First RM Roadmap Ambassadors Meeting in Budapest

Watch the opening session of the first RM Roadmap Ambassadors Meeting above.

The first RM Roadmap Ambassadors took place in Budapest, Hungary, May 9, 2023, and commenced with a representative from HETFA, Renáta Anna Jaksa, Head of the Division for International Cooperation, addressing the attendees. Jaksa set the tone for the meeting, highlighting the significance of research management in the research and innovation ecosystem in Hungary and beyond. The opening included words from László Lengyel, Vice President of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, who highlighted the importance of the role of communities in driving change.

Following the opening, Stijn Delauré, Policy Officer at the European Commission, discussed the significance of the European Research Area (ERA) policy initiative, Action 17, for research management in Europe. Delauré emphasised the importance of creating networking and upskilling opportunities for research managers as well as developing career pathways. This can be achieved with the support of Member States and Associated Countries for Action 17.

Next up was Nik Claesen, Managing Director of EARMA, who introduced the RM Roadmap project to the ambassadors gathered to provide a context for their involvement over the coming years. Claesen explained that this project will create framework conditions for research management to strengthen the ERA and will chart a course for the profession in Europe.

Eduard Balbuena Longo, CERCA and representative from the RM Roadmap sister project CARDEA discussed Career Acknowledgement for Research Managers Delivering for the European Area. This presentation looked at the preliminary findings of their research and the socio-economic profile of a research manager that these results have discovered.

Nik Claesen shared further the vision and objectives of the RM Roadmap project, outlining the opportunities it presents for RM Roadmap Ambassadors. He delved into the role the ambassadors would play in the co-creation exercise and how they could effectively engage on the RM Roadmap Knowledge and Community Platform. To provide a practical demonstration, Claesen and Cais Jurgens, the Network Development Lead at Crowdhelix, showcased how to address co-creation topics within the platform. This platform will officially open in the autumn of 2023 and we would encourage all of our community to get involved. Please see rmroadmap.eu for further details.

An interactive session then focused on engaging with national communities. Olaf Svenningsen, Senior RM Liaison/Senior Project Advisor at EARMA, along with Michael Papadopoulos, the Managing Coordinator at the Cyprus Institute, and Margarida Trinidade and Carolina Varela from the Universidade Nova De Lisboa, provided examples of processes to engage with national communities. They also discussed the RM Roadmap Community Incubator, highlighting its role in fostering collaboration.

Several ambassadors delivered presentations showcasing their experiences and ideas in relation to engaging with local communities during and after the RM Roadmap project. Adele Del Bello from the RESTART Foundation in Italy, Andreja Zulim de Swarte from the University Medical Centre Utrecht in The Netherlands, and Ladislav Cocek from Masaryk University in Czechia shared their insights, offering valuable perspectives to the audience.

The meeting then transitioned into two parallel sessions, where ambassadors and RM Roadmap consortium partners split into different groups. These sessions facilitated in-depth discussions on future engagement with their respective national communities. Six groups ran simultaneously, with five groups focusing on geographical or thematic areas. An additional group was formed for ambassadors who did not join the geographical or focus groups in part one. Each group was moderated by a consortium partner of the RM Roadmap project.

Topics discussed included the current landscapes of the RM profession in the ambassadors' respective countries, the challenges they faced in their national contexts, and potential solutions to these challenges. The discussion groups fostered energised and informative discussions, with participants sharing best practices and lessons learned from their experiences in research management. The groups delved into specific themes such as funding, communication, and explored how research managers can address challenges in their work.

As the event drew to a close, Jan Andersen, an RM Roadmap Advisory Board Member, along with Nik Claesen and Borana Taraj from EARMA, reflected on the day's discussions and outlined the next steps. The participants left with an enhanced sense of direction and a deeper understanding of the critical role research management plays in driving the ERA forward.

To foster networking and informal discussions, a networking dinner was organised, allowing the attendees to connect with one another and forge new professional relationships. The dinner served as a delightful conclusion to a day filled with insightful presentations, engaging discussions, and the sharing of national experiences in research management.

A huge thank you to HETFA for organising such an inspirational event. If you would like to get involved and share your views with the RM Roadmap project, please visit the project website.