SMART Researchers: Strategic Micro-Credentialing and Skills Recognition for a Dynamic ESRs Talent Ecosystem

Sustainable career ecosystems for early-stage researchers

The SMART Researchers project aims to establish and institutionalise sustainable talent development ecosystems for early-stage researchers (ESRs) in Widening countries. Building on the European Charter for Researchers and the Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Research Careers, the project will align HR practices, improve working conditions and support diverse career pathways. Core actions include creating or upgrading Career Support Centres (CSCs) to provide structured guidance, sectoral mobility and interdisciplinary collaboration, implementing ResearchComp-based micro-credentialing and certification, and launching a digital Competence Lab for continuous professional development. These efforts will equip ESRs with transversal skills for the green and digital transitions and provide evidence-based policy recommendations to foster competitive, attractive and sustainable research careers across the ERA.

Objective

The overall objective of the SMART Researchers project is to establish and institutionalize comprehensive, sustainable talent development ecosystems for ESRs across various positions in Widening Countries. By scaling HR excellence in line with the Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Research Careers and the European Charter for Researchers, the project aims to improve working conditions and create a capacity- building framework for European Competence Framework for Researchers-based micro-credentialing and certification. This framework will enable ESRs to acquire and demonstrate advanced skills essential for thriving in interoperable careers, addressing the transversal labor market demands of the twin transitions—green and digital—driven by R&I. The foundation of the project lies in the creation of Career Support Center, which provide continuous career guidance and tailored capacity- building for ESRs. These CSCs will implement Strategic Action Plans for ESRs career development that align institutional HR practices with the Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Research Careers and the European Charter for Researchers. A key component is the development of a micro credentialing and certification framework based on the ResearchComp. By supporting talent development and career progression of a large pool of R&I positions, the project equips the European labor market with well-skilled researchers, enhancing organizations’ capacity for training, career development, and talent circulation. Additionally, the project provides policy feedback on implementing the European standards research careers, ensuring continuous alignment with best practices in talent development. The involvement of ESRs at every stage—from competency mapping to policy development—ensures that the solutions created directly address the precariousness they face, building a more stable and sustainable career landscape for researchers across Europe.

Keywords

Micro-credentials; Certification; Skills recognition; Early-Stage Researchers (ESR); ESR Training; Talent ecosystem; Career development; Widening countries; ResearchComp.

Partners

• Coordinator: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences (Novi Sad, Serbia)
• Minds Europe (Novi Sad, Serbia)
• Udruženje za preduzetništvo i inovacije FOODSCALE HUB (Novi Sad, Serbia
• ROAD HR DOO (Novi Sad, Serbia)
• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS (Volos, Greece)
• INSTITOUTO ANAPTIXIS EPICHEIRIMATIKOTITAS ASTIKI ETAIREIA (Larissa, Greece)
• SCIENTIFIC EVENTS – PM² CENTER (Patgras, Greece)
• SVEUCILISTE U SPLITU EKONOMSKI FAKULTET (Split, Croatia)
• INSTITUT ZA RAZVOJ I MEDUNARODNE ODNOSE (Zagreb, Croatia)
• SPARKY SOLUTION DOO ZA USLUGE (Samobor, Croatia)
• European Academy (Riga, Latvia)