Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s flagship funding programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training of researchers. MSCA support research excellence, mobility, and collaboration across borders, sectors, and disciplines. They offer funding for doctoral training, postdoctoral fellowships, staff exchanges, and co-funded programs, fostering career development at all stages. MSCA strengthens the European Research Area by promoting knowledge transfer and building global networks between academia, industry, and society, making it a cornerstone of EU research and innovation policy.

We are excited to present part 2 of this two-part series on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

In this episode we are honored to host Dr. Stefano Moncada and Dr. Pedro Manuel Sobral Pombo, Director and Marie Curie Research Officer, respectively, of the Islands and Small States Institute.
Part of the University of Malta, the Institute promotes research and training on economic, social, cultural, ecological and geographical aspects of islands and small states.

Drs. Moncada and Pombo share how their journey with MSCA began and how they successfully navigated the application process. They discuss what it takes to develop a strong proposal, the realities of balancing research with administrative and mentoring responsibilities, and how their projects have evolved over time. They also reflect on lessons learned, offer advice for young researchers considering MSCA, and provide guidance for organizations working within the program. It is a thoughtful exploration of MSCA from application to impact.

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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s flagship funding programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training of researchers. MSCA support research excellence, mobility, and collaboration across borders, sectors, and disciplines. They offer funding for doctoral training, postdoctoral fellowships, staff exchanges, and co-funded programs, fostering career development at all stages. MSCA strengthens the European Research Area by promoting knowledge transfer and building global networks between academia, industry, and society, making it a cornerstone of EU research and innovation policy.

In part 1 of this two-part series on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, we have the pleasure of interviewing Veronique Sordet- former MSCA National Contact Point in Switzerland and member of the MSCA-NET coordination team. We will dive into what makes MSCA so impactful for researchers and hear practical advice for those looking to apply for MSCA funding opportunities.

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In Part 2 of this two-part series “What Italian Industry Offers for Researchers”, we continue our exploration of how PhD holders can successfully transition from academia to corporate roles.

We’ll hear from experts on what to expect when entering the private sector with a PhD, as well as dive into practical advice for the hiring process.

Our guests this episode are Stefania Bertone and Roberta Constantini. Stefania is a former HR Business Partner and current Site Head at Merck Group, a leading global science and technology company. Roberta is RPO Team Manager at Randstad HR Solutions, a multinational human resource consulting firm. Both come with a wealth of experience in the field of HR, especially in fields that are eager to hire PhDs.

Tune in to this episode to learn how to bridge the gap between academia and industry, and set yourself up for a successful career!

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In Part 1 of this 2-part series “Moving from academia to corporate roles - What Italian Industry Offers for Researchers”, we explore how PhD holders can successfully transition from academia to corporate roles. We delve into the recruitment process, uncover what makes PhDs stand out, and offer practical advice for career paths beyond research.

Our first guest in this episode is Lucia Salto, Career Development Facilitator for PhDs at the University of Torino. Lucia brings a wealth of experience in guiding doctoral candidates post-academia.

Our second guest is Filippo Armellino, HR Business Manager at Ferrero Group. Having worked in HR for nearly 2 decades and across numerous projects, Filippo gives us an inside look into the recruitment, training, and career evolution of PhD holders in the corporate world.

Tune in to this episode to learn how to bridge the gap between academia and industry, and set yourself up for a successful career!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the series “Moving from academia to corporate roles - What Italian Industry Offers for Researchers”

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The focus of this episode is on EURAXESS China. We are happy to welcome our experts, that are Halldor Berg representative of EURAXESS China, Lena Kaufmann researcher on China EU relationship, and Slaven Misljencevic Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.

Let’s explore not only China EU relationships but also people that make things happen.

We are happy to welcome Halldor Berg who is international relations professional with focus on Science Diplomacy and EU-China relations. With Masters in International Relations from Bejing University and B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Bifrost University. Speaks English, Icelandic, Chinese, French and Danish.

As our next guest Let’s meet Lena Kaufmann a social anthropologist at the University of Zurich and China scholar specialized on trans local and global China, migration, rural-urban relations, agriculture, food, technology, knowledge and digitalization.

