How can Europe create better, more attractive and sustainable research careers? From October 28 to 29, 2026, Johanna Stadlbauer participated in the final conference of the COST Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA) ‘Supporting the career development of young researchers’, which brought together researchers, career development experts, research organisations and European stakeholders to share lessons learned and discuss what comes next.
Read a press release by the COST comms team: COST News
The trip to Brussels presented also the delightful opportunity to visit the Österreichhaus, the seat of the Permanent Representation of Austria in the EU, and meet Elisabeth Smits, Austria's research attachée, for an early morning coffee.
About COST:
- COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding organisation for research and innovation networks. Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and beyond and enable researchers and innovators to grow their ideas in any science and technology field by sharing them with their peers. COST Actions are bottom-up networks with a duration of four years that boost research, innovation and careers (Text from this website).
- The COST Strategic Plan includes Cross-Cutting Activities (CCA) as a tool to better connect policy makers and R&I players to share best practices.
About the COST CCA:
- Since 2024, the CCA focussed on research career development across Europe, particularly for early-career researchers. and it addressed challenges related to career support, employment conditions, recognition of research experience, intersectoral mobility, and equitable opportunities. After two years of work, the deliverables propose coordinated actions at institutional, national, and European levels to strengthen career pathways, promote cooperation across sectors, and improve Europe’s research and innovation capacity.
- Joanna Rutkowska and Nicola Dengo are the Chairs of the COST CCA, and both are Representatives of the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers
- The results so far: 8 CCA deliverables that are openly available on Zenodo – and more are on the way: Search CCA career development for young researchers | Zenodo - share widely with your networks!
About the involvement of the University of Graz:
- RCC team member Raphaela Hemet was part of WG4: Gender Equity and Fostering Diversity in Research Presentation, led by Adna Ašić, and Verity Elston, one result of which is this: Intersectional Pathways in European Research Careers: Lived Experiences of Women Researchers and Policy Implications | Zenodo
- Head of the RCC Johanna Stadlbauer was invited to the final conference to contribute to a panel on “Building Effective Career Development Ecosystems Presentation” alongside Simon Marti, Head of the European Universities Association Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE), Stefania Silvestri Researcher, Developer of Prosper, University of Liverpool, James Morris, Senior Policy Officer at Science Europe.
We're looking forward to continuing this conversation and hope the outcomes of the CCA will resonate widely and have a direct impact on researchers in Europe and beyond.
Report: Johanna Stadlbauer, 29.10.2026
