiatives now enable direct interoperability so that researchers can import their Europass profile into EURAXESS, simplifying profile management and reducing duplication of effort.
• Launch of RESAVER GO, a simplified, pre-defined supplementary pension plan designed specifically for small and medium-sized research performing organisations and higher education institutions.
• Presentation of recommendations from the Horizon Europe Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Research Careers, which simplify the implementation of reforms in Member States, in line with the European framework for research careers and the European Charter for Researchers.
• 20 years of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct: a celebration of the Charter's evolution, its impact on the ERA and its role in shaping research careers.

Background 

Since its launch in 2023, the Conference on Research Careers has become an established platform to address career stability, mobility, working and employment conditions, and research management within the European Research Area. The 2024 conference reinforced these themes with a stronger focus on employability and cross-sector mobility. This year’s conference built on these strong foundations and was accompanied by a one-day conference on freedom of scientific research.

More information

Conference on Research Careers 2025 and Conference on Freedom of Scientific Research

ERA Talent Platform

European Research Area Platform