Is Europe really a “greener pasture” for academic jobs?

Hi, 

I recently read an article in Times Higher Education titled “Surge in interest in European jobs despite ‘structural barriers’”.

It describes how several European countries are actively trying to attract international researchers, especially from the US.

Given what’s happening in the US, this isn’t surprising:

• Entire subjects are being closed at colleges

• Academic freedom is under increasing pressure

• Even tenured positions no longer offer the security many assumed they would

So the idea of Europe as the “greener pasture” is becoming more appealing, and many US-based researchers are now seriously considering continuing or restarting their careers here.

I saw this very concretely recently when I attended professorial hearings at a German-speaking university. Around half of the candidates were international. One of them was a senior professor from the US, only a few years away from retirement, and still in the running.

As someone working as a career coach in Europe, supporting many early career researchers, I find this development… concerning.

A market already under pressure

The article highlights some of the initiatives:

• Germany will be investing over €600 million into the “1000 Köpfe Plus” programme to attract top international researchers, with applications already up by 33%

• France launched “Choose France for Science”, selecting 46 laureates from 119 applicants, 41 of them from the US

• Similar initiatives exist in the Netherlands, Spain, and at EU level

At the same time, if you look at platforms like jobs.ac.uk or academics.de, especially in the social sciences and humanities, the number of available positions is not exactly growing.

This isn’t about arguing against international mobility or exchange.

It’s about recognising that Europe is already producing far more PhDs than there are stable academic positions. There has been a structural mismatch for years. Bringing in more people into a system that is already under strain risks intensifying that mismatch further.

So yes, I do think this is something we are allowed to be concerned about.

The question, however, is not whether we should attract international talent. The question is how to do that responsibly, without further eroding already fragile career prospects for those who are trained within the European academic landscape.

What this means for you as an applicant

I work with early career researchers who are already inside this system: PhDs, postdocs, and lecturers trying to navigate precarious employment, patchwork contracts, and the uncertainty of “what comes next”.

If we zoom in from the policy level to your reality as an applicant, two things are true at the same time:

1. You can’t control the structure.
   You can’t control how many positions are advertised or how many people apply. For some posts, there are 200 to 300 applications. 

2. You can control how you show up on paper.
   You can look closely at your portfolio and application materials, and make sure they communicate your strengths clearly, coherently, and in ways that actually speak to European hiring practices.

This isn’t about “optimising” your way out of structural problems. It’s about not making things harder for yourself than they already are.

In a competitive, increasingly internationalised market, it becomes even more important to:

• understand the the changed realities of the European academic job market

• position yourself thoughtfully within your real constraints

• avoid the most common mistakes in CVs, cover letters, and supporting documents that cause otherwise strong candidates to land on the reject-pile

Free workshop: Five strategies for stronger job applications (8 April)

If you’re reading this and thinking:

“These developments don't sound good” and "How do I make sure I have a chance at a good job":

I’m running a free live workshop that goes deeper into the practical side of all this.

Five strategies for stronger job applications: navigating the European academic job market

When:
8 April, 11:00 to 12:30 Central European Summer Time

Where:
Live inside the EMERGE Café 

In this workshop, I’ll cover:

• The realities of the European academic job market right now

• How to think about positioning yourself, given increased international competition

• Academic CV and cover letters

  • the biggest mistakes I see early-career researchers make

  • how to avoid them in your own materials

• How to manage the whole application process without burning out

The focus is on practical strategies you can apply to your current or upcoming applications.

How to join

The workshop will take place live in the EMERGE Café, my free community space with over 150 members across all Europe:

If you’re already a member:
Log in and RSVP to the event inside the Café so I know you’re coming.

If you’re not a member and would like to attend:

👉 Register here to join the workshop on 8 April, 11:00 CET

If you have specific questions about your situation, bring them along. There will be time for Q&A.

Best,
Melanie