Designing training programmes and career services for researchers
Designing effective training programmes and career services for researchers requires a multifaceted approach. One of the key elements include: focus on cross-cutting skills, career development framework, institutional support, career development centres, intersectoral training. By integrating these strategies, training programs and career services can significantly enhance researchers' professional development and career trajectories.
Research institutions can enhance their training programs and career services by drawing inspiration from successful projects such as Carlis, Discovery Learning and Reflex. Each of these projects offers valuable frameworks or materials that can be adapted to meet the specific needs of researchers and institutions. Moreover, inspiration can also be provided by the EURAXESS Hubs such Start-up Hub, REBECA Hub or also in the context of the Pride Network (the Network for Professionals in Doctoral Education).
Frameworks and materials from notable projects
Research institutions can enhance their training programmes and career services by drawing inspiration from successful projects such as Carlis, Discovery Learning and Reflex. Each of these projects offers valuable frameworks or materials that can be adapted to meet the specific needs of researchers and institutions.
CarliS
Although the project Careers in Life Science was specifically targeting PhD. students in the field of Life Sciences and their employability, most of the training materials can be used across the various scientific domains.
If you are considering training activities for doctoral students, you can draw inspiration from the training program developed in the CARLiS project. The program includes a set of courses and activities focused on skills in four areas: career strategies, knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship, and soft skills. It consists of foundational courses and advanced courses. Institutions implementing a similar training program do not need to conduct all activities; they can select those that best meet their current needs and capabilities.
The training programme includes following training modules:
The training modules description contains information about e.g. recommended duration, number of training hours, content of the training activity, main topics, expected learning outcomes, recommended training prerequisites, trainer/facilitator qualification, suggested scenario, suggested agenda of the course/activity, forms of active engagement, recommended pretraining activities, assignments outside of the classroom time, follow‑up activities, training handouts, reflection questions, egagement of external experts and more.
The Intersectoral training guide provides comprehensive description of the training methodology including experience from the pilot testing, while the Training programme can also be reached separately.
For more information, see:https://carlis.saia.sk/en/
Discovery Learning is an innovative educational approach designed to enhance the professional development of researchers. This program emphasizes experiential learning, enabling researchers to engage actively through practical experiences and collaborative projects. Research institutions can draw inspiration from Discovery Learning to create dynamic training programs that aim at creating societal impact. One of the project´s main transferrable outcomes is the SKILLS ONTOLOGY offering an answer to the question: „What skills do PhD holders need to successfully engage in innovation processes (regardless of sector or type of innovation) and/or to create impact through the innovation?“
The core of the skillset included in the ontology, are skills that are crucial for innovation and on the same time they are the basic skills necessary for research profession. Further on, the skills included in the ontology focus on three broadly defined stages of innovation process. These are as follows:
IDEA (PLANNING): This stage includes the activities leading to generation of new ideas and solution alternatives
IMPLEMENTATION: This stage includes activities necessary to transform ideas to a working solution or technology.
IMPACT: This stage focuses on spreading of developed solution and its use and/or its adoption by target group or user that result in a desired outcome or change.
Research institutions looking to enhance their training programs can get inspired by the skills identified in ontology and explore the CAREER CARDS, where for each skill 3 levels of competence are defined. The Career Cards also specify, how the skills can be develped in the academic context and outside of academic context and in which career pathways the skill could be highly relevant.
REFLEX is a practical tool designed to support the mapping and development of institutional strategies for the career advancement of researchers. At its core is a model framework that summarizes over 40 activities that institutions can implement to support the professional development of their researchers. These activities cover five key areas of professional development for researchers:
- Development of academic skills
- Mobility
- Networking
- Development of skills for engagement in the non-academic sector
- Career counseling
How can the framework be utilized?
Utilize the framework to facilitate discussions about options for supporting the professional development of researchers at your institution. Examples of such usage can be found in a publication summarizing the workshops conducted in five partner countries of the REFLEX project.
A useful tool for facilitation is the REFLEX cards, which you can download here.
