YEAR Autumn Training 2026 - Leadership for Early-Career Researchers | Porto
From Knowledge to Impact: Leadership for Early-Career Researchers
NOTE: this training itself is free, but transport (e.g. flight) + hotel + hours should be covered by your department. Please align with your RM that these costs can be covered before signing up.
YEAR is pleased to invite you to its next training this Autumn in the lovely city of Porto, hosted by Portugese research organization INESC-TEC the 8th and 9th of October 2026. The training provides an experiential and practice-oriented leadership journey tailored to the realities of international early-career researchers.
More information, once available, will be posted to YEAR's website (and linked to in this post). This will also be the place to officially sign up for the event through YEAR's registration process, but we will inform you of this as well.
Training Contents
Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based formats, the experience emphasizes interaction, reflection, collaborative learning and immediate application through facilitated exercises, simulations, group work and structured action planning. Through collaborative exercises, simulations, and group work, participants are encouraged to engage deeply with real-world challenges and translate insights directly into their own professional context.
The learning experience is designed around the realities of working in complex, multidisciplinary, and often uncertain research environments. Participants will explore leadership not just as a managerial skill, but as a combination of self-awareness, decision-making, communication, and collaboration. The training provides a safe and dynamic space to experiment, exchange perspectives across cultures and disciplines, and develop practical tools that can be immediately applied in ongoing research and professional activities.
With a strong focus on real-world applicability, the program supports participants in strengthening both their individual and collective impact. By combining reflection with action-oriented exercises, the training helps researchers build confidence, improve communication, and make more strategic decisions about their work and career development. The result is a meaningful and engaging learning journey that equips participants to navigate the challenges of modern research environments more effectively.
Want to know more, reach out to Hajo den Ouden or Jonah Poort.
