Rodzaj oferty: For doctoral studies and phd

Unite! Virtual Matchmaking – Horizon Europe Calls: Health, Urban, Materials, Digital

As part of the Unite.WIDENING project, the Unite! alliance is organising a matchmaking with the aim of forging new consortia for highly promising Horizon Europe applications.  The event is addressed to researchers of the Unite! university alliance, as well as the non-academic partners of the project.

4 focus areas will be covered:

  • Health & Biotech
  • Urban & Resources Sustainability
  • Circular Economy & Materials
  • Digital & Autonomous Technologies

The matchmaking will take place in two steps:

1) Virtual pre-matchmaking on 19 March 2026, at 13:00-15:30 CET

The aim of the meeting is to establish a first contact between potential project coordinators and partners.

The scope of the meeting is deliberately broad, allowing for up to 48 Horizon Europe topics to be discussed. It is expected, however, that only a fraction of these topics will proceed to the next round: Only the most promising consortia — including a committed coordinator and several partners — will be invited to the later in-person meeting.

2) In-person matchmaking event in Oropa, Italy, on 12-13 May 2026 (details to be confirmed; please save the date!)

The aim of the meeting is to allow promising consortia to begin in-depth discussions on their joint proposal and to set a clear roadmap for the time until the application deadline.

If you wish to participate in the virtual pre-matchmaking on 19 March, please fill in the form available at the following link.

Registration

This registration does not yet require your commitment to travel to Oropa in May. Nor does it guarantee that you will be invited to the latter event.

The deadline for registrations is 12 March 2026 (end of day, CET).

Virtual Inclusion Office: A connected and inclusive university

The Virtual Inclusion Office (VIO) is now available to the entire academic community. It is a website dedicated to supporting the creation of more accessible, equitable, and inclusive learning environments within the Unite! alliance.

The VIO brings together, in a single repository, a vast array of ready-to-use materials, guides, tools, and best practices that facilitate the development of accessible content and the adoption of inclusive teaching practices. The goal is to make inclusion a natural part of everyday academic life, whether in teaching, learning, or technical support.

Teachers, students, and support professionals will find checklists, templates, and concrete examples on VIO that help incorporate accessibility into different educational contexts. This site also includes a series of podcasts with experts and members of the Unite! community, who share reflections, experiences, and trends on the future of accessibility in higher education.

Access to VIO is open to all Unite! members, including partner communities and universities. In addition to the resources provided, the team offers personalized support to those who need guidance or have specific accessibility needs.

Visit the Virtual Inclusion Office and contribute to an increasingly inclusive university experience. Inclusion is a shared responsibility, and no one walks alone.

Leaders of Change Needed. Unite! launches a new sustainability course

Sustainability today is more than a catchy slogan – it is about concrete decisions, processes and competencies that universities need here and now. In the second half of February, the nine-module online course “Unite! Training Programme on Sustainability for Prospective Leaders” will be launched on the Metacampus platform. The programme shows how to translate climate goals into real action and effective leadership. It was developed through the collaboration of experts from Wrocław Tech, Politecnico di Torino, UPC and TU Graz, and is addressed to students and staff members who want to actively shape the transformation of their institutions.

– Transition towards sustainability at universities is a challenging process. It requires competences to make conscious decisions, the courage to change, and people who can connect strategy with everyday practice. This course was created precisely to support future leaders in implementing real change – explains prof. Magdalena Bamborska-Narożny, leader of Community 8, which developed the programme.

The course takes the form of a coherent, nine-module learning pathway and guides participants through the key areas of sustainability in higher education – from basic concepts and the role of universities in achieving global sustainability goals, through strategy and governance, to very practical issues related to energy, campus infrastructure, environmental data reporting and communicating results to decision-makers.

A strong emphasis is placed on practice. Participants will work with real-life examples from Unite! alliance universities, learning how to use tools for monitoring and analysing environmental data, exploring eco-design solutions, and analysing green business models and ways of engaging the academic community in change processes. The programme also covers topics related to sustainable mobility, the organisation of academic events and reducing the carbon footprint of business travel.

An important element of the course is its forward-looking perspective. A module dedicated to lifelong learning highlights how to develop green skills in the long term and the role micro-credentials can play in this process. In turn, classes on sustainable energy management help participants better understand decision-making processes related to energy projects, even for those without a specialised technical background.