You can also test the online REFLEX app, which can be particularly helpful in collaboratively mapping existing activities related to the professional development of researchers at your institution.
Check out a brief guide on how to use the application and see its user-friendliness for yourself.
Insights from Successful Networks
Research institutions can enhance their training programmes and career services by emulating tools and practices from networks like EURAXESS Hubs, PRIDE, and COST.
From the five existing EURAXESS Hubs, the following Hubs focus on on the career development:
EURAXESS Startup Hub
The EURAXESS Startup Hub is a collaborative initiative designed to support scientific entrepreneurs, established by research and funding organizations from twelve countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Estonia, Israel, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Switzerland, Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, and Serbia. This program involves numerous external stakeholders who play significant roles in the national startup ecosystems of these nations.
Explore EURAXESS Digital Toolkit, a comprehensive collection of online resources designed for aspiring scientific entrepreneurs, research organizations engaged in national startup ecosystems, and EURAXESS members interested in participating in these initiatives.
Learn more about the EURAXESS Hub concept and how to establish a local networked service architecture that supports scientific entrepreneurs within your organization.
Check out EURAXESS Startup Hub webinar series, which offers free, tailored learning opportunities for young researchers eager to convert their ideas into innovations. These webinars focus on essential leadership skills and the fundamentals of startup entrepreneurship, featuring insights from leading entrepreneurs and academics.
REBECA Hub
The REBECA Hub, part of the EURAXESS network, is an international platform dedicated to supporting early-career researchers interested in pursuing careers beyond academia. It provides a comprehensive toolkit to enhance researchers' understanding of non-academic career options and has introduced the comprehensive toolkit for researchers, which allows researchers to explore various professional roles by simulating tasks performed by industry professionals and launched a new REBECA Practice tool for exploring different careers by practicing task that the professionals perform regularly.
Talent Management Hub
The Hub on Talent Management in Academia and the Public Sector (Talent Management Hub) involves a significant consortium from the EURAXESS network. The primary objective was to leverage the extensive expertise, strengths, and diversity of the EURAXESS network, along with existing collaboration patterns, to enhance support for researchers within our institutions.
The team employed innovative methods to address Talent Management across three key areas: recruitment and career development, including emerging skills; recruitment and careers in the public sector; and initiatives related to gender activities, gender equality plans, and insights into the research careers of young scholars through social media and career narratives.
The Hub is focused on acquiring and mastering innovative skills, providing insights and recommendations on gender research, gender policies, and specific funding opportunities for women in science.
If you are a researcher in Academia or the Public Sector, or if you are a EURAXESS member providing guidance and support for researchers' career development in these fields, you may find this Talent Management Hub particularly relevant.
Visit the thematic areas of the hub: Talent Management Hub
Established in 2017, the PRIDE Network Association represents professionals involved in doctoral education across Europe and beyond. Its inception was facilitated by the EU-funded PRIDE project, which examined the roles and contributions of non-academic university staff in enhancing the quality and offerings of doctoral programs. In its handbook on Onboarding doctoral candidates, it identifies that, in essence, onboarding processes for doctoral candidates offer several key benefits. They facilitate effective communication and collaboration between candidates and supervisors, clarify program requirements and regulations, and introduce candidates to essential academic support services. Additionally, these processes help build professional networks, foster a sense of belonging, enhance well-being, and boost satisfaction and completion rates. They also encourage candidates to approach future career opportunities with an open and adaptable mindset.
For more information see: https://pride-network.eu/
In December 2024, COST introduced a new Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA) focused on enhancing career development opportunities for young researchers. This initiative aims to improve working conditions to attract and retain top research talent across Europe. The network is composed of young researchers, career advisory professionals, and key stakeholder organizations collaborating to promote balanced brain circulation and better career prospects for emerging researchers.
Unlike COST Actions, CCAs are designed to complement existing research networks by connecting stakeholders and sharing best practices. This particular CCA aligns with the European Framework on attracting research talent and the European Charter for Researchers, emphasizing strategic collaboration to address gaps in career development at local and national levels. Through this effort, COST seeks to provide actionable recommendations, policy guidelines, training opportunities, and a thorough analysis of best practices by 2026.
