Researchers' mobility: EU offers new prospects, fresh opportunities

Brussels, 24 Jun 2004

European Commission to launch European Network of Mobility Centres at International conference on making Europe more attractive for researchers

WHAT? INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE + PRESS CONFERENCE + THEMATIC EVENING BY FRANCO-GERMAN TV CHANNEL ARTE

WHO? PHILIPPE BUSQUIN, European Research Commissioner

FRANÇOIS D'AUBERT, Minister responsible for Research (France)

LETIZIA MORATTI, Minister for Education, Universities and research (Italy)

EDELGARD BULMAHN, German Federal Minister for Education and Research (tbc)

WHEN? TUESDAY 29 JUNE (EVENING) & WEDNESDAY 30 JUNE 2004

WHERE? PARIS

Cité Internationale Universitaire, 17 Bd. Jourdan, 75014 Paris (Tuesday 29 June)

Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Parc de La Villette, 75019 Paris (Wed. 30 June)

In a scenario where competitiveness and mobility are at the top of the political and economic agenda in Europe, the need for abundant and well-trained human resources in European research is becoming increasingly urgent. In a bid to attract the best research talent and encourage researchers' mobility, the European Commission is hosting a two-day event on researchers' careers in Paris in partnership with the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, the Cité Internationale Universitaire, the British Council and the Embassies of Italy and Germany.

This international conference entitled "Brain Drain, Brain Gain: New Challenges" will bring together 350 leading personalities from European research, industry and politics. The two-day event will help to gather and exchange information, reflect on what it means to be a researcher in Europe today and discuss concrete steps ahead. This event will also present new European initiatives in the field. Among others, it will mark the launch of Europe's first Network of Mobility Centres, providing assistance to researchers and their families. The network will initially comprise 200 centres located in 30 countries.

Media highlights include a press point conference on Tuesday 29 June (at the Cité Internationale Universitaire, itself a key Mobility Centre) and a press conference on Wednesday 30 June (at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, one of Europe's leading science museums). Leading researchers and policy-makers will be available for interviews.

Journalists can also attend a live broadcast "thematic evening" and film screening organised at Cité Internationale Universitaire by Franco-German channel ARTE on the theme "Profession: Researcher", with the participation of Philippe Busquin, Bertrand Delanoé (tbc) Mayor of Paris, and Jean-Paul Huchon, President of Région Ile de France.

BACKGROUND

The March 2000 Lisbon Council set the goal of turning Europe into "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010", emphasising the need for more and better trained researchers throughout the European Research Area – a true internal market for science and knowledge. In 2002, in Barcelona, EU heads of State and government agreed to devote an average of 3% of EU gross domestic product (GDP) to research. These commitments have strong implications for the situation of researchers in Europe that will open up new opportunities. In addition to substantial economic growth and indirect job creation, reaching the 3% objective will help to recruit about 700.000 additional researchers by 2010.

The European Commission, in close cooperation with EU Member States, has launched a series of initiatives to improve the European Union's attractiveness for world researchers, to remove obstacles to the mobility of researchers within Europe and to promote researchers' careers at the EU- level.:

• oA new European Network of Mobility Centres – ERA-MORE. This network consists of 200 centres throughout Europe, offering customised assistance to researchers and their families in all aspects of their professional and daily lives related to moving to another country. http://europa.eu.int/eracareers/index_en .cfm?l1=4

• A new mobility web portal – ERA-Careers. The European Commission has also launched a new mobility portal for researchers, providing a springboard to discover career opportunities, as well as other relevant information related to moving across Europe: http://europa.eu.int/eracareers/index_en .cfm

• The 2005 "Researchers in Europe" Initiative. At the press conference on Wednesday 30 June, Commissioner Busquin will officially announce the 2005 "Researchers in Europe initiative", an awareness-raising initiative on the issue of being a researcher in Europe today.

For further information on the media programme, please contact:
Patrick Vittet-Philippe
Press and Information Officer
Directorate-General Research
European Commission
Tel: +32.2. 296.90.56
E-mail: Patrick.vittet-philippe @ cec.eu.int

For further information on Human Resources and Mobility, please contact:
Jimmy Jamar
Directorate-General Research
European Commission
Tel: +32.2.295.20.82
Email: Joseph.jamar @ cec.eu.int

For media registration and participation requests, please contact:
Mónica Vicente Cristina
Hill & Knowlton International Belgium (working under EC contract for this event)
Tel: +32.2.739.16.71
E-mail: mcristin @ hillandknowlton.com

Participating media will receive assistance in advance logistical planning and complete practical details prior to the event.

DG Research
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/research/i ndex_en.html
Item source: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/press /2004/pr2406en.cfm