PM² EU is pleased to support the launch of the SMART Researchers baseline survey for Task 3.1 – Baseline Assessment and Competency Mapping.

The SMART Researchers project aims to build sustainable talent ecosystems for Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) in Widening Countries through structured training, mentorship, institutional support, and ResearchComp-based micro-credentialing and certification pathways. The project also seeks to strengthen research careers and support researcher development across the wider European research landscape.

The newly launched survey marks an important milestone in the implementation of Work Package 3 (WP3). Within SMART Researchers, WP3 focuses on the development of ResearchComp-based learning pathways, learning units, micro-credentials, and certification approaches, which will help recognise and strengthen key researcher competences in a structured and scalable way.

The survey has been developed collaboratively by the consortium and is based on an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) approach aligned with the ResearchComp framework. Its purpose is to generate evidence that will inform the design of future learning units, support materials, and micro-credentials for researchers.

Two survey streams are now open:

• Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs)
• Mentors / Supervisors

The results will contribute to a stronger understanding of current strengths, gaps, and priority areas in research competencies. In turn, this will support the creation of a more coherent, relevant, and evidence-based learning framework for researcher development across Europe.

The collection period will remain open for around one month, and broad participation will be essential to ensure meaningful and representative results. pm2.eu encourages its members, partners, and wider networks to contribute by completing the survey and sharing it across their academic, research, and professional communities.

This survey is not only an important project activity. It is also a strategic opportunity to raise awareness of research competencies, strengthen engagement with the SMART Researchers initiative, and support the development of a practical framework that can benefit researchers, mentors, and institutions alike.

Take part in the survey:

• ESR survey: Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs)
• Mentor/Supervisor survey: Mentors / Supervisors

Find out more:

• Visit the SMART Researchers project website: smartresearchers.eu
• Follow the project on social media for updates and news
• Learn more about pm2.eu and its activities

On 19-20 March 2026, partners of the SMART Researchers project gathered in Split, Croatia, for the 2^nd Project Management Meeting, hosted by the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split. The meeting served as an important coordination point for the consortium, bringing together work on institutional change, career support systems, competence development, monitoring, policy feedback, and communication strategy.

Within this broader agenda, WP3 played a central role on Day 2 of the meeting. The session “Micro-Planning – WP3: ResearchComp-based Micro-Credentialing & Certification Framework” was delivered by UNSFTS, EA, and PM² EU by ECVC, focusing on how the project will translate the European ResearchComp framework into a practical and scalable recognition system for early-stage researchers. The model presented links ResearchComp competences to learning outcomes, learning units, assessment, micro-credentials, and competence-area certification, with the longer-term aim of supporting recognition, mobility, and employability across sectors.

From our perspective, one of the most important aspects of the discussion was the emphasis on certification credibility and quality assurance. The proposed architecture distinguishes between micro-credentials delivered through partner institutions and certification defined, quality-assured, and awarded centrally at project level. This creates a stronger basis for consistency, comparability, and trust across the consortium. The session also highlighted alignment with relevant European quality approaches, including EQAVET and ISO 17024, reinforcing the ambition to develop a framework that is both rigorous and transferable.

The WP3 workshop, Certification Design Canvas, gave partners the opportunity to work through the core design questions together. Rather than discussing detailed course content, the workshop focused on principles: what certification should signal, how credentials should stack, what minimum evidence is needed, how prior competence might be recognised, and what the pilot phase should test first. This was especially valuable because it moved the conversation beyond abstract agreement and into the concrete design choices that will shape the framework.

What emerged clearly from the workshop is that partners want a certification model based on demonstrated competence, not simple participation. The discussion pointed toward a stackable structure in which targeted learning and assessment can lead to micro-credentials, and micro-credentials can build toward broader recognition in ResearchComp competence areas. For PM² EU by ECVC, this is a particularly important direction, as it strengthens the reliability and practical relevance of the future certification model for researchers, institutions, and external stakeholders alike.

