The PEARL and ATTRACT programmes in Luxembourg have helped 43 researchers
Karolina Grabowska, Unsplash
Luxembourg's Minister of Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin, provided data on the implementation of the national research programmes PEARL and ATTRACT. The aim of these initiatives is to attract and support outstanding scientists to strengthen the country's research infrastructure.
According to the report, 18 researchers were selected under the PEARL programme, but one of them never started his project. Of the remaining 17, 11 are still working in Luxembourg. As for the ATTRACT programme, of the 25 selected participants, 24 have started their projects and 21 of them remain active in Luxembourg.
Statistics show that the PEARL and ATTRACT programmes contribute not only to attracting but also to retaining researchers. In particular:
- In the PEARL programme, one of the participants worked for 13 years and several others for 6 to 8 years. However, three researchers left the country during the course of the projects.
- In the ATTRACT programme, none of the participants left Luxembourg during the project period, which shows its success in creating an enabling environment for scientists to work.
The PEARL and ATTRACT programmes reinforce Luxembourg's reputation as a country attractive to researchers. The successful retention of most participants indicates a high level of organisation, which contributes to the sustainable development of science. However, some attrition within PEARL shows that additional measures to improve working conditions may be necessary.
