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The EU-funded RM Framework project starts in February 2025. The abbreviation RM stands for research management. Participating project partners from Germany are the CHE Centre for Higher Education and the ZWM Zentrum für Wissenschaftsmanagement (Centre for Science Management). 

The aim of the project is to develop a European qualification system for research managers to promote and further develop the necessary expertise in supporting cutting-edge research. Research managers play a central role at universities in the planning, implementation and utilisation of research projects, but until now there has been no systematic analysis of the skills they need for this and how they can best achieve them through training and qualification measures.  

‘It is great that the topic of research management for top-level research is in the European spotlight and is thus receiving greater attention,’ says Frank Ziegele, Managing Director of the CHE Centre for Higher Education Development. 

The project consortium consists of partner organisations from ten European countries. They are supported by an extensive network of European and national RM organisations. The European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA) is responsible for overall coordination. 

Key elements such as competence models, job profiles, a framework curriculum, standards and a quality seal for further training programmes are being developed within the project. This will create a basis on which qualification programmes can be designed in a modular and scalable way and at the same time adapted to regional characteristics. 

The CHE and the ZWM play central roles in the project. While the CHE is in charge of compiling a handbook for the development of curricula, the ZWM is focussing on analysing previous preliminary work on the topic and the relevant framework conditions. Train-the-trainer activities are also being organised. 

Henning Rickelt, Managing Director of ZWM, emphasises: ‘RM Framework is an important step towards a professionalisation of research management that is recognised throughout Europe. The results of this project will help to improve the quality of research projects and their management in the long term.’ 

The project, which is funded by the European Union, will run from 2025 to 2027 and is part of the ‘Research Management Initiative’ policy initiative within the ERA Policy Agenda. 

Melanie Rischke

Senior Project Manager

Phone: +49 5241 9761-33
Email: Melanie.Rischke@che.de

Assistance:
Barbara Grüwaz
Phone: +49 5241 9761-57

https://www.che.de/teams/melanie-rischke