Attracting and retaining international researchers: latest EMN inform provides a comparative overview of Member States’ approaches, challenges, and best practices.
Third-country researchers from non-EU countries can provide important expertise to European universities and other research institutions, promoting knowledge circulation across the EU. The Students and Researchers Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/801) seeks to improve and harmonise legal standards for welcoming and retaining international students and researchers, as well as making the EU a more attractive destination for them. This inform draws on the contributions of 22 Member States and aims to explore challenges and good practices adopted at the EU and national levels.
While most EU Member States prioritise attracting and retaining international researchers in their policies, the means to do so vary. Member States adopt promotional and informational activities to enhance their attractiveness to international researchers, including leaflets, info days, websites, media campaigns, or missions abroad. The inform also reports bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements between the EU Member States and third countries, aiming to provide funding for joint research projects or the creation of networks of academics.
Member States additionally facilitate the application process for international researchers, for instance offering the possibility of fast-track applications, an extension of the maximum period of long-term mobility, as well as financial facilitation and support.
In relation to the admission of international researchers, the inform highlights that several Member States refer to the Students and Researchers Directive, with some also implementing other national or EU employment-focused schemes that admit international researchers as highly qualified workers. In situations not covered by EU law, additional specific research-focused national schemes are applied.
At the national level, several measures are in place to facilitate the retention of international researchers. These include providing support to obtain a residence permit and registering residence with local authorities; support on arrival; induction and orientation. The inform highlights that the EU Member States give international researchers the opportunity to obtain a temporary permit for nine months or more for job search or to set up a business once they have completed their research.
Member States face various challenges in attracting and retaining international researchers. These range from bureaucratic hurdles to the country not being considered sufficiently attractive, for example, due to limited research infrastructure and lack of financial support. The inform specifically mentions EURAXESS Croatia which provides information to attract researchers. Together with Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, Croatia is specifically mentioned as one of the member states using services offered by EURAXESS for the retention of researchers.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact across the EU. For instance, travel restrictions have disrupted the inflow of researchers, and in some cases prevented the implementation of ongoing projects. In order to address these issues, new measures were introduced, such as more online or hybrid modes of mobility to complement the limited physical mobility of international researchers.