European Talent Academy

The European Talent Academy (ETA) is a joint initiative of TUM and its partners Imperial College London (Imperial) and Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi). It supports young research talents in developing their skills, building a network with the partners' colleagues, as well as educating participants about European research policy and funding opportunities. The Academy program is organized at TUM by the TUM Brussels Office

Graphic depicting the core objectives of the ETA — The three objectives of the European Talent Academy. Image: TUM Brussels

Launched in 2021, the European Talent Academy goes into its third round in 2023. More than 40 young talents have already profited from the program and a new cohort of up to 20 excellent fellows will be selected soon. The program is based on the following three objectives:

Connecting a group of like-minded colleagues – being even stronger together: Meeting peers from different research ecosystems and working on the same topic, who bring different disciplinary approaches to a common research topic, and exchanging on their work can be a breeding ground for future collaborations. Moreover the fellows will be guided by best practice examples that are presented to them.
Upskilling a group of young talents: the programme will offer different modules and sessions in the area of research and personal skills to further train the young researchers. Training includes tools for communicating research with different audiences, including with policy-makers, to maximise the impact of the research.
Raising awareness of research policy and available funding opportunities: researchers are often far away from policies and governmental strategies, but research doesn’t happen independently from the global challenges we are living in, but actually for finding solutions for these challenges. The program will remind the fellows of the underlying political priorities and key strategic orientations of research policy and funding opportunities. Moreover it will provide tips and tricks to successfully apply for research funding.

Program modules and service offerings

The annual program of the European Talent Academy includes the following offerings:

Insights into the EU funding landscape with its various funding opportunities for individuals or collaborations
Meetings with policy makers and others associated with EU research funding - plus insights into how funding decisions are made
Comprehensive information on how to access research funding to support career and research goals
Training for research pitches and to strengthen communication skills
Connecting participants with other early career researchers from Imperial, PoliMi, and TUM who are working in similar research areas through individual short stay reasearch visits
Joint trip of the entire cohort a kick-off at on the the partner universities and for the closing event to Brussels

Cohorts and topics of the European Talent Academy

4th cohort: TUM, Imperial, and PoliMi

This year's call provides early-career researchers at TUM, Imperial and PoliMi working in one or more of the areas climate, energy and mobility for a sustainable society the opportunity to meet each other across disciplines.

Applicants who are within 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD can apply for this TUM fellowship via the online form. Please read the Call for applications carefully. The application deadline is January 28, 2024.

The 2024 Academy program will kick off virtually on February 27 and includes essential visits to London (March 19-20) and Milan (June 26-28). The closing workshop is taking place at TUM (October 22-24).

Between these dates, fellows will be offered various online modules in the areas of research and soft skills, and individual research visits to other fellows are planned. We look forward to receiving your application.

For more details, please read the Call for applications, and, in case of questions, do not hesitate to contact Tiffany Paulisch.

3rd cohort: TUM, Imperial, and PoliMi

There will be another edition of the European Talent Academy in 2023, this time with a more extensive program. Under the scientific topic Striving for life-long health in Europe: Strategies and technologies for a healthier society, five to seven fellowships will be available per partner.

If you want to apply for a TUM fellowship of the 2023 cohort, please read the Call for Applications carefully and apply directly via the online form. The application deadline is January 31, 2023.

The 2023 Academy program will kick off in Milan, March 29-31, and conclude with a closing workshop in Brussels, October 18-20. Between the two dates, fellows will be offered various online modules in the areas of research and soft skills, and individual research visits to other fellows are planned. We look forward to receiving your application.

For more details, please read the Call for Applications or contact Maria-Valerie Schegk.

2nd cohort: TUM, Imperial, and PoliMi

Topic: Artificial Intelligence as a key enabling technology to empower society? A European approach on excellence and trust to boost research

Number of participants: 23

Modules (virtual and physical):

Kick-off
Nurturing Individual Talent: From ERC to MSCA
Collaborative Research: Getting connected to Europe
From successful project management to pitching your research right

1st cohort: TUM and Imperial

Topic: Climate change and energy research post Covid-19 – can the European Commission’s Green Deal deliver the right support to the research community?

Number of participants: 18

Modules (all virtual):