One of the most important objectives undertaken by Transylvania’s universities is to increase the quantity and quality of competitive scientific research. This is part of the mission of Babeș-Bolyai University, whose main goal is to generate knowledge, according to rector Daniel David.
The University of Cluj ranks first in Romania, 15th in Eastern Europe and 260th according to the QS World University Rankings. The university is also among the top 1,000 in the world in the Centre for World University Ranking.
The University of Cluj has obtained European funding through the PNRR, with the help of which it has created the UBB-CORE North-West Career Guidance for Researchers Regional Center. This centre is part of a national network of eight such centres and provides career support and resources to researchers and teachers at universities in Transylvania, especially those in the North-West Region, i.e. in the counties of Cluj, Bistrița-Năsăud, Sălaj, Bihor, Maramureș and Satu Mare. The main partner of Babeș-Bolyai University in this project is the University of Oradea.
In order to establish a coherent plan to support the career development of researchers and academics, the specialists of the UBB-CORE North-West Career Guidance for Researchers Regional Center started with a diagnosis of the current situation and then identified nine measures needed to stimulate research.
The diagnosis, based on a questionnaire survey, involved investigating the mechanisms involved in the motivation and career commitment of researchers and academics, identifying the resources and challenges involved in research career management, and developing motivational profiles relevant to research activity.
The Centre’s team and its experts sent questionnaires to several academics and researchers in the North-West Region. 176 questionnaires were validated and 169 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The Centre team members identified contributions to the innovation ecosystem and the provision of effective and responsive solutions to the increasingly complex needs of society.
The main objective of the investigation was to identify the personal and professional development needs of researchers in universities in the region. Based on these needs, coherent organisational policies are proposed to facilitate clear career paths for researchers.
The study found that about half of the researchers have a high inner motivation for research activity and almost two thirds have a motivation derived from aligning research activity with professional values. However, more than 20% of researchers have a predominantly extrinsic motivation, indicating the need for measures to help increase internal motivation. The study found that respondents who hold the position of university professor have significantly higher motivation than lecturers/professors and university assistants, because the latter perceive less social support than university professors, while the majority of academics and researchers feel that they can rely on individual and organisational resources at a medium level.
University teachers also receive the most consistent feedback on their work and perceive more opportunities than other academics. University teachers have greater clarity of professional goals than other categories of teachers. Level 1 researchers are also more adaptable and proactive in restructuring their work tasks and relationships than Level 2 and 3 researchers.
Another finding of the study is that people in academic lecturer positions experience more burnout than 2nd and 3rd grade research scientists. This is because they feel an additional teaching and administrative burden compared to people who are only involved in scientific research.
The study also showed that increasing the individual and organisational resources available to those involved in scientific research can contribute significantly to increasing intrinsic motivation. There are also nine recommended measures to stimulate qualitative and quantitative increases in research work.
- Implement a professional research leadership programme. This involves identifying, attracting and supporting those who demonstrate potential and intrinsic motivation for research.
- Providing a package of workshops to develop research and cross-cutting skills relevant to research activity. Priority topics that should be addressed are: working in research teams, collaboration, accessing research funding, strategies for increasing research impact, trends in publication.
- Development of mentoring programmes for researchers. These would help activate personal resources, increase efficiency and provide clarity for career goals.
- Provide career counselling and career support services for researchers. These would contribute to greater stability in this work and increase professional commitment.
- Carrying out citizen science activities. This would help to promote research results and increase the visibility of researchers in the community.
- Networking activities and activities to celebrate and reward involvement in research.
- Developing human resources policies that ensure the integration of researchers and academics into the organisational culture of their institutions.
- Promote a fair and inclusive working environment.
- Support research initiatives through an integrated platform containing resources relevant to research careers.
