50 Participants from 9 Universities participated in the Early-Stage Researchers Workshop in Toulouse
Three days of discussions, innovation and reflection on major societal challenges brought together fifty young European researchers from the ENGAGE.EU alliance at Toulouse Capitole University. A look back at an event rich in ideas and collaboration.
The university had the honour of hosting a new edition of the ESR workshop in its brand-new building. Over the course of three days, fifty early-stage researchers—including PhD candidates and postdoctoral research fellows—from nine ENGAGE.EU partner universities presented their research. Each presentation was followed by personalised feedback from peers and senior researchers.
Discussions cantered on pressing societal challenges, including climate change, workplace transformations linked to artificial intelligence, and growing political divides in Europe. These cross-cutting themes enabled participants to exchange perspectives and develop new lines of inquiry in a multidisciplinary setting.
In addition to the presentations, several practical workshops were offered. Two sessions that were particularly well received focused on research funding opportunities and data management.
These workshops are part of a broader effort to support early-career researchers. Our alliance is actively involved in this mission through many other concrete initiatives, such as the online course catalogue and online workshops.
The event also served as an opportunity to bring together members of the alliance’s research support teams, who travelled to Toulouse to moderate and facilitate several sessions alongside the doctoral and early-career researchers. Their presence not only enriched the discussions but also provided a valuable occasion for in-person exchanges on ongoing collaborative projects and shared strategic priorities within the ENGAGE.EU research community.
This edition followed a previous event held at LUISS in 2024 and will be followed by an event in Mannheim in 2026.