“Unite! Training Programme on Sustainability for Prospective Leaders” is a proposal for those who want to consciously and responsibly co-create the future of higher education. The course will start on 16 February and will be delivered entirely online.

Detailed information about the course and registration is available on the Metacampus platform. The programme is delivered fully online and has a modular structure, allowing participants to flexibly combine learning with their daily professional responsibilities. To complete the “Unite! Training Programme on Sustainability for Prospective Leaders”, participants must complete at least five course modules, covering both strategic issues and practical tools supporting the implementation of sustainability at universities.

Summary:

What: “Unite! Training Programme on Sustainability for Prospective Leaders”

With the following modules:

  • Introduction to Sustainability in Higher Education
  • Institutional Sustainability Strategy & Governance
  • Energy Efficiency and Green Campus Operations
  • Sustainability Monitoring, Reporting & Communication
  • Integration of Sustainability in Product Design
  • Change Management and Community Engagement: Green Business Models
  • Change Management and Community Engagement: Sustainable Mobility and Travel
  • Lifelong Learning on Sustainability
  • Sustainable Energy Management

Dates: 16.02.2026–26.03.2026

Format: online classes plus individual work

Participants: students and staff members

Registration via Metacampus

Completion requirements: completion of a minimum of five modules.

 

 

Unite! Seed Fund 2026: OPEN CALL

The Unite! Seed Fund Call “Spring 2026” is officially open, offering funding across three strategic lines: Student Activities, Teaching and Learning, and Research and PhD.

A new Unite! Seed Fund funding call is now open until 20 March 2026. The call provides financial support for collaborations between Unite! partner universities, helping to initiate projects and place new or emerging collaborations on a strong and sustainable footing.

Student activities

  • Objective: Start long-term collaborations between student associations and other student-centred organisations across the Unite! universities.
  • Available budget: Up to €20,000 per project, involving at least 2 Unite! universities.
  • What is new? Only student associations and other student-centred organisations at the Unite! universities will be eligible to apply. Applications from individual students will not be accepted. That means that your student body’s eligibility must be confirmed by the Student Liaison Officers.
  • Deadline: The deadline for contacting the Unite! Student Liaison Officer at each participating university is 8 March 2026. The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026.
  • Announcement of results: Early June 2026
  • Funding period for this call: October 2026 – December 2027

Student Seed Fund INFO SESSIONS:

27 January from 12-13h CET

18 February from 12-13h CET

2 March from 12-13 CET

Zoom link to the sessions: https://grenoble-inp.zoom.us/j/95113657919
ID meeting: 951 1365 7919 | Passcode: 530105

Teaching & Learning

  • Objective: Support the creation of joint/collaborative educational offers with ECTS, with the potential for being scaled up into Joint Programmes. Applications must involve at least 3 Unite! universities and address at least one of the Unite! focus areas: Sustainable Energy; Artificial Intelligence; Industry 4.0; Entrepreneurship; Engineering Biology (and Biotechnology); Space; Cybersecurity; and Sustainable Cities & Water.
  • Available budget: Between €10,000 and €80,000 per project, depending on the project goals and the number of Unite! partners involved.
  • How to find partners? A virtual matchmaking event will be held on 5 February, aimed at connecting potential collaboration partners from the Unite! universities. Participation is recommended but not mandatory (see the info box below for more details).
  • What is new? Applications aiming at the creation of joint teaching offers must include letters of commitment from all departments/schools involved, confirming that the project outcomes are to be devised as long-term educational offers fully integrated in local curricula.
  • Deadline: The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026.

Teaching & Learning VIRTUAL MATCHMAKING EVENT

5 February from 12:00-14:00 CET

Registration link: https://eveeno.com/uniteseedfundteaching2026

 

Deadline for registration: Monday, 2 February 2026 (end of day)

 

*It is possible to register either as a ‘coordinator’ (with a project idea) or as a ‘partner’ (who is looking for a coordinator). During the virtual meeting, there will be one breakout room per project idea, with the coordinator leading/moderating the discussion. The full list of project ideas will be shared with all registered participants after 2 February 2026.

