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EURAXESSDr Claire McNulty
Acting Director Science, British Council
www.euraxess.org.uk 9th March 2012
Outline
• British Council
– Overview
– Internationalising Higher Education
• EURAXESS
– Overview
– EURAXESS-UK
– Looking forward
British Council work
• We are the UK’s international cultural relations organisation, and have been working for more than 75 years to forge links between people in the UK and other countries
• Our main purpose is to build engagement and trust through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide
• We have 218 offices in 109 countries around the world
Charitable purposes
Our Royal Charter sets out the purposes for which we are established. These are to:
• promote cultural relationships and the understanding of different cultures between people and peoples of the United Kingdom and other countries;
• promote a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom;• develop a wider knowledge of the English language;• encourage cultural, scientific, technological and other
educational cooperation between the United Kingdom and other countries; or
• otherwise promote the advancement of education
Who do we work with?
• Policymakers in research and higher education
• Leading researchers, innovators, research administrators, science communicators and science educators
• Early career researchers, students, wider public
Why?
• Help individuals improve their career prospects
• Build scientific links• Foster environment for science and
innovation• Bridge science and society
Research is an international career• In the UK, around 40% of the academic staff at researcher
grade are from overseas• Highly mobile researchers are also more productive• Time spent researching abroad can bring lots of benefits:
– Access to facilities and expertise – Improved career prospects– Broaden horizons
• It can also have drawbacks:– Practical difficulties (managing finances, family issues,
tax etc) – Cultural differences– Language barrier
What does British Council do to help?
• Internationalising Higher Education Programme
• Web-based resources
• EURAXESS-UK
Our new Internationalising Higher Education programme
• Services for International Education Marketing
• Global Policy Dialogues
• Global Partnerships
• International Student Mobility and Alumni
Global Policy Dialogues• Going Global
– International Education Conference– London, March 13-15 – Includes aspects linked to research
• Bilateral or Regional policy Dialogues– E.g. Policy workshop on Researcher Skills
Training, France, Feb 2012
Example of research partnership initiative:
BIRAX Regenerative Medicine Initiative • Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange
Partnership • Five-year programme• Funding for teams in UK and Israel to carry out joint
research• Maximum funding £400,000 over 3 years• Associated fellowship scheme for early career
researchers to undertake research visits.• www.britishcouncil.org/israel-education-birax.htm
Supported by Pears Foundation, UJIA, BIS, FCO, Ministry of Science and Technology (Israel)
Other research partnership projects• India (UKIERI)• Turkey• Russia• Central South Asia (Inspire project)
Under development:• UK-US-3rd Country• UK-Brazil
Opportunities will be disseminated through the Euraxess Newsletters, and on the website
British Council Online Resources
EducationUK www.educationuk.org Guide to studying in the UK
EURAXESS-UK www.euraxess.org.uk Practical information for mobile researchers. Includes a searchable database of
international funding opportunities.
CUBED www.britishcouncil.org/science-cubed.htm Magazine highlighting UK breakthroughs in science and innovation Talking Science www.britishcouncil.org/talkingscience.htmScience communication website, with information about science festivals, science
in the media, and links to useful resources. European RTD Insight www.ukro.ac.uk/insight We sponsor this monthly online publication which provides the latest news on
European Union policy; research; education, training and culture; external collaboration; events and awards; new publications and online resources
EURAXESS
Background
EURAXESS is an initiative, launched by the European Commission, to promote research careers and facilitate the mobility of researchers across Europe
EURAXESS plays a key role in the implementation of the European Partnership for Researchers and Innovation Union commitments
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then EURAXESS is here to help you.
Are you looking to recruit junior or experienced
researchers from around the world
?
Would you like to explore
research funding
opportunities
?
Do you help your
international researchers with practical
issues
?
Do you want more visibility
on an international
level
?
Would you like to help your
researchers moving to another
country with housing, local social security,
etc...
?
Why should you get involved with EURAXESS?
EURAXESS EURAXESS Jobs - Information on job opportunities, funding opportunities, grants, employment, etc.
EURAXESS Services - Practical assistance for researchers
EURAXESS Rights - Information on the European Researchers’ Charter and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers
EURAXESS Links - a networking tool for researchers outside Europe. Operating in USA, China, Japan, India and Singapore
• Central jobs and funding portal for Europe• Free of charge • Can advertise jobs and search CV database (18,000
CVs)• As of March 2012, more than 7000 organisations from
across Europe are registered on EURAXESS Jobs • Around 35,000 unique visitors per month• 6,700 vacancies currently available, 400 from the UK • Nature Jobs postings imported to EURAXESS Jobs• All European research organisations are being
encouraged to use the EURAXESS Jobs portal to advertise their research positions
EURAXESS Jobs
EURAXESS Services
• Around 200 centres in 38 countries
• Offer customized assistance to researchers and their families
EURAXESS Services • Practical assistance for researchers and their families
before, during and after their move abroad• Web portals
– Each country runs their own national portal (e.g. British Council runs the EURAXESS-UK portal)
• Helpdesks (phone or email)• Service Centres
– Walk-in centres providing personalised assistance to all researchers
• Local Contact Points– Offices within universities etc giving assistance to
incoming staff/students
EURAXESS-UK - managed by the British Council and funded by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills
‘The EURAXESS-UK website will be promoted as the key information portal for researchers’
Jan 23rd 2012. Joint press release from RCUK, Higher Education Funding Councils, Learned Academies and Universities UK.
