On 1 April 2026, a new peer-reviewed article by Manuel Heitor, Sophie Ratcliff, Mattias Björnmalm, Vivil Haraldsen, Yves Aubert and Tanya Bondarouk was published online in European Review by Cambridge University Press.
The open-access article builds on the 2024 CESAER survey of 24 universities across Europe and provides new empirical evidence on the conditions shaping research careers in European higher education and research institutions.
The article shows that Europe’s research workforce is growing, but that this growth is still too often accompanied by precarious and project-based employment conditions. It highlights major variation across institutions and countries, with some universities advancing longer-term career pathways and co-funding models, while others remain heavily reliant on temporary contracts. The authors argue that this uneven landscape weakens Europe’s capacity to attract and retain talent in science and technology, originating from within Europe and beyond.
The article proposes three strategic priorities: establishing an effective European Research Careers Observatory, reforming research assessment to give greater weight to stability and inclusivity, and expanding mechanisms to support sustainable career pathways. Together, these measures would help transform Europe from a region experiencing brain drain (out of Europe) into one capable of achieving balanced brain circulation into and around Europe.
The publication reinforces CESAER’s long-standing call to support modern and stable research careers across Europe.
For universities of science and technology, attractive research careers are not a peripheral issue. They are central to Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and capacity to lead in advanced science and technologies.
For more information, please contact the corresponding author.
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