 

Research & PhD

  • Objective: Start new research collaborations and/or PhD offers between at least 3 Unite! universities and support joint applications for larger third-party funding. Applications must address at least one of the Unite! focus areas: Sustainable Energy; Artificial Intelligence; Industry 4.0; Entrepreneurship; Engineering Biology (and Biotechnology); Space; Cybersecurity; and Sustainable Cities & Water.
  • Available budget: Between €10,000 and €80,000 per project, depending on the project goals and the number of Unite! partners involved.
  • How to find partners? A virtual matchmaking event will be held on 6 February, aimed at connecting potential collaboration partners from the Unite! universities. Participation is recommended but not mandatory (see the info box below for more details).
  • What is new? For the programme option “Exploring” (with a budget of €10,000 per project), applications from Early Career Researchers will be preferred.
  • Deadline: The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026. 

Research & PhD VIRTUAL MATCHMAKING EVENT

 

6 February from 12:00-14:00 CET

Registration link: https://eveeno.com/uniteseedfundresearch2026

Deadline for registration: Monday, 3 February 2026 (end of day)

 

*It is possible to register either as a ‘coordinator’ (with a project idea) or as a ‘partner’ (who is looking for a coordinator). During the virtual meeting, there will be one breakout room per project idea, with the coordinator leading/moderating the discussion. The full list of project ideas will be shared with all registered participants after 3 February 2026.

 

More information

Belonging and Well-being workshop series

Join our interactive Zoom sessions designed to support PhD students’ well-being, build a sense of belonging, and share practical tools to succeed in their academic journey.

Unite! introduces Belonging and Well-being, an interactive workshop series aimed at enhancing the well-being of PhD candidates and underserved students. The programme consists of a set of online Zoom sessions designed to respond to the personal, social, and academic challenges commonly experienced during the doctoral journey.

Through practical tools, guided reflection and open dialogue in a safe and inclusive environment, participants will work on strengthening their sense of belonging, developing effective coping strategies, and fostering personal and academic growth.

Each workshop lasts between 60 and 90 minutes and places strong emphasis on interaction, peer exchange, and active engagement.

Workshop calendar

27 January (11:00 AM CET)

IDGs and Compassionate Systems Leadership: Transform how you lead complex change

By: Lucie Jiraskova (Grenoble INP – UGA)

This workshop creates a space to collectively reflect on the changes we want to see in our lives in order to support our well-being.

We will explore Inner development guide and some tools from Compassionate Systems framework  in order to learn new ways of thinking about well-being and relating to ourselves, others, and the world with greater compassion and clarity.

17 February – 11:00 AM CET

Belonging and Support in Academia: Connect More, Stress Less

By: Wilfried Grassegger (TU Graz)

Academic environments thrive when individuals feel valued, connected, and seen.

Therefore, this session explores how the experience of “not belonging” contributes to stress and offers actionable strategies for fostering belonging and developing supportive relationships.

03 March – 11:00 AM CET

From Self-Doubt to Confidence: Boost your Next Speech

By: Diana Seyfarth (TU Darmstadt)

Many PhD students and early researchers struggle with self-doubt and fear of speaking up.

This interactive session offers practical strategies and simple mindset tools to strengthen your voice, communicate clearly, and build confidence in your next speech.

09 April – 11:00 PM CET

Navigating Academia as You Are: Tools for Inclusion & Resilience

By: Lea Belz (TU Darmstadt)

Discrimination, microaggressions, and structural disadvantages are real – yet rarely addressed.

We’re excited to have you joining us, let’s make these sessions a space to learn, connect, and thrive together!

 

Registration via Metacampus

 

Unite! Seed Fund – from an idea to an international project. Workshops for the Wrocław Tech community

A good idea is only the beginning. How can it be turned into an international project with real funding and partners from leading European universities?

We will look for answers to these questions at the workshop “Unite! Seed Fund – from an Idea to an International Project”, taking place on 23 January at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. The event is open to students, academic teachers, and researchers who plan to apply for a grant in the upcoming call. The application period opens on 20 January and runs until 20 March.

Unite! Seed Fund is one of the most accessible support instruments within the European University Alliance Unite!. Minimal formal requirements, a fast decision-making process, and a strong focus on innovation are its key features. During the meeting at WUST, participants will learn how to use this potential in practice—from the first idea, through team building, to drafting a proposal ready for further consultation.

The event will be opened by Prof. Renata Krzyżyńska, Vice-Rector for External Relations. The first part of the meeting will provide an introduction to the Seed Fund programme—its objectives, scope of support, and examples of projects already implemented within Unite!. This will be followed by a short Q&A session and networking over coffee.