UK Jobs websites, Euraxess Jobs feed, career development (link to Vitae)
Information on UK and International Funders
Healthcare, family, social security, entry regulations, tax, accommodation, finance, language etc
Research landscape, Research in England, Scotland, Wales, NI, Intellectual Property, Research in Industry
Working in Europe, outside Europe
Downloadable pdf of Guide for researchers
Euraxess Local Contact Points, Order hard copy guides
International funding search – by career stage, discipline and region
EURAXESS-UK Searchable Funding database
200 funding schemes in database, from travel grants for conferences, to longer term partnership funding
EURAXESS UK Local Contact Points• So far 11 UK Universities have signed up as local contact
points:• University of Durham• University of Huddersfield• University of Leicester• University of Liverpool• Newcastle University• Northumbria University• Plymouth University• Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh • University of Dundee• University of Edinburgh• University of West of Scotland
• These offer customized assistance to researchers coming to their own institution before, during and after their move
How can you get involved?
2. Encourage use of EURAXESS-Jobs to advertise research positions
1. Make researchers more aware of the EURAXESS initiatives
3. Badge your institution as a EURAXESS Local Contact Point
What should a EURAXESS-LCP do?• Act as first point of contact for international
researchers coming to your institution• Provide advice and assistance on matters
relating to mobility – often a matter of knowing who to refer questions to
• Set up dedicated email address (e.g. [email protected])
• Link to Euraxess-UK national portal
Contact: [email protected]
Benefits of being a EURAXESS-LCP• Demonstrates commitment to international
researchers and to the European Research Area.
• Higher visibility across Europe and beyond• Closer linkage to counterparts throughout
Europe• Access to training and networking events• Simple to do; very little bureaucracy
Contact: [email protected]
Future direction
• Further development of EURAXESS-UK website• Building up network of EURAXESS-UK LCPs• Support/training/networking for LCPs – e.g. on visas,
social security, attendance at conferences, Nature Jobs Fair etc (via Network Call May 2012)
• Stronger focus on promotion outside Europe
Any Questions?
Visas for International researchers
What can Euraxess-UK do to help?
Visa routes for researchersACTIVITY PAID IN UK? ENTRY
OPTIONSADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Researcher sponsored by Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the UK
Varies. Researchers under Points Based System (PBS) Tiers 2 and 5 do not necessarily have to be paid here. Tier 2 sponsors must guarantee the salary as stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Tier 5 employment must accord with UK employment law.
Tier 2 (General)Tier 5 (GAE)*
For Tier 2, the individual must be a skilled worker (e.g. a well qualified academic), meet the Resident Labour Market Test and the minimum salary threshold of £20,000 pa – can be pro-rated for shorter stays. The maximum stay under Tier 5 (GAE) is 2 years. The GAE scheme for researchers sponsored by HEIs permits Tier 4 licence holders who hold a Tier 5 GAE licence to directly sponsor researchers.
Researcher where sponsor is not a HEI
As above Tier 2 (General)Tier 5 GAE
As above, except that the Tier 5 (GAE) scheme is not for non-HEI sponsored researchers. BIS is working with Research Councils UK on a scheme for these researchers.
Visiting Lecturer No Business VisitorTier 5 GAETier 2 (General)
Business visitors may give one-off, unpaid lectures at non-profit making events only – they may receive expenses.
Collaborative researcher - UK and overseas university
Varied scenarios – not paid, paid here, paid abroad
As for researcher sponsored by HEI plusAcademic Visitor if unpaid
Academic visitors may take part in a formal research exchange provided they do not receive payment here. Expenses may be paid. Must be well qualified academic. Maximum stay is 12 months.
* Government Authorised Exchange
Visa routes for researchersComing to the UK to do
research for more or less than 12 months?
Will be paid in the UK?Will be paid in the UK?
Sponsored by a UKHEI? Sponsored by a UKHEI?
Sponsored by public/private research organisation?
Highly qualified researcher looking for research
opportunities in the UK
Academic Visitor visa or Tier 2 or Tier 5 sponsored
Points-based system –Tier 2 (General)
Points-based system –Tier 2 (General) or
Tier 5 sponsored researcher
Points-based system –Tier 2 (General)
Sponsored by public/private research organisation?
Highly qualified researcher looking for research
opportunities in the UK
Points-based system –Tier 1 (Exceptional talent)
Points-based system –Tier 1 (Exceptional talent)
Tier 1 (Exceptional talent)Max stay: 3yr 4m; possibility to extend for extra 2 yr
Points-based system –Tier 2 (General) or
Tier 5 sponsored researcher
Points-based system –Tier 2 (General) or
Tier 5 sponsored researcher
Yes
<12 months >12 months
Yes
YesYes
Yes Yes
Yes Yes
No No
No
NoNo
No
Tier 2 (General) Max stay: 3yr 1m; possibility to extend extra 2yr
Tier 5 sponsored researcher Max stay: 2 yrs. Must be under Government authorized exchange
Points-based system
Are visas a problem for international researchers?
• Have you noticed any reduction in the numbers of international researchers coming to your institutions because of visa issues?
• Do you have any frequently asked questions which we should include on the website?
• Have you had any requests from researchers in European countries, with an EU scientific visa, who want to come to the UK for a short period?
