From Green to Digital: The Skills Researchers Need for the Twin Transitions
Once upon a time, two major forces – the green and digital transitions, also known as the Twin Transitions – began reshaping Europe. One runs on sustainability, the other on digital intelligence. And to keep both running smoothly, today’s researchers need a new blend of skills. Did we mention that good storytelling is one of them?
Communication Skills: Making Research Heard
According to the ResearchComp framework, one of the essential skills of researchers is strong communication and dissemination, which allows them to transform complex scientific findings into actionable insights. Effective communication and dissemination help them engage with policymakers, research and industry partners, communities and other stakeholders, ensuring that research outcomes are understood and adopted. By telling compelling research stories, they bridge the gap between knowledge and action, increasing the real-world impact of their work.
Universal and Sector-Specific Digital Skills: Two Sides of the Same Coin
The article in Digital Skill and Job platform of the European Union, highlights that in the face of the twin digital and green transitions, workers need strong transversal skills – those that are broadly applicable across jobs and sectors. Digital literacy is essential, enabling researchers to confidently use modern tools, online collaboration platforms, and emerging technologies. Alongside this, data analysis and AI readiness allow them to collect, interpret, and apply data effectively, while familiarity with digital research infrastructures ensures that data are managed, shared, and utilised efficiently. These skills form the foundation for conducting modern research that is efficient, collaborative, and future-ready.
While transversal skills help researchers navigate complexity, sector-specific skills enable them to deliver high-impact, technical solutions in their field. These skills are specialised and tied to a particular domain or technology. They allow researchers to develop green technologies, design climate-smart solutions, apply digital tools in precision agriculture, or advance innovations in clean energy and bio-based industries. Sector-specific skills provide the depth and technical mastery needed to solve concrete problems and implement effective innovations.
Cognitive abilities and Self-management: Core Skills for Researchers
Cognitive abilities and self-management are two complementary pillars that define an effective researcher. Cognitive abilities give researchers the tools to think critically, solve problems, and come up with creative solutions, while self-management helps them stay organised, focused, and productive – boosting not just efficiency, but also an entrepreneurial mindset. Together, these skills allow researchers to tackle challenging problems while staying productive, adaptable, and ethically responsible. By combining sharp thinking with strong self-regulation, researchers can maximise the impact of their work, meet project goals, and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of knowledge.
Breaking Silos: Collaborating Across Disciplines
The Twin Transitions push researchers to become bridge builders. They need to work across sectors and disciplines – engineers with sociologists, biologists with data scientists, and policymakers with innovators. These collaborations make research more relevant and more scalable.
From Ideas to Action: Project Management
Being able to write projects, grant proposals, and reports is essential. Researchers must clearly articulate their objectives, methodology, expected impact, and required resources. Good writing is not just about grammar; it’s about structuring ideas, telling a compelling story, and persuading stakeholders. Closely linked to this is project management – planning, budgeting, and coordinating tasks to ensure research progresses efficiently and meets deadlines. Together, these skills allow researchers to turn ideas into funded, actionable projects.
Doing the Right Thing: Ethics in Modern Research
In the era of digital and green transitions, ethical considerations are no longer optional – they are central to good research. With the rise of AI, big data, and new green technologies, researchers face complex questions about privacy, fairness, and social impact. They must carefully evaluate how their work affects people, communities, and the environment, ensuring that innovations are responsible, equitable, and sustainable.
Ethical research also means being transparent about methods, results, and potential limitations. It requires anticipating unintended consequences and considering who benefits from – or could be harmed by – new technologies. Researchers who integrate ethics into every stage of their work not only build trust but also ensure that their innovations contribute positively to society and the planet.
Sustainability Literacy: Embedding Responsibility into Research
In the era of the green transition, sustainability literacy is a must-have. Researchers need to integrate environmental responsibility into their work, considering the broader impacts of their actions. This includes applying circular economy principles to optimise resources and minimise waste, as well as evaluating the environmental and social effects of potential solutions. By embedding sustainability into their research, they ensure that innovations not only solve problems but also support a greener, more resilient future.
Adapt, Learn, Repeat: Lifelong Learning for Researchers
The pace of change in both digital and green technologies is staggering. Tools, platforms, and policies evolve quickly, and what works today may be obsolete tomorrow. For researchers, adaptability is a superpower. They must be willing to learn new methods, unlearn outdated practices, and continuously refine their skills to stay effective. Lifelong learning also involves curiosity and openness. Researchers who embrace change can identify emerging opportunities, experiment with innovative approaches, and remain resilient when facing uncertainty. In a world shaped by the Twin Transitions, adaptability ensures that researchers are not just keeping up – they are leading the way.
Happy ending: SMART Researchers
Once upon a time, researchers received amazing news. Enter SMART Researchers, a framework designed to future-proof research careers. Through its ResearchComp framework, researchers can develop and gain formal recognition for transversal skills, from managing research tools to making an impact, all certified as micro-credentials.
At the heart of this support are the Career Support Centres, where mentorship, tailored training, and career guidance help early-stage researchers grow, adapt, and thrive. Complementing this, the Competency Lab serves as a digital hub for learning, networking, and collaboration, while the Grand Prix competition celebrates innovation and excellence, giving visibility to pioneering projects addressing the Twin Transitions.
Together, these elements form a holistic ecosystem where skills are strengthened, talents are recognised, and researchers are empowered to lead Europe’s green and digital transformations.
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