FCT hosts the 12th Meeting of the Research Policy Group

Today, October 14, FCT hosted the 12th Meeting of the Research Policy Group (RPG), an informal biannual meeting of senior European leaders responsible for research, which focused on the theme The Future of Research Careers in the European Research Area. The discussion focused on the future of the European Research Area (ERA), following the recent communication A new ERA for Research and Innovation by the European Commission, with a focus on the European dimension of research careers and the mobility of researchers and the circulation of talent.

The topics discussed at this meeting are priorities for the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in the first half of 2021, and the conclusions of this meeting should contribute to the interministerial meeting on the European Research Area, which will take place on October 20, under the auspices of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The meeting, chaired by Helena Pereira, President of FCT, and ERAC Co-Chairs Jean-Eric Paquet and Fulvio Esposito, brought together Directors from the European Commission, senior officials from European Member States and associated countries responsible for research, as well as invited members of the scientific community. The three sessions of the meeting focused on discussing research careers as the basis of the ERA, the challenges and opportunities for fair promotion of brain circulation and intersectoral mobility, and career paths.

The President of FCT welcomes the outcome of the discussions, which reinforced the convergence of ideas and motivation on these issues, stating that "researchers are a pillar of scientific development and this is a unique opportunity to take the necessary steps to enable researchers to have a European career and exercise it freely across borders and different systems," adding that "the role of funding agencies is essential in this challenge, and programs such as the Stimulus for Scientific Employment developed in Portugal are a key element in strengthening the scientific and technological system."

The meeting was closed by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, who stressed that the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU will seek to strengthen the links between science, employment, and resilience, promoting new frontiers for European science through open collaborative R&I and "researchers for Europe."

See the Meeting Program.