The Split meeting also confirmed how strongly WP3 is connected with the rest of the project. The evidence base developed in WP2, the institutional support structures under Career Support Centers, the monitoring logic in WP5, and the visibility and sustainability work in WP6 all contribute to making the certification framework meaningful and usable in practice. This integrated approach is one of the major strengths of SMART Researchers.

We are pleased to have contributed to this important step in the co-design of the SMART Researchers certification pathway and look forward to the next stage of framework development, pilot preparation, and validation with project partners.

Engage with PM² EU by ECVC

• Interested in micro-credential design, exam delivery, or QA for R&I projects? Contact our team info@ecvc.eu.
• Follow SMART Researchers on social media: LinkedIn • Instagram • X

Follow the channels above for updates, opportunities, and pilot results from SMART Researchers.

PM² EU by ECVC—turning capabilities into verified credentials.

Framing certification as a key enabler of high-impact project delivery, PM² EU contributed insights on skills, standards, and sustainability during GR digiGOV-innoHUB’s Weekly Governance Forum on Wednesday, the 26th of November, 2025. The session brought together public sector leaders, EU project professionals, and digital transformation stakeholders from across Europe to explore innovation, standards, and capacity-building in public administration. 

Hosted by the European Digital Innovation Hub for Digital Governance – GR digiGOV-innoHUB, and coordinated by GRNET, the weekly event series focuses on modernising the public sector through open-source solutions, advanced digital technologies, and structured skills development frameworks. 

PM² EU contributed to the session by presenting the PM² Certification Scheme, a multi-level framework that supports the recognition, professionalisation, and continuous development of project managers using the PM² methodology. 

Elevating Project Management Standards: The PM² Certification Scheme 

Developed in collaboration with the European Center for Vocational Certification (ECVC), the PM² Certification Scheme provides a competence-based, internationally aligned framework for individuals and institutions adopting the PM² methodology, the official project management framework of the European Commission. 

The certification scheme is fully supported by a remote, secure digital examination platform, and is aligned with ISO 17024 standards to ensure international recognition. 

PM² EU also highlighted how this certification ecosystem is being implemented through two key EU-funded projects focused on sustainability, talent development, and skills mobility. 

Featured Projects Presented by PM² EU: 

SPM² – Sustainable Project Management through PM² 

The SPM² project adapts the PM² methodology to meet the challenges of the green and digital transitions. By embedding sustainability into every phase of the project lifecycle, it enables professionals and institutions to align project delivery with the European Green Deal, SDGs, and evolving market needs. 

Key components include: 

• The development of the SPM² Guide, outlining best practices for sustainable project design and execution. 

• A digital learning hub with resources, tools, and case-based content. 

• A curriculum for HEIs and VETs to teach sustainability-integrated project management. 

• A micro-credential framework linked to the PM² certification ecosystem, enabling learners to earn recognized digital badges that reflect real-world skills. 

SPM² contributes directly to capacity-building and skills standardisation, while extending the reach of PM² to sustainability-conscious sectors. 

SMART Researchers – Building Career Pathways for Early-Stage Researchers 

A Horizon Europe project, SMART Researchers supports the development of flexible, policy-aligned research career ecosystems. It introduces a strategic micro-credentialing framework for early-stage researchers (ESRs), anchored in the PM² project management lifecycle and the ResearchComp competence model. 

Key objectives include: 

• Establishing Career Support Centres (CSCs) to guide researchers in skill acquisition and mobility. 

• Launching a competency-based certification framework to validate transversal and research-specific skills. 

• Creating a Competence Lab as a scalable platform for training, mentoring, and innovation competitions. 

• Aligning institutional HR practices with European research policy standards. 

Through this project, PM² EU demonstrates how certification and structured competence validation can support researcher mobility, career attractiveness, and the development of a resilient, skilled research workforce across the European Research Area. 

Learn more about the PM² Certification Scheme and certification pathways here. 

Explore our EU-funded projects supporting sustainability and skills development here.