The main part of the event will consist of parallel workshops tailored to three target groups. Students will focus on developing innovative, interdisciplinary initiatives—from technological projects and hackathons to social actions. Researchers will learn how to use the Seed Fund as a rapid proof of concept ahead of applying for a larger grant. Academic teachers will take part in the track “Educational Innovations with Unite! – from Idea to Implementation”, designed for those considering new courses, modules, COIL projects, micro-credentials, or summer schools delivered in international cooperation.

Unite! Seed Fund – from an Idea to an International Project

Workshops for students, researchers, and academic teachers

Date: 23 January 2026
Venue: Building D-20, 10:00–13:00
Registration: via online form

Programme:

10:00–10:30 Opening: What is the Unite! Seed Fund?
Prof. Renata Krzyżyńska, Vice-Rector for External Relations
– current programme objectives
– scope of support and types of funded projects
– examples of completed projects
– Q&A session (brief, general)

10:30–11:00 Networking and coffee break

11:00–13:00 Parallel workshops for students, academic teachers, and researchers

Sustainability in Teaching Pedagogical Course Open for Unite! Faculty

If you are interested in embedding sustainability themes into your teaching, and discussing the topic with like-minded colleagues, this course is designed for you.

Sustainability in Teaching equips you with theoretical knowledge of sustainability education and practical examples to help you discover your unique way of embedding sustainability in your teaching.

In this course, Uniters can discuss sustainability education from multiple perspectives- including the concept of sustainability and the SDGs. You will explore the role of different disciplines in promoting sustainability, key sustainability competencies, and how to design teaching and learning activities. Throughout the sessions, you will also reflect on values and emotions in sustainability education.

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

  • Relate sustainability/sustainable development and sustainable development goals (SDGs) to your own subject field
  • Identify and apply different approaches to integrate sustainability into teaching at a course or programme level
  • Reflect on how sustainability key competencies can be utilised to develop teaching and curriculum in your disciplinary context
  • Design and apply learning objectives, and teaching and learning activities to integrate sustainability in your disciplinary context
  • Consider the role of values and emotions in your sustainability-related teaching.

Sustainability in Teaching includes interactive individual and group assignments during the teaching sessions and individual pre- and post-assignments either side of each teaching session. Teaching and study methods include dialogic teaching, peer discussions, reflection tasks, group exercises and working in a virtual learning environment.

Take advantage of the opportunity to expand your teaching toolkit with practical sustainability integration strategies in an international and multidisciplinary setting. Apply now via the registration form or contact the course teachers for more information!

Who can participate?

You can register for this course if you are employed by Aalto University or by a partner university of Unite! and you teach at the university.

Approximately  30  participants can be accepted to this course, from which max. 10 from Unite! universities. Participants are selected based on their teaching responsibilities described in the application form. In case there are more applicants than can be accepted, the priority is given to people on tenure and lecturer tracks.

The completion of the course requires participation in all of the teaching sessions. Please check before registering that they fit into your schedule. Also, make sure to allocate time for independent work between the teaching sessions.

All applicants will be informed about acceptance via email 3 weeks before the course begins.

Practical information

 

Apply by: 8 February 2026.

Course Dates: 7 March – 23 May, 2025.
Language: English

Times: Participants are required to attend all online teaching sessions. Session dates and times are:

Friday March 6th 2026 at 14:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday March 13th 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday March  27th 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday April 10th 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday April 24th 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday May 8th 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

Friday May 22nd 2026 at 12:15-15:00 UCT+2, online

 

Note that all times are presented in Finnish time which means UCT+2 

 

Estimated Workload: The estimated workload is equivalent to 3 ECTS*, which corresponds to approximately 81 hours of work (contacts sessions, independent reflection tasks, readings, and other assignments between the contact sessions). Upon successful completion of the course, a certificate stating the workload and equivalency can be provided. *Unite! faculty participants outside of Aalto University need to independently check with their home institution about credit transfer. Aalto does not provide direct credit transfers to partner university students.

