Charm-EU Doctoral researcher summer school 2025

From June 23 to 27, 2025, the alliance of European universities Charm-EU is organizing its first summer school in Montpellier for doctoral researchers. The aim is to enable them to develop a transdisciplinary approach to complex challenges.

Acquiring a transdisciplinary approach is a key skill for tomorrow's young researchers. For its first summer school for doctoral researchers, the Charm-EU alliance has chosen the theme: " Developing Transdisciplinary Practice to tackle complex challenges". Knowing how to contextualize your research project and detail the concrete impact of the expected results is essential when designing a research project. However, many calls for projects encourage a collaborative approach involving several disciplines, as well as the presence of international partners.

This summer school is an opportunity for participants to work on the development of a transdisciplinary research project, under the guidance of experienced researchers. The program includes workshops with doctoral researchers from other disciplines and an international conference entitled "Bridging minds, shaping futures: transdisciplinary in research", featuring nine internationally renowned scientists from European universities belonging to the Charm-EU alliance.

Who can participate?

• Open to all doctoral researchers from member universities of the Charm-EU alliance.
• 25 doctoral researchers selected by dossier (including 3 places for doctoral researchers from the University of Montpellier).
• online sessions accessible to a wider audience.
• No registration fee.

When?

• 2-hour online preparation sessions (20h of preparation in total, dates to be confirmed).
• Intensive face-to-face program from June 23 to 27, 2025.

program

Online activities

Tuesday, June 10
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
First online session: Welcome session, "big ideas" and challenges
Objectives:

• Introduce the summer school program
• Define the notion of "big ideas" and start identifying real-world challenges

Friday, June 13
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Second online session: Workshop - From big ideas to research questions
Objectives:

• Build interdisciplinary teams
• Define nexus over challenges
• Develop transdisciplinary research questions and hypotheses based on a real-life sustainability challenge

Wednesday, June 18
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Third online session: Preparing the transdisciplinary project
Objectives :

• Define onsite week themes topics and teams
• Present the project proposal template
• Start structuring your research project

Onsite activities

Monday, June 23 - Day 1
Location: Richter University Library

• 08:30 Welcome meeting (for supervisors only)
• 10:00 - 10:45 Opening remarks and ice-breaker activity
• 11:00 - 12:30 Workshop on intercultural skills
• 12:30 - 1:30 Lunch break
• 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm World Café on research challenges: collaborative session aimed at refining research issues and related oral presentations
• 16h15 - 17h00 Team meeting with supervisors
• 6pm Evening activity: discover Montpellier via a geolocation application

Tuesday June 24 - Day 2
Location: Amphithéâtre Godechot, École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier (ENSCM)
Conference: Connecting knowledge, shaping futures: transdisciplinarity in research (registration required)

• 09:00 Opening address
• 09:15 - 13:00 Morning session
• 1pm - 2pm Lunch break
• 2pm - 5:10pm Afternoon session

Wednesday, June 25 - Day 3
Location: Richter University Library

• 09h00 - 12h30 Workshop: Examples of successful transdisciplinary proposals
• 12:30 - 1:30 Lunch break
• 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm Team work with supervisors to complete research proposal
• 6:00 pm Evening activity: Culinary workshop

Thursday, June 26 - Day 4
Location: Richter University Library

• 09:00 - 12:30 Workshop: Team work with supervisors on proposals
• 12:30 - 1:30 Lunch break
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm Workshop: How to build an effective oral presentation
• 15:30 - 16:30 Workshop: Rehearsal of presentations with feedback from supervisors
• 17h Deadline for submission of finalized proposals

Friday, June 27 - Day 5
Location: Richter University Library

• 09:00 - 11:50 Project presentation: each team presents an 8-minute pitch to a panel of judges. The winning team will be supported by project editors from three partner universities in their search for funding.
• 11:50 Announcement of results by the jury
• 12:30 pm Official closing of the program

Where?

University of Montpellier, France

How do I register?

Send a CV and covering letter by e-mail before 28/03/2025.