For more information, see: https://www.cost.eu/launch-cca-career-development/
Trainings and good practices
You can also draw inspiration from other universities when it comes to trainings for early career researchers as well as mentors and academic staff.
KU Leuven offers an extensive Skills Training for Researchers program for the 2024-2025 academic year, designed to help PhD and postdoctoral researchers develop transferable skills that enhance their professional effectiveness and future employability. Training contains workshops such as Writing for a General Audience and Motivation Statement writing. It also includes individual coaching such as Academic Presentation Coaching, Motivation statement coaching and Job application language coaching.
For more information, see: https://ilt.kuleuven.be/cursus/professional_skills_training.php
The Doctoral Study Hub is a dedicated platform for doctoral candidates, providing access to a variety of courses, seminars, and workshops. Its primary goal is to support the advancement dosctoral students´ scientific career while offering essential guidance for successfully completing their dissertation.
The offered courses are designed to foster the development of key competencies as outlined in the European Competence Framework for Researchers. This framework serves as a tool to evaluate and enhance researchers' transferable skills, thereby aiding in their professional growth and career progression.
For more information, see: https://phd.cuni.cz/PHDEN-41.html
The University of Vienna provides structured training and workshop opportunities designed to foster doctoral candidates' personal and professional development. These programs emphasize cultivating transferable skills critical for career advancement, whether in academia or beyond.
For more information, see: https://forschung.univie.ac.at/en/services/events-trainings/phd-candidates/trainings/
This course equips supervisors with practical tools and strategies to refine their approach, ensuring supervision becomes a collaborative, efficient, and rewarding experience. It also fosters a supportive environment where supervisors can reflect on their responsibilities and share insights with peers.
Key outcomes include enhanced ability to:
Clarify expectations with candidates early and consistently regarding roles, timelines, and project objectives.
Navigate competing priorities, such as balancing guidance with autonomy, focusing on both research outcomes and processes, and maintaining professional boundaries.
Deliver actionable feedback on written work to promote growth.
Encourage candidates’ autonomy and ownership of their projects.
Address challenges that may arise during the research process.
For more information, see:https://forschung.univie.ac.at/services/veranstaltungen-trainings/supervisor-training/
The University offers structured training programs and workshops to ensure supervisors maintain the expertise required for effective PhD supervision. New supervisors must complete the mandatory online course, “Fundamentals of PhD Supervision”, which must be renewed every five years to uphold competency standards.
The University also provides an online resource, “Fundamentals of PhD Examination”, designed to enhance examiners’ understanding of the examination process and their role within it.
For more information, see: https://registryservices.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/students/code-of-practice/other-support-and-information/supervisor-training
The Postdoc Talent Management Training offer is tailor-made for postdocs to support them in their professional and career development . It includes following topics:
Stress management: how to prevent and reduce stress
Agile leadership skills for postdoctoral researchers
Career design 1: explore yourself
Career design 2: explore the labour market
Career design 3: brand yourself
Storytelling: how to communicate with impact
Creativity: how to get more creative ideas
Positive Focus: how to boost your professional confidence
For more information, see: https://www.ugent.be/en/work/mobility-career/postdoc-talent-management/postdoctrainingprogram.htm
Every six months, the Research Support Network organizes specialized workshops for researchers, supervisors from all faculties, as well as administrative and technical staff. These workshops are offered free of charge.
For more information, see: https://www.unil.ch/unil/en/home/menuinst/recherche/formations-et-conseils.html
The training focuses on enhancing doctoral supervision quality through structured initiatives at Goethe University, modeled after international best practices.
For more information, see: https://www.grade.goethe-university-frankfurt.de/54290133/Training_for_Supervisors
The EURAXESS Sweden Career Outside Academia Programme is a digital programme for international PhD students and postdocs at a Swedish university. It consists of 6 sessions on various career related topics as well as individual coaching.
For more information, see: https://www.euraxess.se/sweden/jobs-funding/career-development-centres