Swedish companies are facing an unprecedented skills shortage, which is expected to worsen in the coming years. Many companies now realise that international recruitment is needed to fill the skills gap. However, there is no need to necessarily look abroad, as the most low-hanging fruits to pick are international academic talents already in the country – meaning primarily students and researchers currently at Swedish universities. While the work of retaining international students has begun, the effort to include international researchers, especially junior ones, as a possible and valuable infusion into the Swedish industry has not yet been emphasised.
With the above in mind, the Swedish Innovation Agency (Vinnova) appointed representatives from the EURAXESS Sweden network to investigate possible actions to be done at Swedish universities, as well as the role of industry and other organisations, to support international junior researchers to find a possible career also outside academia in Sweden.
The report is set up from four different perspectives:
• The researcher´s view on a career outside academia
• The role of Swedish universities
• The role of industry
• External actors/organisations – hindrance or enablers