Researcher mobility is an essential element to the world of research. In addition to the professional and personal experiences that researchers can benefit from, mobility allows them to join the most talented researchers in their field, anywhere in the world.

Mobility gives researchers the opportunity to expand their knowledge and diversify their skills. This enables them to progress with their careers. By sharing knowledge between different research organisations, mobility encourages the setting up of researcher networks and the consolidation of transnational and/or inter-sector collaborations. There are several initiatives that aim to encourage researchers to be mobile.

European initiatives to facilitate researcher mobility

The European Union has launched several initiatives in order to assist in researcher mobility and create a framework to promote the development of a European Research Area.

Marie Curie Actions

The Marie Curie Actions were conceived specifically to promote the mobility of researchers.

The programme is addressed to researchers:

• throughout their whole careers: Initial and life-long training, as well as professional development.
• of all nationalities
• working in all disciplines (with the exception of the nuclear fission and fusion fields which are covered by the Euratom Treaty)
• active in the public or private sector.

The programme consists of a number of grants for specific purposes. Researchers can benefit from several individual mobility grants, awarded for specific projects, which are presented by the researchers themselves.

Research organisations can benefit from various other grants by participating in mobility networks. These grants are allocated within the framework of specific programmes presented by the organisers.

INTER mobility programme

An INTER mobility programme, assigned by the National Research Fund, encourages researchers to conduct research projects within research organisations situated in other countries. It also allows foreign researchers to conduct research projects in Luxembourg.

Settling as a researcher in Luxembourg

The website for Euraxess presents useful information for all researchers wanting to settle in Luxembourg.

Mobility of doctoral students

Under the Erasmus mobility programme, several mobile doctorates allow graduate students to undertake PhD studies worldwide in collaboration with other universities.