The Granada PhD Week gives doctoral candidates and early-stage researchers a boost to take off in the non-academic professional field

The third edition of the Arqus PhD Week for Careers Outside Academia comes to an end today in Granada with the ceremony of the awarding of diplomas from 11:30 CEST. The event, organised by the University of Granada under the title “Granada Arqus PhD Week: PhD, and now? Explore new professional opportunities beyond the world of academia”, has been a complete success, helping the participants to recognise the value of their doctorate and skills, and positioning them better in the private employment sectors.

A total of 28 PhD candidates and postdoctoral students from the University of Granada, University of Graz, Leipzig University, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, University of Padua, Vilnius University, University of Wroclaw, and the Arqus associate partner, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy of Ukraine, have participated in this major event and shared their experiences and concerns about their professional future.

The students have received an intensive training programme from 10 international career development’s experts addressing relevant topics such as the skills and competencies for private sector employment, the impact on organisations of the incorporation of doctoral profiles, the open innovation, and the career development in knowledge transfer, among others.

Antonio Javier Sútil

University of Granada

The most interesting thing about the event, for me, has been meeting people from other places, different ways of working, getting to know people from disciplines other than your own. It has helped me to reflect on my own current and post-doctoral career, and all the possibilities that exist outside the world of academia, and that what we are working on can be transferred outside academia.

Irene Ferrarese

University of Padua

The most interesting day was Wednesday, with all the sessions in the Breaker as we were able to break into groups and share ideas about getting our profiles into the job market and talk to people who have launched start-ups. Also the round table on Tuesday, with companies of different sizes from the city of Granada and the opportunities they have.

Francesco Angioi

University of Granada

The experience at the Arqus Career Week has been great to meet other students from different universities and discuss what motivates and worries us about the PhD. The most interesting thing has been to have the perspective and point of view of people with experience in the labour market, and how PhD profiles can fit in.

The sessions have been very dynamic and applied, including methodologies of team working and problem-solving. The students have had the opportunity to exchange their experiences with former PhD students and receive specific train-the-trainer sessions, with companies and organizations testimonies, experiences of start-ups and spin-offs based on knowledge, and practical workshops on “Lean start-ups and Business Model Canvas” and “Interviews and Validation of Clients”. Yesterday, they enjoyed a beautiful walking tour in The Albaicin, one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Granada.

The Alliance has supported the participation of up to 4 advanced PhD candidates and early-stage post-docs from each Arqus university. The PhD Week has been developed in the framework of the Arqus PhD Pursuit, the Alliance’s initiative that stands for bridging research and education to prepare early-stage researchers for existing and emerging grand societal challenges by enhancing their international competitiveness inside and outside academia and contributing to regional and European innovation strategies.