Our third guest in this episode is Slaven Misljencevic who works as Policy Officer in the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, more specifically in the unit R&I Actors and Research Careers. He is responsible for several initiatives that contribute to the realisation of a European labour market for researchers, notably the development of RESAVER pan-European occupational pension fund, ERA Hubs, European Year of Youth and EURAXESS. Moreover, he is responsible for the ongoing work on tackling R&I Foreign Interference.

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EURAXESS Smart Talks invites you to explore the support measures and researchers’ path not only towards excellent research and scientific results but also while dealing with stress, anxiety and all the unpleasant feelings. Experts from the University of Luxembourg shared their vision and approach in guiding, coaching and mediating researchers in their daily work to gain sustainable results and know how to fight when working in a highly diverse team makes you overwhelmed.

Our first guest is Inma Peral Alonso, Research Facilitator at University of Luxembourg, Certified life coach / Career coaching expert. She coaches researchers, helps them be less alone, guiding to psychologists or resources.

Second guest of the episode is Esther Zana-Nau, HR Programme Manager Doctoral Training, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research, Certified mediator. Since 2015, Esther is in charge of the coordination of the LISER Doctoral Training Programme. Responsible for developing the National Quality Framework for Doctoral Training at LISER, she liaises with the University and other Research Institutes to expand the training offer and harmonize regulations and procedures. As trained mediator since 2019, she has intervened in various conflicts between members of teams from different research centers and universities.

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EURAXESS Smart Talks introduces a very diverse and very supportive ecosystem - University of Luxembourg. Let us take you to all the opportunities that are available for the incoming researchers. We will explore how EURAXESS could support you with the help of a very experienced and knowing professional Dr. Alienor Didier with an overview of Luxembourg research ecosystem and different mentoring schemes that are of great help for researchers, to show them the opportunities and guide them through their challenges.

Our second guest - Frédérique Deblock Learning and Development Team Leader University of Luxembourg. Frédérique’s team recently set up the training “Building Resilience for Researchers – Learn how to incorporate resilience into your life as a researcher” besides the training for supervisors to help researchers improve the quality of their supervision.These workshop formats complement the mental health and well-being offer from the service of student life department to ensure researchers receive tailor-made support adapted to their respective role within the research ecosystem.

During the episode we will cover other topics on how to overcome other challenges related to a researcher’s career which could be:to transition successfully outside academia ( 2getthereand REBECA by EURAXESS) or to progress within academia as a female researcher (ADVANCE mentoring programme of the University of Luxembourg).

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The European Research Council (ERC) is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. It gives creative researchers across Europe the support to run cutting-edge projects. The overall ERC budget is more than €16 billion (2021-2027).
ERC Grants can change the trajectory of a researcher’s career– which explains why over 100,000 research proposals have been made to the organisation. This also means that competition is fierce. The multi-stage application process is daunting for any researcher at any stage.
EURAXESS Smart Talks are excited to present “Decoding ERC Grants: Strategies for Success,” a two-part mini-series on the ERC Grant proposal process. We will tackle difficult questions that researchers face when applying for an ERC grant, and provide clear advice on how to take your research proposal to the next level.
On this episode, we sit down with Prof. Dr. Maximilian Schich, Professor for Cultural Data Analytics and the ERA Chair holder at Tallinn University. Prof. Schich is a multidisciplinary scientist and art historian with post-doc experience in network science and computational social science, as well as an ERC grant proposal panellist.
Armed with his experience as a panellist, Prof. Schich has very practical and relevant advice for researchers looking to fund their projects. We’ll walk through the panel process and shed light on what makes a good presentation– and what makes a bad one. You’ll walk away with a clearer image of what to expect when you walk into the panel room.
All that and more– on the EURAXESS Smart Talks Podcast!
To learn more about Prof. Schich and the groundbreaking work he does:
https://www.schich.info
https://cudan.tlu.ee
For more information on ERC grants, visit the ERC website:
https://erc.europa.eu/homepage
To find out more about EURAXESS and the services we provide, head to:
https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/

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