The project has been successfully implemented and concluded with a very successful MSCA Presidency Conference held in September 2025 under the auspices of the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU.
Impact has been reached through discussions started at the conference, aided by the pre-conference concept paper, introducing complex themes in a very accessible manner, and the post-conference report, which in just four pages, in an accessible manner summarises discussions, conclusions and recommendations for future actions. And then of course the impact from participants using the conference legacy to start discussions and promote ideas and the MSCA programme at their home universities, agencies, companies etc. Universities are increasingly challenged to redefine excellence: not as being the best in the world, but as being the best for the world. The purpose-driven model shifts focus from rankings and income to lasting contributions to society and long-term well-being. Both keynote and panellists emphasised that embedding
purpose requires governance reforms, engagement of students and early-career researchers, and accountability towards wider society. A purpose-driven university is not just aspirational — it demands re-anchoring identity, structures, and decision-making in sustainability and societal good.
Talent programmes are powerful tools to align individual growth with institutional priorities. Beyond mentoring, mobility, and leadership training, the strongest programmes foster belonging, purpose, and confidence – values as vital as skills. Yet precarity and structural barriers still undermine access, especially at critical career transitions. To be transformative, programmes must be inclusive, co-created with early-career researchers (ECRs), and
balance mobility with long-term stability.
Participants stressed that sustainable careers require more than funding or rankings — they demand trust, fairness, and belonging. Well-being must be treated as a test of system quality, not an optional add-on, with employment security and psychological safety built into structures. Supervision is central, requiring training and institutional backing. DEI is inseparable from excellence: it must be embedded into policies, mobility, and recognition, with leaders accountable for progress.
Narrow metrics like citations and journal impact factors have long dominated; but they capture only part of the story — and risk distorting research priorities and values. The shift toward responsible assessment emphasises collaboration, openness, and societal impact, supported by initiatives such as CoARA, DORA, and narrative CVs. Early-career researchers (ECRs) are caught
in transition: still judged by traditional measures while expected to contribute more broadly. Reform demands cultural change, leadership commitment, and frameworks that balance flexibility with predictability across institutions.
Intersectoral mobility is widely recognised as both an opportunity and a persistent challenge. Early exposure to non-academic careers helps researchers build awareness, networks, and transferable skills.
