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Research Management

Workshop on the role of MSCA research managers

Since its creation, EU-LIFE has advocated for the best environment possible for researchers and professionals in the interface of science. The latter include specialists in a wide range of pivotal areas to drive scientific advance and innovation, such as governance, proposal development and project management, knowledge transfer, science policy or science communication. The professionals working in these areas are essential for the Research & Innovation (R&I) ecosystem, but their role and contribution has been traditionally overlooked by funders, policymakers and the R&I community. For this reason, EU-LIFE advocates for the professionalization of research management within the European Research Area (ERA) and was involved in the creation and current implementation of a dedicated action to enhance the careers of research managers.

 

Policy work on research management

Since 2026, EU-LIFE co-sponsors the ERA Action "Empowering R&I: A new era in Research management", together with the European Commission, AURORA and EARMA. This initiative aims to strengthen the research management profession, which is still undervalued in the ERA, and offers support for its growth. It highlights the need for coordinated EU and national policies to create skilled professionals, improve career opportunities, enhance working conditions, promote gender equality, and provide training and mobility.

EU-LIFE was also involved in the previous ERA Agenda 2022-2024 included Action 17, which was aimed at enhancing the strategic capacity for research management in Europe’s public research performing and funding organisations. In this context, Action 17 developed a Research Management Initiative with the following specific objectives:

  • Definition and recognition of research managers' careers [1]  (in coordination with ERA Action 4), including a career framework for research managers, contributing to the professionalisation of the ever-evolving and diverse role of research management at institutional and government levels.
  • Upskilling through training and skill development, including specific programmes and curricula covering the various dimensions of research management.
  • Supporting networking of research managers and practice exchange in the different dimensions of research management.
  • Capacity building across the entire ERA.

[1] In the ERA context, the term ‘research manager’ covers a wide range of experts at different professional levels bearing specific knowledge (a) to streamline/facilitate the planning, the development, management, administration, communication and valorisation of research and innovation, (b) to ensure compliance with policy objectives, funding programme requirements, financial rules and legal regulations, (c) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of R&I projects/system, and/or (d) to enhance the impact of R&I on the society.

Contribution as stakeholder to the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda

  • ERA Action 17 Workshop to present and validate a draft for the European Careers and Competence Framework for Research Managers, providing input from the EU-LIFE community (Nov 2024)
  • ERA Conference 2024 (Sep 2024)
  • 3 EU-LIFE stories included in "Success stories from the research management community" publication by the European Commission (May 2024)
  • ERA Action 17 Workshop on Research Management Networking (Apr 2024)
  • ERA Action 17 Workshop on Research Management Capacity Building (Nov 2023)
  • ERA Action 17 Workshop on Research Management Capacity Upskilling (May 2023)
  • ERA Action 17 Workshop on the Recognition of the Research Management Profession (Mar 2023)

Participation in dedicated European projects, events and initiatives

  • Participation as panellists in the INSPIRING ERA event "Boost your institutional strategy: strengthening research management capacity in Europe" with David Smith, Director General of the Ruđer Bošković Institute, and Natalia Dave Coll, Head of Strategy & Funding at the Centre for Genomic Regulation. Recording available here. (Oct 2026)
  • Participation as panellist in the event “RM Framework: Adoption of the European framework for career development in research management”. Recording available here (in Catalan). (Oct 2026)
  • Publication of the report: 'Increasing success and impact in MSCA projects: Insights & recommendations on the role of Project Managers in collaborative MSCA projects' in collaboration with the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) (Sep 2024)
  • Organisation of the Workshop 'Steering success in MSCA Projects: A world Café Workshop on the evolving role of project managers', in collaboration with the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) (Toledo, Nov 2023)
  • Marta Agostinho, Executive Director of EU-LIFE, is member of the Advisory Board of RM Roadmap, a pan-European community of research management excellence funded by the European Union. Several members of EU-LIFE working groups are Ambassadors of the project.
  • Marta Agostinho, Executive Director of EU-LIFE, is member of the Strategic Board of SciGestPT, the Portuguese Association for Science Management.

 

Community

Giving visibility to the work of research managers

 

Capacity building within EU-LIFE institutes

  • Organisation of an internal session about ERA Action 17 with Stijn Delaure, ERA Policy Adviser
  • Sharing best practices through EU-LIFE working groups

 

Related documents

 

Related links