With the end of contract of two Graduate representatives, the Staff Council has decided to hold by-elections in this electoral college to replace them, so that Graduates can have their own representatives and voice their ideas, expectations, and goals. This is a key step in ensuring the Staff Association's (SA) representativity and its ability to promote, serve, and defend the economic, social, professional, and moral interests of its members and of all CERN personnel.

All Graduates members of the Staff Association are eligible to stand and submit their candidacy. Two seats are to be filled, and the call for applications begins on 17 September 2026 and closes on 30 October 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Calendar:

• Thursday 17 September 

Call for applications

• Friday 30 October, at 5.00 p.m.

Closing date for receipt of the application

• Monday 9 November, at noon

Starting date for voting

• Monday 23 November, at noon

Closing date for voting

• Thursday 26 November and Thursday 10 December

Publication of the results in Echo

What is the role of the staff delegate?

Staff delegates play an essential role within the Organization. They are the primary point of contact and link between the colleagues who elected them and the Staff Association: they voice their colleagues' views and aspirations within the Association's bodies; they convey the Association's views to their colleagues; and they provide support to their colleagues when issues related to their presence at CERN arise. They participate in Staff Council meetings, which are primarily responsible for determining the Staff Association's policy.

In addition, staff delegates are required to actively participate in at least one of the Staff Association's internal commissions on specific topics such as pensions, social protection, conditions of employment, health and safety, legal matters, drafting articles, or information and training issues. They must share their ideas and proposals, and the Association mandates them to participate in the work of the Organization's official bodies or various working groups.

Lastly, the staff representative’s most important responsibility is to serve and advocate for the staff and to be an active member of the Organization, for example by contributing to the review and drafting of its “laws” (Operational and Administrative Circulars) and its processes. The staff representative must take this responsibility seriously and ensure that the interests of the staff are well represented at all times.

Program of work of the Staff Association for the mandate 2026 - 2027

The new Staff Council has approved the program of work put forward by the new Executive Committee for its 2026–2027 mandate. As part of this program, a staff survey was carried out, which identified difficulties faced by Graduates and highlighted several areas where targeted improvements could strengthen their experience at CERN and the Organization's attractiveness as an employer, including:

• Contract policy;
• Workload, recognition, and career development;
• Training, support, and equality in the workplace;
• Social protection and concerns at the end of contract.

Becoming a delegate is also a personal and professional development

As well as representing your Graduate Colleagues, becoming a delegate is a rewarding experience with many benefits. 

It allows you to explore different aspects of the Organization that you may never have encountered before, to acquire new skills through new roles and activities that will be useful in all areas of your work at CERN, and to meet new colleagues.