The third episode of the RM Framework Podcast Series has just been released, offering a deep dive into how the research management ecosystem in Europe has taken shape and why it continues to evolve so dynamically. In this episode, Frank Ziegele (CHE – Higher Education Management and Policy) and Henning Rickelt (ZWM – Center for Science & Research Management) join the conversation to reflect on the roles, skills, and system-level forces shaping research management today.
The discussion begins with the basics: what the European research management ecosystem actually is, how it emerged, and why its structure differs so significantly across countries and institutions. The guests unpack the key drivers behind this development, including increasing funding complexity, the growth of cross-border collaboration, new expectations linked to open science and knowledge valorisation, and the expanding set of cross-cutting requirements such as data management, ethics, gender, and research integrity. They also explore the distinction between institutional and societal impact, highlighting how effective research management contributes to higher success rates, faster knowledge translation, and stronger innovation—even if its value is still under-recognised in many settings.
The episode further examines recent EU-level developments, with a particular focus on RMcomp, the research management competence framework endorsed by the European Commission. The conversation outlines how RMcomp’s proficiency levels (RM1–RM4) and learning outcomes connect directly to real job profiles, offering a robust foundation for professional development. Looking ahead, the guests discuss the project’s ambition for an interoperable European training market built on Bologna-inspired modularity and credits. They explain how the upcoming training handbook will serve as a process-oriented guide rather than a prescriptive curriculum, enabling training providers to design programmes suited to specific roles, institutional contexts, and skill levels.
The episode closes with reflections on pilot testing, the challenges smaller institutions face in gaining recognition for research management roles, and the broader goal of making expectations explicit and skills transparent across Europe.
The RM Framework Podcast Series, hosted on The Grant Podcast channel, will ultimately feature 15 episodes showcasing expert perspectives connected to the project’s work.
Follow the series to stay up to date with new monthly releases and gain expert insights into the evolving research management profession.
Click here for the Series: https://www.thegrant.eu/rm-framework
Listen to Episode #3 now: https://www.thegrant.eu/rm3