Research in Europe

“Research in Europe” at Saarland University – Focus on career opportunities for young scientists

On May 15, 2025, Saarland University and the EU Cooperation Office of the Science Organizations (KoWi) hosted an English-language information day entitled “Research in Europe” on the Saarbrücken campus. Throughout the day, interested parties were able to find out about national and European funding programs that support doctoral students and postdocs in their careers.

The all-day event was opened by University President Prof. Dr. Ludger Santen and Dr. Kristina Wien (KoWi). This was followed by four successful project managers – including an ERC Starting Grant recipient and Emmy Noether, MSCA, and Walter Benjamin grant recipients – who provided practical insights into their application strategies. The program offered parallel sessions on MSCA doctoral networks and postdoctoral fellowships, DFG individual funding, DAAD scholarships, Max Planck and Leibniz programs, and other offers from Fraunhofer, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Gerda Henkel Foundation. During the breaks, participants took advantage of the information stands to talk to the funding organizations in person. The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and the Saarland Ministry of Finance and Science also had their own stands. Around 150 interested parties took the opportunity to find out about career and funding options.

With this free, supraregional event, the UdS and KoWi underscored their shared commitment to supporting scientists in the early stages of their careers with strategic career planning. The positive response showed that “Research in Europe” strengthens international networking in Saarbrücken as a center of science and makes the diverse European career paths visible and accessible.

We would like to thank all speakers for their support.

Impressionen der Veranstaltung
(Fotos: © Jörg Pütz)