Intersectoral mobility is a keyword we have been using for quite a while now. However, do researchers understand what intersectoral mobility means in general and what it means for them, and specifically for their career prospects?

Mobility is one of THE key aspects of science in the context of the Lisbon agenda and the European Research Area (ERA). By shaping equal research conditions on the European level we are also shaping possibilities for mobility. However, mobility between different countries is not enough. Mobility has to go much further and deliver prospects for young researchers to get jobs in different industrial sectors – not only in research-related sectors.

Best practices from Western European university systems, such as in Germany, show that intersectoral mobility in engineering or consulting is common. Postdocs acquire positions in industry directly after their doctorate and often return to academic research after a couple of years. In this way the “magic circle” of knowledge exchange is maintained. Industry benefits from the innovation capacities of research and research profits from practical questions that can be solved by applied sciences.

But what about the situation in Eastern European countries like Russia?

The Russian Federation President, D. Medvedev, defined Russia’s development mission for the near future as the “four I” concept:

1. Infrastructure,

2. Institution,

3. Innovation and

4. Investment

In his speech to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation he added a fifth dimension – Intellect. The concept underlines the emphasis of the Russian integration processes of “science and education”, “science and industry” and “education and business“.

Involvement of young people is one of the bottlenecks science faces nowadays, and consequently influencing the formation of an innovative and knowledge-based economy in the country. The major goal is to attract young individuals to topics of social importance. This requires not only a fair salary, but also the creation of encouraging working conditions, the availability of modern laboratory equipment, and enabling the mobility of young researchers, i.e. opportunities for training and research abroad, the possibility to participate in international conferences and so forth.

In particular, the lack of mobility of young researchers is one of the major issues that discourages postgraduates from staying in science after graduation with their Masters degrees. It is common for the majority of Russian researchers to remain in one place: the employees of many universities are postgraduates from that same university who have worked at that one place for their whole life. Trips to conferences, internet communication and even joint projects do not solve the basic problems that this situation produces. There is a need for direct contact and cooperation between people with different scholarly backgrounds and different scientific mindsets and therefore different views and ways of solving problems.

The classical system in Russia, where an individual is hired by the department where s/he has been working for a long time, is called a “scientific school”. In reality, this often leads to a serious standstill in research. Young researchers should be offered opportunities to enrol on Masters or postgraduate courses in other institutions after finishing their Bachelor degree courses. Short-term training for postgraduates and full-fledge training for postdoctoral candidates can be effective. This might include training abroad or in other research centres of Russia. These ideas are fostered by the Federal Target Program on “Human Resources for Science, Research, Education and Innovation in Russia” for 2009-2013.

In 2008, the first congress for Russian researchers working abroad took place in Marseille. Among the participants of the forum were representatives from the Russian community expressing their readiness to take an active part in providing the solution to the topical task – training of researchers. Particular hope was placed on the Programme “Research and Educational Potential of Innovative Russia”. Besides direct support of Russian young researchers, this programme ensures the use of Russian research potential abroad.

Today there is partial outflow of young researchers from science into industry. After receiving a candidate degree young researchers start work in the commercial sector, the “brand” of a university degree guaranteeing their high level of qualification and knowledge. Companies, including those in the production sector, consider them as highly reliable and qualified workers. This can be called “intersectoral mobility from science to industry or business”. However the link back to academia is missing.

In developed innovative economies, such as America, Europe, and Japan and the new tiger economies of China, India and Korea, young researchers are employed not only in academic and non-profit sectors, but also in industry. The majority of the developed countries are implementing innovation-investment strategies where great emphasis is placed on the formation of an institutional basis for the knowledge-based economy – national innovative systems based on the use of rapidly growing intellectual resources. A strong increase of the number and an improvement of public significance regarding the so-called creative class can be noticed. However, this process does not only include representatives from creative professions, but also representatives from research, development, industry and the service sector.

An example of an organisational mechanism that encourages the innovation capacity in Russia is the Russian Federation President’s Council on Science, Technology and Innovations, which began its work on August 30, 2004. The innovative structure is growing rapidly. Over 60 technological parks and 60 Innovative Technological Centres (ITC) were established in 24 regions of Russia. They accommodate over 1000 small high-technology companies on their territory of approximately 500 000 square metres. Above all, a system of state scientific and research and technology funds – extra-budgetary funds for scientific and research and development works and a network of regional and venture capital funds (over 40 at the moment) – has been developed, offering good opportunities for young researchers in Russia.

A concrete example from Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU)

Tomsk Polytechnic University serves as a good example of intersectoral mobility implementation. It was among the winners of innovative educational programme of higher educational institutions for 2007-2008 in the framework of the National Project “Education”. It has tackled intersectoral mobility in a number of ways:

1. The principal task of Tomsk Polytechnic University management is to preserve its staff potential. TPU maintains the procedure of “distribution” of its graduates and ensured active support in job placement of its graduates by concluding long-term agreements and contracts for specialist target training. This training is provided by enterprises, organisations, and institutions that specifically acknowledge and take into account the professional development needs of these young people.

2. In 1995 a Postgraduate Association was established at TPU. One of the main objectives of the association is to improve the efficient use of TPU graduates’ intellectual potential. This is done by ensuring TPU provides training and retraining of engineering and research staff in the interests of the country, helping to develop and maintain the industrial and staff potential of Russia.

3. One more positive example of intersectoral mobility is the establishment of joint centres. Since September 2001, the Petroleum Learning Centre, a joint project of Tomsk Polytechnic University of Russia and Heriot-Watt University of Scotland, has formed a strong connection between academia and industry. The mission of the Petroleum Learning Centre is to train qualified personnel capable of working in the modern-day environment of the Russian petroleum industry. The students and postgraduates are promoted for jobs in major Russian and foreign oil companies.

4. Business and technological incubators put into effect mobility schemes from academia to industry and back. The main activities and aims of business and technological incubators can be described as follows:

• A placement service for postgraduates in research and technological enterprises.

• Assisting in the attraction of investments in research and development for students, postgraduates and young scientist projects, and the promotion of programmes ensuring the introduction of innovations.

• Establishment of new small enterprises which produce high-tech products and support the transition of the Tomsk economy to an innovation-led economy.

The Eurodoc annual conference “Innovations in Europe: From Academia to Practice and Back” from 25th to 27th March ’09 in Banská Bystrica/ Slovakia will discuss best practices and try to find answers on how intersectoral mobility can be integrated into programmes for doctoral candidates and young researchers.

By Elena Rybalkina and Karoline Holländer, Eurodoc