This document summarizes the results of a survey of nearly 2,000 early-career European scholars between the ages of 24-35. Key findings include: Over half receive income from scholarships or grants, while 41% receive salaries. The majority are confident in their ability to find future career opportunities, though funding and obtaining permanent research positions are concerns. Over 60% have experienced barriers in their careers related to funding, career positions, mobility, and family responsibilities. Suggestions to policymakers focus on providing longer-term funding and career support, better work-life balance policies, and assistance for non-academic career transitions.

1. Opportunities and challenges for
the next generation of European
scholars
Pauline Mattsson, Euroscience,Karolinska Institutet & WZB
David Felz, Euroscience
Niki Vermeulen, University of Manchester

2. Survey population
Population size ~19000
Response rate 1869 (10%)
Gender 46,4% Male
53,6% Female

3. Target group
• Ages 24-35 represents more than 82% of the sample
• Research experience (years)1-4 43%; 5-8 35%; 9-14 16%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%

4. Countries
• How
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180

5. Employment situation
• 55% receive their income as scholarship/grant and 41% as
salary
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Unemployed
Fixed contract
Open contract
Without contract
Training under contract
Training without contract
Self employed
Consultancy/ freelancer

6. Research discipline
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Arts
Computer sciences
Engineering
Humanities
Medical sciences
Social sciences
• 33% are active in more than 1 discipline

7. The future
• Are you confident with the following?
Finding career opportunities in
research
Finding career opportunities not in
research
Finding a long-term research
position
Continuing carrying out research
Obtaining research funding
Extremely confident Quite confident Somewhat confident Not confident at all

8. Family situation
• No differences between gender
• Majority of respondees with children have a fixed-term
contract
Single, without
children
35%
Single, with
children
1%
Partnership, w
ithout children
40%
Partnership, w
ith children
21%
I do not wish to
answer
3%

9. The future
• Where do you see yourself in..?
5 years ago? Next year? In 5 years?
University/ Research institute 74% 80% 40%
Industry/ Research company 6% 5% 14%
Government/ European institutions 2% 2% 5%
Public (non-research) 6% 2% 3%
Private (non-research) 6% 2% 5%
Own company 1% 0% 3%
Own consulting activities 0% 0% 2%
I don’t know 5% 8% 28%

10. Research conditions
• What was formally defined at the
beginning of your research project?
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Your salary
Your working time
Your supervisors
Your publication rights
Your intellectual property rights
Your privacy and confidentiality…
Your travel budget
Other employers
Yes
7%
No
93%
Have you heard of the
European Charter and Code
for Researchers?

11. Barriers research career
• 63% have perceived barriers
FUNDING
POSITIONS
MOBILITY
FAMILY
PUBLICATIONS

12. Unfair treatment
• 41% have experienced unfair treatment
– Supervision : ”Not been supported enough by the
supervisors”
– Authorship: “Did the whole research for a highlevel paper
and didn’t receive the first place in authors list”
– Salary: “asked to conduct research work which I have not
been paid for”
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Ethnicity
Gender
Illness/disabilities
Hierarchical position
Other issues

13. Career breaks
• 22% have had a break in their research career
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Parental
leave
Personal
reasons
Lack of
funding
Military
service
Working
in a non
research
job
Starting
your own
business
Studies Sabbatical
year
Other

14. Mobility
• Have you ever worked at a foreign research institution?
Advantages
*Getting to know another culture
*Learning new ways to do research
*Expanding network and collaborations
*Offering better career perspectives Disadvantages
*being away from family and friends
*costs
*job partner
*instability/insecurity
No, but I
would like to.
34%
No, I would
like to but I
cannot.
5%
No, I am not
interested.
5%
No, but I will
have to.
5%
Yes, I did
51%

15. Suggestions to policy makers
• Cloud *more attention for long term (research, funding)
*more support for young researchers with own ideas/freedom
*offer more support for couples/families.
*give young researchers a voice in organisation of science
*more support for those who do not want to continue in academia.
*better rules and regulations: e.g. application procedures, rights of researchers,
career development