ABG’s international activities

From Franco-German partnership to European scope

Like Europe itself, which was built primarily on Franco-German foundations, ABG is using its experience of Franco-German partnership as a springboard to the rest of Europe.
The agreement signed with the Franco-German University (FGU) in March 2008 paved the way for the first cross-border initiatives:

• Doctoriales,
• CV&Co,
• Cocktails for Doctors,
• Cross-border Postdoctoriales,
• Development Center
• Franco-German conference for early-stage researchers.

The pursuit of these initiatives and the similar issues encountered across the European research area (such as the limited number of permanent contracts in academia, the need for career development support for PhD-holders and the desire to attract international talents) have made it more important than ever for European bodies to work with ABG . Accordingly, we have expanded our scope to include Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Luxembourg.

Services for an international and internationally-mobile population

An English-language service offering is a prerequisite: training programs, website, newsletter, and a social media presence.
However, it is not enough merely to translate information that is relevant only to a French audience. ABG adapts its content taking cultural differences into account and selecting items liable to be of interest to the international research community.
Mobility is a frequent issue among PhD-holders, with questions arising about aspects such as:

• post-doctoral mobility,
• return mobility,
• the case of dual-career couples (including the status of “trailing spouses”),
• mobility funding.

ABG can help PhD-holders analyze their options and define a mobility project that matches their professional and personal aspirations. We have also developed a Country-by-Country Mobility Guide where they can find information on available financing along with testimonials of PhD-holders who recount their mobility experience.
ABG also taps its European and international networks to facilitate and help navigate the administrative formalities involved – for PhD-holders and employers alike – when the mobility destination is outside the Schengen area.

Services with international appeal for organizations (universities, research institutes, mobility organizations, companies)

The ABG recruitment website is the portal for organizations seeking to promote their entity and the international opportunities they offer. Job ads posted to the site can be further promoted via ABG’s various international networks (embassies, associations of researchers, social media, and representatives at universities and international research institutes, etc.). The European events that ABG organizes and/or in which we participate offer further opportunities for specific communication about job openings.
ABG regularly invites representatives of companies, research institutes and mobility organizations to speak at our European events and cross-border training programs, or take part in interviews disseminated to an international audience. By maximizing direct contact with potential candidates and partners in academia, ABG gives these organizations additional communication and networking opportunities.
Finally, organizations that adhere to Europe’s  excellence-oriented “Human Resources Strategy for Researchers” (HRS4R) can take advantage of ABG’s services for some items of the charter: supervision of doctoral candidates, career development, recruitment and career advice.

ABG, a partner for European projects

Whether as a coordinator or a partner, ABG is increasingly taking part in a variety of European projects in the areas of doctoral training, career development and researcher mobility. These include H2020-SWAFS, Erasmus, COFUND, and Interreg. We also serve as an additional channel for recruiting PhD-holders for European programs such as H2020 SME Innovation Associate designed to benefit businesses.
ABG’s involvement in European programs can be an asset for project sponsors : in fact, the European Commission designated ABG as a “Euraxess Career Development Center.” The EC gives priority to synergies with the Euraxess network.