Career development
The landscape of career development for researchers is complex, even on a national level; therefore ICoRSA welcomes opportunities to address our shared challenges and interests.
ICoRSA welcomes collaborative efforts to improve the career development of researchers, through building networks between international, regional, national, and local organisations.
ICoRSA provides a platform for researchers and research staff organisations to share their experiences of best practice for career development.
ICoRSA supports national, regional, and international agreements on the professional development of researchers, such as the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers in the UK and the European Charter and Code. By opening up a global conversation and comparison of professional development provision for researchers, we are opening doors towards an international charter for the career development of researchers.
Read our Position Statement on sustainability of research careers and precarity_ICoRSA which we presented together with our members at the ICoRSA Summit 2022.
Community building
One of ICoRSA’s missions is to investigate and incorporate the different Research Staff Associations and Diaspora Research Associations around the globe, and to act as ambassadors to countries where such associations do not exist yet.
A successful pilot of this project began in South Africa, where, after a visit from ICoRSA, the South African Research Staff Association (SARSA) was created. Another successful project is the Irish Research Staff Association which was established with the assistance of ICoRSA. ICoRSA is the official administrator of this RSA. In 2021, ICoRSA supported the establishment of the Italian Research Staff Association.
Open science & RRI
Being involved in various Horizon projects focusing on open science and responsible research and innovation (RRI), ICoRSA aims to be an ambassador for both approaches and underlying movements.
ICoRSA is regularly participating in sessions in both the Euroscience Open Forum and the World Science Forum.
Gender equality
Global gender equality is one of UNESCO’s priority projects. Closer to home, the research community is no exception. Gender issues are still present, and more so in emerging economies. It is therefore only natural that ICoRSA gets involved.
ICoRSA is uniquely positioned to explore this issue amongst its large network, as this topic is already debated and explored by its member constituents on a national level. ICoRSA can collate this information into an international perspective.