ICoRSA is organising an online Panel Discussion on Sustainable Research Careers on 10 December 2025, from 13:00 to 14:30 CET, bringing together key organisations and experts to discuss how to create more attractive, resilient and sustainable career paths for researchers. The SECURE2 project will contribute by presenting findings from the European project Sustainable Research Careers Empowerment 2 (SECURE2).
Speakers from the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) will open the discussion by exploring how international mobility strengthens talent attraction and retention within research ecosystems, and the challenges researchers face when moving between countries.
Erna Karalija (ICoRSA) will share insights from SECURE2, highlighting the piloting of the Research Careers Framework across research-performing and research-funding organisations in Europe. Her presentation will cover identified challenges, tested actions, and how the framework can support more sustainable research careers – demonstrating how SECURE contributes to understanding and improving career conditions for researchers.
Further contributions will come from ICoRSA member organisations – the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars (CAPS/ACP) and Max Planck PostdocNet – who will discuss their work on researcher wellbeing, improved working conditions, and successful grassroots initiatives to strengthen researcher rights.
The panel will also focus on the growing recognition of diverse career pathways within research systems, particularly the professionalisation of research managers and administrators (RMAs). Margarida Trindade (ITQB), expert for the ERA 17 Research Management Initiative, will present initiatives including the ERA Action for Research Management, RM Roadmap, and CARDEA, which support research support roles and parallel career paths, making research systems more efficient and inclusive.
Participation is open to all interested stakeholders.
Register via Zoom to receive the meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/t_bYBOwwT9KYyAnYKsAi5Q#/registration
Through its contribution, SECURE continues to provide evidence and insights that help strengthen sustainable research careers across Europe.
