On the 14th and 15th of May, the BMS team joined the CESAER Taskforce on Human Resources in Lisbon. Tanya Bondarouk, co-chaired this onsite meeting of the CESAER Taskforce on Human Resources in Lisbon. Since January 2024 she has been co-leading this taskforce alongside Manuel Heitor, former Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, and currently professor at IST Lisboa. From our BMS International Office, Lotte Sander and Janke Rademaker are actively involved policy advisors of the Taskforce.
The Taskforce HR is one of seven within CESAER, a prominent European network of over 50 leading science and technology universities from 25 countries. These taskforces identify shared challenges, set strategic priorities, and drive collaborative initiatives regarding talent development in technical universities in Europe. The Taskforce HR’s focus for 2025 is on supporting modern and sustainable research careers in universities in Europe, particularly in the context of CoARA and the implementation of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.
The first day of the meeting featured engaging case studies, which will contribute to the upcoming update of the CESAER Report: Research Careers – A Critical Choice for Europe. This report aims to strengthen CESAER’s advocacy efforts to enhance early-career research opportunities across Europe. On the second day, member universities shared insights and progress on their CoARA implementation journeys. The program also included meetings with colleagues at IST Lisboa, fostering valuable exchanges of expertise and informal networking among participants. We will keep colleagues at BMS and UT updated on future developments of this Taskforce.