SCIFAM · Scientific Mobility and Family Life in Europe

The number of researchers working within the European Research Area (ERA) is increasing and there is a strong demand for increased scientific mobility. Scientific mobility is integral to the new strategic vision for the ERA and is central to its global competitiveness. However, increased scientific mobility has the potential significantly to undermine the European Commission's recent calls for the development of family-friendly research environments and equality of opportunity for all scientists across the ERA. This is because barriers to mobility exist for specific groups of scientists, particularly women and those with children. The central aim of the SCIFAM Project is to present a new analysis of scientific mobility to, from and within the ERA by utilising a multiple methods approach and incorporating both children’s and parents’ perspectives. The very term ‘mobility’ will be deconstructed because there are different types (e.g. short-term, circular, long distance commuting) and some may offer ways of overcoming the barriers to mobility experienced by scientists with children. The project will: present a new theoretical framework for understanding the mobility decisions of scientists with children; provide the first assessment of the impacts of scientific mobility on the children of scientists; and identify the barriers to, and facilitators of mobility, for scientists with children. The project findings will be transformed into policy recommendations that will be disseminated widely and will help to deliver equality of opportunity for all scientists across the ERA.