Photograph©: Frida Gregersen, DTU -Technical University of Denmark. Tanya Bondarouk is to the far right in the photo, next to Claire Morel (Head of Unit MSCA at European Commission).
At the Marie Curie Sklodowska Actions (MSCA) annual conference organised by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU together with the Technical University of Denmark on 18-19 September, our association was represented by Tanya Bondarouk, who is a Professor of Human Resource Management and Dean of Behavioural, Management & Social Sciences at University of Twente, and Co-Chair of our CESAER Task Force Human Resources.
At the 2025 MSCA Conference, a clear shift could be observed compared to previous editions. Whereas the 2023 and 2024 MSCA conferences mainly focused on mapping individual career options, this year’s discussions reflected a shift towards conversations around structural transformation. The emphasis was placed on rethinking university missions, research assessment, supervision practices, and ultimately the broader purpose of universities in society, and the role of key EU funding instruments such as MSCA in these contexts.
“I had the great pleasure of participating in the MSCA Presidency Conference 2025, hosted by the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. The event brought together a diverse and inspiring community of researchers, policy-makers, and institutional leaders to discuss one of the most pressing issues in European research and innovation: how to attract, develop, and retain research talent. With its forward-thinking themes, open dialogue, and strong emphasis on values such as purpose, well-being, and inclusivity, the conference offered a timely and thoughtful platform for reflection and action. I was particularly impressed by the high level of engagement across sessions and the genuine commitment to reshaping research cultures in ways that support both excellence and humanity.
“One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was its clear focus on moving from conversation to structural action. It was evident throughout the sessions that talent development is no longer seen as an isolated human resources activity, but as a central strategic mission for universities across Europe.”
– Tanya Bondarouk, Dean of Behavioral, Management & Social Sciences at University of Twente, and Co-Chair of CESAER Task Force Human Resources.
Inspired by the rich discussions and visionary perspectives shared in Copenhagen, Tanya shared reflections in a conference panel discussion on how we can collectively rethink institutional approaches to talent development — and what that might mean for the future of MSCA and beyond.
During the conference, Tanya participated in a panel session as well as the conference’s concluding roundtable on the future of MSCA alongside representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, as well as representatives from industry, university leadership, and representatives of the Marie Curie Alumni Association.
The topic of the panel session focused on how better career integration and a boost in intersectoral mobility between industry, academia, and public bodies can enhance early research careers, and at the same time can contribute to attracting and retaining talent in research. The concluding roundtable focused on discussing the future of the MSCA programme.
Bringing in insights from both CESAER and the University of Twente, Tanya highlighted the need to move from individual mobility towards systemic talent infrastructure. She underlined that the next phase must be about building and supporting an ecosystem where researcher mobility is seamless, attractive, and embedded in universities’ wider talent strategies. She noted that recent initiatives such as Choose Europe for Science exemplify this shift, positioning Europe not only as a destination for science but as a fully developed career environment in which research careers are institutionally supported rather than left to individual risk.
Tanya Bondarouk further stressed the importance of preserving the bottom-up DNA of MSCA. While political directionality may appear appealing at first glance, she warned that it risks making the programme rigid and reactive. Instead, agility, open system thinking, and creativity must be safeguarded to ensure that researcher-led mobility and a bottom up-approach remains the driving force behind MSCA, as CESAER recently argued for in a joint statement with other stakeholder organisations, as well as in our position paper on artificial intelligence.
She also highlighted that the Seal of Excellence is an underused instrument with strong potential for talent retention, an issue that we also emphasised in CESAER’s 2024 research career report. By bridging funding gaps and enabling national systems to step in with recognition and co-funding, the Seal could support outstanding researchers, particularly those moving between sectors who are often overlooked in traditional funding schemes.
Another key point of Tanya’s intervention was the urgent need for Human Resources Management (HRM) reform in universities. She argued that funding alone is not enough; HR policies must be modernised to cover performance evaluation, research assessment, skills recognition, and reintegration, all aligned with each university’s mission. Research assessment should be part of a comprehensive approach spanning recruitment, training, promotion, and career transitions.
In closing, Tanya Bondarouk emphasised that the future of MSCA and European research careers depends not solely on increasing financial support, but on institutional readiness. Researcher-driven programmes, modern HRM practices, legal harmonisation, and committed university leadership are all essential to ensure that mobility is truly valued and supported. Only through such a systemic approach, she concluded, can Europe remain both globally competitive and humane in the rapidly evolving research landscape.
Following key publications in 2023 and 2024, improving research careers in Europe remains an important priority for CESAER, with our Task Force Human Resources actively working on this key topic.
For more information, please contact our Advisor for Research Vincent Klein Ikkink.
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