The attractiveness of the research career in Romania in the European context

According to literature and, after all, to the economic rationale, the availability and quality of the human resources is a critical factor for vivid, flourishing and pervasive research, development and innovation (RDI) activities. Indeed, probably more than in many other social and economic areas, in the RDI sector, the human capital is hardly a fungible input. As research and innovation stand out as a prerequisite for economic growth, for higher competitiveness, as well as for the society’s general welfare, the human resources in RDI become a very important asset for economic, social and environmental sustainability and resilience. This paper looks into the availability of the human capital for research, from the perspective of the attractiveness of the Romanian RDI system for the potential human resources. Drawing on literature, on qualitative analysis, and applying statistical tools such as autoregressive models built on panel data available for the EU countries, the authors identify and assess the relevance of the main factors considered most important for the capacity of a RDI system to attract and keep the most valuable human resources. They also draw a few strategic action lines that may boost the interest of the qualified individuals, for research and academic careers.