EPWS Position Paper on Mobility of Researchers


EWPS has just published a Position Paper on the European Parliament’s “Resolution on better careers and more mobility“.

“EPWS fully acknowledges the need for researcher mobility within the European Union.
The mobility of researchers is essential to successfully ensure the full implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) and to increase knowledge transfer between EU member states and European research institutions.
It is also a determining element to retain researchers in Europe and attract others, thereby contributing to the promotion of excellence in European science and technology.

Mobility may however affect women and men researchers in different ways.
Especially issues addressing training skills and experience as well as social security and pension rights would need to pay specific attention to social differences and potential inequalities between men and women if they want to reach their intended target.

They have to take into consideration that mobile women researchers, for various reasons, tend to be disproportionally disadvantaged regarding their future pension rights due to often longer periods of stipend-based qualification, not eligible for social security, and a very likely higher number of often relatively poorly paid short-term contracts.”

To read the full paper, please click here