Charm-EU: a summer school that promotes European research
From June 23 to 27, 2025, the University of Montpellier hosted the first edition of the doctoral researchers Summer School for doctoral researchers . The goal was to help them develop transdisciplinary practices that will enable them to tackle complex challenges in their future research projects. The program included a week of stimulating group workshops for participants from across Europe and an inspiring international conference on transdisciplinarity in research.
On June 23, 26 doctoral researchers from all over Europe to participate in the first Charm-EU Summer University dedicated to them. Coming from the nine prestigious institutions that make up the alliance of European universities, including UM, they brought with them a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Psychology, education, ecology, art, health, sociology, IT... And yet they had chosen to share this week of group workshops with other students from fields of study that were sometimes very different from their own. There was no better way to spark their interest and put their knowledge and projects into practice than through workshops whose educational content had been meticulously prepared by the Charm-EUalliance's KCT(Knowledge Creation Team) , multidisciplinary "knowledge creation" teams made up of teachers,Professors research professors, and educational engineers.
The theme chosen for this unique summer school was "Developing Transdisciplinary Practice to tackle complex challenges." Participants had one week to work together on developing a transdisciplinary research project, supervised by experienced researchers. This is because acquiring a transdisciplinary approach is a key skill for the young researchers of tomorrow. Knowing how to contextualize your research project and detail the concrete impact of the expected results is essential from the outset. However, many calls for projects encourage a collaborative approach integrating several disciplines as well as the presence of international partners.
A groundbreaking international conference
June 24 was a particularly intense day, as it was dedicated to the first major Charm-EU conference organized by the alliance, featuring renowned researchers, nine experts, nine European universities, and nine research topics. This conference , entitled "Connecting knowledge, shaping futures: transdisciplinarity in research," provided a non-exhaustive and inspiring overview of projects within the universities of the European alliance. The international guest speakers were leading researchers who have placed transdisciplinarity at the heart of their work. They share a commitment to excellence in research and a deep dedication to contributing to a more sustainable society. Their areas of expertise are wide-ranging, including philosophy, law, physics, hydrogeology, epidemiology, and medicine.
Lecturer in epidemiology and the evolution of infectious diseases at UM, epidemiologist Mircea Sofonea, who is participating in the Charm-EU international program this year, addressed the issue of "Interdisciplinarity in health crisis management—lessons from research conducted in Montpellier on pandemic surveillance and control" in his presentation. His talk focused on health crisis management, looking at the gaps between disciplines and professional fields in healthcare, which clearly impact decision-making. He also spoke on behalf ofthe ExposUM Institute, where he is head of research in charge of accelerating interdisciplinary projects on environmental health led by the University of Montpellier and its partners. Giving these experts a voice was an opportunity to show that transdisciplinarity can drive research forward. A tremendous source of inspiration to fuel the research of tomorrow.
Make way for the new generation of European research
Following these inspiring discussions, the doctoral researchers hard on research project proposals in small groups. However, they did not forget to take well-deserved breaks to discover the city through a unique digital tour using a geolocation app or to learn about French gastronomy in a fun and collective way.
On the last day, however, the doctoral researchers their work from the week with the utmost seriousness to a jury composed of KCT members. They overcame this final challenge with brilliance, determination, and creativity on topics related to contemporary issues: international collaboration, food, global health, research systems, urbanization processes, AI, and more.
The jury members noted the remarkable quality of the work, a desire to learn and work together regardless of discipline, and a strong willingness to engage in projects that would enable them to have a significant impact on the world we live in. Although the week's challenge was won by a narrow margin by the team that had worked on climate change, everyone came out a winner. This is proof, if any were needed, that the next generation of European researchers is ready to face the challenges ahead with confidence and innovation.
Future joint projects
All of these factors prove that this edition in Montpellier was a success. This unprecedented international event hasthus "laid the foundations for future joint research projects within the alliance," in the words of Gilles Subra, Charm-EU project manager at UM, particularly for new generations of researchers. The next edition is already in preparation for 2026 and will take place in Finland at Åbo Akademi University. Together, let's make way for the new generation of research in Europe!
Watch the conference again:
Charm-EU: an alliance at the crossroads of disciplines
At the opening of the conference, UM President Philippe Augé highlighted the crucial importance of transdisciplinarity in all higher education institutions. But also at the very heart of the international degree "Global Challenges for Sustainable Development," an innovative joint program offered by the nine partner institutions of the Charm-EU alliance of European universities, based on solving real-world challenges in line with societal issues, for which students are recruited without disciplinary criteria. The president also pointed out that, as a university, "we live on our two pillars of education and research." It should be noted that several projects have already taken place within the alliance that seek to combine research and transdisciplinarity, notably at the end of 2024, a shared research-based module involving the University of Montpellier and the University of Utrecht, drawing on the expertise of numerous specialists from the I-site (SIRIC Montpellier Cancer, Montpellier Cancer Institute, Montpellier Cancer Research Institute, Max Mousseron Biomolecules Institute) and in direct contact with patients. More information on this shared module, the second edition of which begins in September 2025, involves a collaboration that extends to the University of Barcelona,IHU Immun4cure, and FHU Evocan-2 to address the challenges of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.