Developments in Ireland regarding Researcher Careers and Mobility

Outline of Presentation

• Introduction to Irish Research System

• Position relating to Action Plan issues

• Preparation of Action Plan

Research System in Ireland

Research Funders• Science Foundation Ireland – building human capital in

oriented basic research: ICT, Bio, Energy• Higher Education Authority

– HEI core funding– PRTLI (capacity, infrastructure, PhD programmes)– Research Councils (PhD and post-Doc funding)

• Enterprise Ireland – applied research support for enterprise and enterprise – HEI collaboration

• Sectoral funding: Marine, Agricultural, Environment, Health, Energy

Research System in Ireland (cont.)

Research Performers• 7 Universities• 14 Institutes of Technology• Sectoral Institutes• Enterprise sector

Advisory Bodies• Chief Scientific Advisor• Advisory Science Council• Forfas• HEA

R&D Expenditure Intensity

• Ireland started R&D investment in 1998 with significant increases from 2002

• Grow Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD) to 2.5% of GNP by 2013

• Intensity ratio estimated at 1.66% of GNP in 2008• BERD estimate 1.08% of GNP in 2008

Gross Expenditure R&D

Total R&D Expenditure by Sector of Performance 1998-2008 (€mn)

698 784 842 900 1000 1105 1210 1330 14581598 1684204

221 238280

322405

492550

601660

716

7064

96104

125

127

138

150150

180200

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

(e)

Business Higher Education Government

SSTI 2006-2013To make Ireland by 2013 internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and to the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social

progress within an innovation-driven culture.

• Build a world class research system

• Drive growth through research and innovation in enterprise

• Capture, protect and commercialise ideas and knowhow

• Ensure sound foundations in education

• Focussed research in Agriculture, Food, Health, Environment, Marine, Energy

• Link research system to international centres and foster partnerships with international research teams

Implementation Structures

Higher Education

Research Group

D/ES, D/ETE,HEA, SFI, EI,

Sectoral Depts/Agencies

Technology Ireland

D/ETEForfas, EI, SFI, IDA

HEA

Public Sector Research

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Chief ScientificAdvisor

Advisory ScienceCouncil

Enterprise Feedback Group

Interdepartmental Committee on SSTI: Depts ofETE, E&S,Taoiseach, FIN, H&C, DCENR, AFF, EHLG

Cabinet Committee on STI

Taoiseach and Ministers forETE, FIN, E&S,H&C, DCENR, AFF, EHLG, Innovation Policy

Agricultureand Food

Health EnviromentMarine Energy

Building a World Class Research System

• SSTI target increase number of PI-led research teams by 350 over period to 2013.

– Each PI leads a research team on average of 8 members.

• Overall goal of 1,300 new PhDs per annum by 2013 (c. 1,000 SET, 300 HSS).

Researchers’ Partnership Priority Areas I

• Open Recruitment and Portability of Grants– Open, competition-based recruitment

– Institutional autonomy

– Recognition of qualifications

– Online advertisement of positions on EURAXESS

– Information and assistance services for transferring researchers (EURAXESS office)

– Portability of individual grants in certain circumstances

– International portability still to be addressed

SSTI – Researcher Mobility

• Sufficient numbers of researchers essential• Required numbers will not be delivered internally• We need to attract substantial numbers of

researchers to Ireland

EURAXESS Office and Portal

• Co-funded by IUA, EU Commission (2005- 2007) and DETE

• Researchcareersireland.com• Helpdesk• Euraxess link• National network• Implementation of Third Country Researchers

Directive including management of central hosting agreement database

Importing Human Capital - Third Country Researchers Directive

• Accreditation of research organisations (ROs) by OSTI

• Accredited ROs free to enter into Hosting Agreements (HAs)

• Database of HAs established by EURAXESS Office (IUA)

• HA used by researcher for visa application, admission, registration etc.

Third Country Researchers Directive – Hosting Agreements

• 485 Hosting Agreements processed since December 2007. 55 Nationalities of researchers are represented which include:

89 – China 19 – Australia

81 – India 15 - Pakistan

57 – USA 13 - Bangladesh

27 – Russia 13 – New Zealand

19 – Canada

Researchers’ Partnership Priority Areas II

• Social Security and Supplementary Pension Needs– Area to be addressed

– Assistance on information on social security rules and supplementary pension implications

– FTWA gives researchers equivalent social security and pension entitlements

– Reform of HEI pension schemes in progress

Researchers’ Partnership Priority Areas III

• Employment and Working Conditions– Charter and Code signed by the Universities

– IUA recommended salary scales for contract researchers, 2002

– ASC Careers report and HERG Working Group

– Gender representation – funding schemes

– HEA Guidelines for HEIs Jan 2009 on compliance with Fixed Term Work Act

SSTI – Researcher Careers

• Sufficient suitably educated, high quality people essential to achieve objectives for research base

• Important factor is availability of attractive career structure within HE sector and movement from HE to industry

• ASC asked to make proposals on systematic career development in public and private sectors

• HERG Research Careers Working Group covering career issues in HE sector

Contract Researchers

• 3,000 contract researchers in HEIs• Triangular relationship employer (HEI), employee

(contract researcher), funding agency• Principal Investigator role• Less than 20% of contract researchers obtain

tenured position in HEIs• Standardised contracts recognised by HEIs and

agreed by HEI HR office

ASC Report on Researcher Careers Oct. 2008

• Review:– the current structures and processes in Ireland and EU– career paths for researchers– good practice - EU & global hotspots

• Analyse:– the current state of career opportunities incl. mobility

• Develop:– a vision and strategy to drive a step change in the career

structure and mobility of researchers in public and private research in Ireland

• Recommendations

ASC Study findings – contract researchers

• Lack of career structure• Limited opportunities: difficult to obtain permanent position• Low pay: rates of pay not standardised – dependent on

funding and PI – voluntary IUA guidelines• Low status: lack of responsibility, lack of freedom to intiate

research, dependency on PI• Lack of pension/social security arrangements• Lack of research jobs in industry• Need for better mobility between academia and industry• Need for recognition of experience outside academia• Fixed Term Workers Act impacts

ASC – proposed framework

Clearly defined levels within the researcher career path with:

• continuous professional development; and

• transparent and rigorous competition at all levels.

a. 1st phase - Internship - PhD graduates gain practical experience while supervised by PI who has secured funding for position

b. 2nd phase - Research Fellow, personally funded but with a PI as mentor who will enable access to research facilities

c. Limited number of highly prestigious and competitive Senior Research Fellowships should be available - independent funding on the same basis as Principal Investigators

Researcher Career Framework – Implementation

• HERG Researcher Careers WG– Government Departments

– HEIs

– Funding agencies

– Consultation with stakeholders

• Proposed researcher career framework in HEIs in preparation

• Expected adoption 2009

Researchers’ Partnership Priority Areas IV

• Training, Skills and Experience– Generic research and transferable skills for PhD

students – funding for structured PhD programmes available in PRTLI 5 launched Jan 09

– ASC study on absorptive capacity of PhDs in enterprise (report expected June 2009)

Action Plan Preparation 2009

• Office of Science Technology and Innovation – informal consultation with stakeholders

• Preparation of draft action plan• Circulation of draft action plan for comment• Revision of draft as appropriate• Submission to HERG – IDC for approval• Transmission to EU• Monitoring and measuring performance

Thank you for your attention

Aidan Hodson,

Office of Science, Technology and Innovation,Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment,Kildare St.,Dublin 2,Ireland.-353-1-6312267aidan_hodson@entemp.ie