HÉTFA Research Institute is proud to announce its partnership in the SECURE 2 Horizon Europe project. Since June 2025, our institute has been actively contributing to this Europe-wide initiative aimed at addressing one of the most critical challenges in the academic world: creating sustainable, transparent, and attractive career paths for researchers.
About the SECURE 2 Project
SECURE 2 aims to pilot and implement recommendations for the European Framework for Research Careers (ERCF) to improve research career progression and mobility within research-performing organizations (RPOs) and research-funding organizations (RFOs). In short, this project will:
- Build upon the legacy of the recently completed Horizon Europe project SECURE, which gave the initial practical toolkit of over 80 actions for RPOs and RFOs to implement reforms in recruitment, training, progression, and mobility, helping to reduce career precarity.
- Conduct trials in at least 8 European institutions for a period of over 2 years, in order to trigger interventions for tangible institutional changes. These long-term trials offer enough time to analyze the possibilities and effects of implementation in specific institutions.
- Carry out these pilots via custom-tailored action plans (АPs). Institutions have an active co-creative role in designing and implementing the actions. The SECURE RCF Actions Selection Tool will serve as the basis of guiding the pilots to select their own specific interventions.
- Foster the development of ecosystems for research positions by promoting collaboration between researchers, research managers, and administrators, facilitating active participation. The project will ensure that the co-design, implementation, and evaluation of the RCF are rooted in the practical needs of both academic and non-academic sectors.
A Successful Kick-off in Sarajevo
The project’s activities officially commenced with a kick-off meeting held in Sarajevo on September 15–16, 2025. The event gathered representatives from 18 partner institutions across 13 European countries, providing a platform to exchange experiences and lay the groundwork for the next four years. During the two-day session, participants discussed the roadmap for translating the Research Career Framework (RCF) into practice. The meeting featured contributions from key stakeholders, including Dr. Dario Capezzuto from the European Commission (DG RTD), who highlighted how SECURE 2 aligns with the broader European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda and the Choose Europe for Science initiative.
From Recommendations to Implementation
Research careers in Europe are often characterized by job insecurity, short-term contracts, and a lack of clear progression. While the previous phase of the project laid the foundation, SECURE 2 focuses on action. According to the project’s latest bulletin, the consortium is currently conducting an “Initial Maturity Mapping” to assess current institutional policies.
The initiative is designed to:
- Combat Precarity: Reduce the reliance on short-term contracts and improve job security for early-career researchers.
- Implement the RCF: Test and refine the Research Career Framework recommendations through specifically designed interventions in eight pilot organizations.
- Support Policy: Provide evidence-based feedback to the European Commission to support the modernization of research careers.
HÉTFA’s Role
As a partner in the consortium, HÉTFA is contributing to the effort to improve the working conditions and career prospects of researchers and research managers. We have a key role in planning the long-term usage of project results and channeling them to policymaking.
For more information about the project’s progress and resources, please visit the official SECURE2 website. Further updates are provided through the SECURE2 Bulletin, published biannually (June and December), which presents news, opportunities, and key developments related to research career development, job security, and skills enhancement across Europe.