Grade: Pass/Fail

 

Course Format: Online

 

Course teachers

Maria Svanström, sustainability specialist, A! Co-Educator Team, and Tiina Pylkkönen, pedagogical specialist

E-mail: maria.svanstrom@aalto.fi, tiina.pylkkonen@aalto.fi

 

How to Register: Participants must register through the Aalto University registration form: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/Participation/Public/e8b21ebe-a9b7-410f-a652-3211e04eb0cc?displayId=Fin3515718

Aalto Science Institute International Summer Research Programme

Calling all research-oriented students: Spend Summer 2026 in Finland with a transformative research assistantship at Aalto University. Open to bachelor’s, master’s, and—in exceptional cases—doctoral students worldwide.

The Aalto Science Institute (AScI) International Summer Research Programme seeks 50+ talented research-driven students to join cutting-edge projects, collaborate with top research groups at Aalto University, and connect with an international community. Cultural and social activities enrich this unique summer experience in Finland, making it both professionally and personally rewarding.

Subject area:

  • Engineering
  • Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Informatics
  • Other Areas of Study
Application opening 7.01.2026
Application deadline 31.01.2026
Financial compensation: 2000€ per month
More info: Unite! website

Inovalo360 : Winter School on Innovation and Valorisation

Would you like to know how to promote your research beyond scientific publications?

The Inovalo360: winter school in innovation and valorisation, will provide you with tools and knowledge to discover innovation in all its forms. No matter your scientific discipline, this school will help you understand the innovation and technology transfer ecosystem. You will learn how to disseminate and transfer your research results, including business creation, Open Science and partnerships. Gain a deeper theoretical and practical understanding of how to protect your results using intellectual property tools.

This course entitles participants to 14 hours of recognition by the UGA Doctoral College. Registration is free but compulsory: please fill in the registration form.

   
University Origin(Grenoble INP – UGA) Grenoble Institute of Technology
Tuition FeesFree
Course Start Date 21.01.2026
Link to more Information
End of Application Period14.01.2026
More information: Unite! website

Unite! Seed Fund 2026: Call opens on 20 January 2026

Get an early overview of the Unite! Seed Fund Call “Spring 2026”, which includes three funding lines: Student Activities, Teaching and Learning, and Research and PhD.

A new Unite! Seed Fund funding call will open on 20 January 2026. The call provides financial support for collaborations between Unite! partner universities, helping to initiate projects and place new or emerging collaborations on a strong and sustainable footing, with applications due by 20 March 2026.

Student activities

  • Objective: Start long-term collaborations between student associations and other student-centred organisations across the Unite! universities.
  • Available budget: Up to €20,000 per project, involving at least 2 Unite! universities.
  • How to find partners? Virtual matchmaking in early February 2026 (details will be included in the call document).
  • What is new? Only student associations and other student-centred organisations at the Unite! universities will be eligible to apply. Applications from individual students will not be accepted.
  • Deadline: The deadline for contacting the Unite! Student Liaison Officer at each participating university is 5 March 2026.

The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026.

Teaching & Learning

  • Objective: Support the creation of joint/collaborative educational offers with ECTS, with the potential for being scaled up into Joint Programmes. Applications must involve at least 3 Unite! universities and address at least one of the Unite! focus areas: Sustainable Energy; Artificial Intelligence; Industry 4.0; Entrepreneurship; Engineering Biology (and Biotechnology); Space; Cybersecurity; and Sustainable Cities & Water.
  • Available budget: Between €10,000 and €80,000 per project, depending on the project goals and the number of Unite! partners involved.
  • How to find partners? Virtual matchmaking in early February 2026 (details will be included in the call document).
  • What is new? Applications aiming at the creation of joint teaching offers must include letters of commitment from all departments/schools involved, confirming that the project outcomes are to be devised as long-term educational offers fully integrated in local curricula.
  • Deadline: The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026.

Research & PhD

  • Objective: Start new research collaborations and/or PhD offers between at least 3 Unite! universities and support joint applications for larger third-party funding. Applications must address at least one of the Unite! focus areas: Sustainable Energy; Artificial Intelligence; Industry 4.0; Entrepreneurship; Engineering Biology (and Biotechnology); Space; Cybersecurity; and Sustainable Cities & Water.
  • Available budget: Between €10,000 and €80,000 per project, depending on the project goals and the number of Unite! partners involved.
  • How to find partners? Virtual matchmaking in early February 2026 (details will be included in the call document).
  • What is new? For the programme option “Exploring” (with a budget of €10,000 per project), applications from Early Career Researchers will be preferred.
  • Deadline: The deadline for submitting the full application is 20 March 2026.

More information

  • Previously funded projects may be explored here