AARHUS UNIVERSITY

Advanced Human Capital for Europe

Rector Lauritz Holm-Nielsen Gothenborg 23-03-11

AARHUSUNIVERSITYAARHUSUNIVERSITY

Advanced Human Capital for EuropeRector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Europe demands advanced human capitalInnovation Union 2020: 1.000.000 new research jobs

ERAB 2030 recommendations:

50% of EC research funding should go to frontier, high-risk R&D

20% of EU doctoral candidates working outside their home country

5% of GDP is spend on R&D. Private investments accounts for 2/3

EU+member states triple spending on higher education to 3.3% of GDP

Half of the adult population has achieved tertiary education



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Scientific staff increasingly on the moveShare of foreign-born human resources in science and technology, aged 25-64 years in EU-27 and selected countries, 2006

Source: Eurostat HRST data base



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

International mobility of talent Attracting researchers is not simply a

question of pecuniary rewards Opportunities for career development Autonomy to pursue the unexpected Well-financed positions (tenure track) Importance of creating attractive

research environments

Source: Holm-Nielsen & Thorn, 2008



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

How attractive are different university systems?Criteria Degree of independence Guidance received from

superior or coworkers Salary Holiday entitlement Health-care benefits Maternity or paternity leave Retirement plan Total hours worked per

week

Source: Nature Vol 465 24 June 2010



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

How can European Universities contribute?



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Early identification of research talent- Bologna and PhD programs

5 + 3Bologna Classic

4 + 4

3 + 5Bologna Danese



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Principles guiding career development at Aarhus University Clearly defined pathways Support for high-flying individuals Incentives for scientific staff to work

across scientific disciplines Recognition of alternative career tracks

(e.g. industrial PhD program) Early warning when permanent

employment is unlikely to be realizedEarly

recruitment

PhD

Postdoc

Earlycareer

Advancedcareer



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Nurturing young researchers Grants for screening potential

PhDs and post docs Provide young staff freedom

to conduct independent research

Proactive assistance from research support office e.g. in identifying and applying for competitive funding

Allocate time for training in transferable skills and international collaboration

Knowledge exchange

EducationResearch

Talent development

The Humboldt UniversityThe Triple Helix UniversityThe Modern University

PhDs

Post docs Students

Studies

Lifelonglearning

Contracts

Researchprogrammes

Research projects

Professors



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Strategic use of university resources Strategic use of the university

research foundation and central resources

Award potential and not always exclusively an extensive track record

Starting grants for young potential researchers

Support the recruitment of highly accomplished scientists and foreign professors

Nobel Laureate Dale T. MortensenNWU and Aarhus University

The Nobel Prize in Economics, 2010



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Recruitment Need to avoid “cannibalism”

by promoting brain circulation and refraining from charitable recruitment

Post all research positions- including entry-level posts, openly and internationally

Headhunting and active use of search committees

Be willing to share the best Prof. Francis Fukuyama, Stanford and Aarhus

University



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

Fair brain circulation and building capacity Well-managed universities in

developing countries Local knowledge production and

innovation Local availability of highly skilled

graduates How may Europe’s university

sector contribute to capacity building in a fair and effective ?

Can we stimulate brain circulation?

13



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

For the world’s top universities the real challenge is not funding but competing for the most advanced human capital…

Nobel Laureate Jens Christian Skou, Aarhus UniversityThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1997



AARHUSUNIVERSITY

15

Thank youRector Lauritz B. Holm-NielsenE-mail: [email protected]

AARHUS UNIVERSITY

Documents

Transcript of AARHUS UNIVERSITY