Image: Craig Nicholson for Research Professional News
Earma 2024: Research manager turned European Commission policy officer provides lobbying advice
Research managers and administrators have been urged to avoid trying solely to improve their own profession when lobbying for change, and instead to have a wider focus on bettering the research and innovation system as a whole.
The European Association of Research Managers and Administrators annual conference in Odense, Denmark, heard on 25 April that RMAs should not be “inward-looking”.
“Do not be too inward-looking, look outside. The aim is a very effective R&I system; the aim is not only a good research manager career,” said Stijn Delauré (pictured right), a former RMA turned European Commission policy officer who is currently on secondment with the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU member state governments.
Find allies against ‘common enemy’
Efforts to boost recognition of RMAs have been stepped up in recent years, including through the EU-funded RM Roadmap project. The project, led by Earma, is aiming to define the profession as well as advocate for more recognition and policy support at EU level.
Not only should RMAs avoid an insular mindset when it comes to their profession, they should also stop themselves from having an internal focus on their own universities or research organisations, Delauré said.
In a keynote discussion with Sarah Richardson (pictured left), the chief editor of Research Professional News, he said it is “crucial” for RMAs to build networks with counterparts in other institutions and share best practices.
Despite universities being in competition with each other for grants, RMAs have a “common enemy” in the form of national or EU research funders, he suggested, adding: “You want to aim to be the best but to pull others up with you.”
RMAs with a wide network will reap benefits by learning from their counterparts, he explained. But he urged attendees to “be patient” as it “takes time” to build networks.
Push polices and think as a team
Delauré called on RMAs to “push” the policies that have already been put in place to support their profession, such as action 17 of the European Research Area policy initiative for raising research standards.
“There is a policy now and it needs to be implemented by member states and by the boards of universities and research organisations, and they need your help…It is really a goal for you to get involved and check what the [ERA Action 17] policy is,” he told attendees.
While there has been much progress in the past two years on RMA recognition, Delauré said there is a “danger” of siloes developing in the current approach the EU is taking.
He explained that the EU is creating some policies focused on researcher careers and others focused on RMA careers.
“But, actually, we should do it more in a holistic way,” he said. “We need a systemic approach on all research and innovation careers. It is a team effort so there should be permeability of careers between researchers and RMAs.
“That is the important message: one system, one organisation, one team.”