Building Research Careers: the Support Researchers Need

Early-Stage Researchers Face Uncertain Future

They spend their days solving the world’s toughest problems – yet struggle to navigate their own research hurdles.

Across Europe, early-stage researchers (ESRs) are driving scientific discovery and innovation – but the search for knowledge often goes hand-in-hand with the search for stability. And in Widening countries, where research and innovation ecosystems are still developing, structural barriers can hinder long-term career growth – making the ground beneath them feel less certain.

Multiple studies highlight the persistent uncertainty in academic and research careers. According to the European Commission’s 2023 Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe, many early-stage researchers hold short-term contracts and often lack access to mentoring or structured pathways for career progression. Improving working conditions and countering precarity are identified as key measures to make research careers more attractive and stable across Europe.

The Hidden Challenges to Progress

Career support for ESRs remains inconsistent and underdeveloped across many institutions. While some institutions offer career guidance and training, many still focus narrowly on scientific output. Training opportunities vary widely, and professional development beyond core scientific skills is often undervalued. As a result, many researchers lack structured opportunities to cultivate transferable competencies, such as leadership, communication, and project management, that are essential for both academic and non-academic career paths.

Recognition of these competencies remains limited. The Council Recommendation further highlights the importance of recognising and valuing the wide range of career paths and skills that researchers develop across sectors and disciplines, though many early‑stage researchers still face challenges in having their transversal and interdisciplinary competencies formally acknowledged.

Widening Countries: the Need for Structural Transformation

In Widening countries, these challenges are amplified by systemic constraints such as limited funding and uneven participation in European research networks. According to the European Research Area (ERA) Progress Report, these factors contribute to uneven development across the European Research Area. These factors suggest that developing stable and attractive research environments remains a significant challenge for domestic institutions, while talented researchers may be more likely to seek opportunities abroad.

This imbalance not only weakens national research systems but also limits Europe’s ability to fully leverage its collective R&I potential in addressing the twin transitions – green and digital. The green transition focuses on climate neutrality and sustainable resource management, while the digital transition drives innovation through data, automation, and advanced technologies. Together, these transitions require researchers to develop interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral skills, highlighting the importance of robust, well-supported research ecosystems. To address these challenges, systemic and sustainable capacity building is essential to strengthen both human capital and institutional capability in Widening countries.

SMART Researchers: A Collective Answer

The SMART Researchers project emerges as a direct response to these challenges, building ecosystems that recognise, support, and validate research competencies across Widening countries. Its goal is to create sustainable frameworks where ESRs can grow professionally, acquire transferable skills, and navigate careers across academia, industry, and policy.

A key component of this approach is the establishment of Career Support Centres (CSCs). These centres will provide mentoring, career counselling, and training opportunities, fostering continuous learning and collaboration. ESRs can develop both scientific expertise and transversal skills, such as leadership, communication, and project management, in environments that integrate individual needs with institutional support.

Complementing these centres is ResearchComp-based micro-credentialing, which offers a transparent, portable way for researchers to demonstrate competencies gained through varied experiences. By formalising recognition of skills, the project enhances mobility, employability, and career visibility across the European Research Area.

The initiative also leverages peer learning networks and cross-border mentoring, connecting researchers across institutions and countries to share knowledge, exchange good practices, and support one another. By linking experience with opportunity, SMART Researchers empowers ESRs to pursue clearer, more confident career trajectories while fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.

Through this integrated strategy, the project not only strengthens individual career prospects but also institutionalises HR best practices and embeds a sustainable talent development culture within research organisations, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient European Research Area.

Bridging the Gap between Key Actors

SMART Researchers brings together 11 partners united by a shared goal: to strengthen research careers and institutional capacity across Widening countries. Led by the University of Novi Sad, the consortium brings together universities, research organisations, and innovation-driven SMEs to establish lasting structures that support early-stage researchers throughout their professional journey.

By combining expertise across sectors, the partners are helping to align research, industry, and policy priorities to ensure that ESRs have the resources, recognition, and networks needed to succeed. To follow the project’s developments and outcomes, stay tuned to the SMART Researchers Newsroom and its social media channels: LinkedIn, Instagram and X.