Doc. 9642

16 December 2002

Young scientists in Europe

Recommendation 1541 (2001)

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 821st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (11 December 2002)

1.       The Committee of Ministers has considered Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1541 (2001) on young scientists in Europe. It shares many of the concerns and ideas of the Assembly, and has decided to bring it to the attention of the Governments of its member states.

2.       It fully concurs with the Assembly in its emphasis on the importance of science in contemporary European society and on the importance of recruiting young people to the science sector.

3.       The Committee of Ministers agrees with the Assembly on the need for establishing policies for recruiting young scientists at European level, and in encouraging the (pan-)European mobility of doctoral students and young researchers. Efforts in this sense are already being made by the European Commission and by many countries. The Committee underlines the importance of fully including the needs of Central and Eastern Europe in European research programmes.

4.       “Promoting a pan-European space for young scientists, in co-operation with other organisations competent in this field”, paragraph 8.i and iv-vi. The Committee of Ministers has, already, as is indicated in the Recommendation, adopted recommendations to governments of its member states on mobility of academic staff (Rec(85)21), on academic mobility (Rec(95)8), on regional academic mobility (Rec(96)7) and on the research mission of universities (Rec(2000)8). 5.

5.       The Council of Europe has also established a European Network of National information Centres on academic recognition and mobility (ENIC), in 1994, jointly with Unesco, in order to develop joint policy and practice in all European countries for the recognition of qualifications.

An ENIC is a body set up by the national authorities, and generally provide information on:

      – the recognition of foreign diplomas, degrees and other qualifications; –

      – education systems in both foreign countries and the ENIC's own country;–

      – opportunities for studying abroad, including information on loans and scholarships, as well as advice on practical questions related to mobility and the recognition of qualifications. Th

      The ENIC Network cooperates closely with the NARIC Network of the European Union.

6.       While the Committee of Ministers would find a survey of the situation of young researchers and postgraduate students in Europe useful (paragraph 8.ii), it must also clearly state that it cannot give priority to such a survey within its present resources.

7.       The Committee of Ministers also supports the Assembly’s call on governments to provide adequate funding for research training and for young scientists in the early stages of their career (paragraph 8.iii). In order to reduce the effects of brain drain, the Committee of Ministers supports the appropriate policies, which should be adequately monitored, aiming at the return of young scientists to their home countries. The Committee of Ministers has adopted Recommendation R(95)7 on the brain drain in the sectors of higher education and research. The Council of Europe has been drawing the attention of its partners in Ministries responsible for Higher Education in member states with economies in transition to the need of ensuring an adequate level of funding for research and technological development, in the context of its bilateral intergovernmental programme of activities.

8.       The Committee of Ministers sees as particularly valuable the proposals that member governments should encourage regional, pan-European and international network co-operation, in particular with the Maghreb countries, among institutions of higher education and research with a view to improving research capacity and the fostering of excellence, and that governments, institutions of higher education and research and industry should encourage research co-operation and mobility among young scientists in Europe by giving support to short-term and long-term mobility schemes (paragraphs 8.v and 8.vi). In this context, the Committee would like to recall its 1997 conference on Regional Cooperation in Higher Education (organised jointly with the Nordic Council of Ministers) and the participation in this conference of the Community of Mediterranean Universities (CUM), an NGO whose members include some 170 universities from all shores of the Mediterranean.

9.       The model of CUM Schools – short term advanced level courses involving institutions from several countries – is believed to be of particular interest, as is the regional cooperation organized in the framework of the Nordic Agricultural university. The latter is not an independent institution, but rather a framework uniting the agricultural universities of all five Nordic countries within which courses offered at one of the institutions are open on equal conditions to students of all participating institutions.

10.       In addition, the Committee of Ministers has invited governments of its member states to give their support to Unesco Venice Office Project for European Advanced Seminars for Young Scientists.

11.       In conclusion, the Committee of Ministers would like to inform the Assembly that the Steering Committee on Higher Education and Research (CD-ESR) is actively considering what role it may play in the area of research policies, in keeping with its terms of reference. This role should be carefully defined so as to take account of the Council of Europe’s possibilities as well as the restrictions of its budget, and it should avoid seeking to duplicate the actions of the European Commission and other major research actors.