About EURAXESS Links
EURAXESS Links is a networking tool for European researchers abroad. It provides information about research in Europe, European research policy, opportunities for research funding, for international collaboration and for trans-national mobility. Membership is free.
The objective of EURAXESS Links
The objective of EURAXESS Links is to maintain the link of Europe with European researchers, scientists and scholars abroad thus rendering them an important resource for European research and for stimulating scientific cooperation between Europe and the host countries where they work.
The network is already running in the USA since 2006 and has been launched in Japan in June 2008 and in China in December 2009. The members of the network are informed about European Union research policies and made aware of career opportunities in Europe as well as opportunities for collaboration with Europe.
The multidisciplinary network involves researchers at all stages of their careers and allows them to become well connected amongst themselves and with Europe, ensuring that they are recognized as an important resource for the European Research Area, whether they remain abroad or choose to return.
Through the success of the network, EURAXESS Links is intended to contribute to the improvement of Europe's position in the global competition for talent, and the reinforcement of research collaboration.
How does EURAXESS Links work?
EURAXESS Links focuses on three types of activity: networking of researchers, information dissemination and helping expatriate researchers to collaborate with colleagues in Europe or to return to rewarding careers in Europe. Membership of EURAXESS Links is free.
EURAXESS Links offers the following services:
- The EURAXESS Links website provides targeted information on sources of research funding in Europe, research career opportunities in Europe and conferences and training courses.
- A regular flow of information to EURAXESS Links members, including email alerts signaling mainly job, funding and collaboration opportunities.
- Occasional meetings and events involving EURAXESS Links members.
- Organisation of an annual Career Fair in collaboration with the European Union’s Member States to provide a forum for researchers to meet with European research funding agencies and employers, both public and private;
- Production of an electronic newsletter with articles specifically of interest to the European science community abroad. This includes information on relevant calls for proposals and career opportunities in Europe (at Member State and European Union level), as well as articles about R&D; breakthroughs and policy developments; on-going international collaboration activities; news about members, etc.;
- Organisation of regular networking meetings and events for EURAXESS Links members;
- Organisation of information/training workshops to provide guidance on the application process for those applying for EC grants (particularly Marie Curie actions and European Research Council grants).
- Addition of networking features to the EURAXESS Links website. These include a bulletin board where members can post information; chat rooms to allow networking to flourish; an annual poster yearbook where members can post their year's best poster once a year;
Why EURAXESS Links?
A significant number of European researchers are working outside Europe, be it for short or extended amounts of time. This represents a potential asset for European Research that has been largely unrecognised until now. Regardless of the reasons that brought them overseas, and of whether or not they intend to return, Europe wants to build and maintain links with its expatriate researchers. For this reason the European Commission has initiated the EURAXESS Links project.
EURAXESS Links: what next?
In view of the expansion of the EURAXESS Links initiative, the European Commission requested a "Feasibility study on the geographical expansion of EURAXESS Links Abroad (ELA)" to develop a strategic approach to identify where to launch EURAXESS Links next and to propose a “management and governance” model for such an initiative and networks.
The contractor was asked to produce insights on the actual situation in thirteen pre-selected countries outside Europe. The information gathered at that stage has allowed identifying a group of five countries where the local conditions and the number of European researchers were more suitable for the launch of such a network. The study also produced 5 scenarios on the various models of management and governance of the network in the future.
EURAXESS Links feasibility study:
