Winter Training School: Alternative careers and transferable skills for early career researchers
IBG RareBoost and CHIRON projects are organizing an online Winter Training School for early career scientists who wants to learn more about alternative careers and transferable skills, to be held from Monday, February 1st 2027 to Friday, February 5th 2027.
Background
Early-career researchers today may pursue careers in academia, industry, research management, science communication, technology transfer, and many other areas.To succeed in these different career paths, researchers need more than technical and scientific knowledge. While strong scientific and technical expertise remains essential, success in these diverse careers also depends on essential transferable skills. However, these skills are not always included in traditional PhD and postdoctoral training, leaving many researchers less prepared for the challenges and opportunities they may face in their careers. The EC-funded RareBoost project of the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) aims to strengthen research capacity in rare disease research as well as essential transferable skills to help researchers develop important professional skills. Therefore, with Winter School Training we aim to help early-career researchers learn about different career opportunities and develop useful transferable skills.
Participants will have the chance to meet and interact with professionals working in different areas of research. Over the course of the 1-week training, participants will hear directly from professionals who have taken different career routes, while also developing practical skills through interactive sessions.
The goal is to help researchers explore new possibilities, understand what different career transitions involve, and feel better prepared to take their next step. Overall, this will help early-career researchers better understand their career options, build important skills, and feel more confident about their future careers.
What will we talk about?
- Exploring career pathways beyond academia
- Transferable skills for research and professional life
- Communicating science and engaging with different audiences
- Building resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset
- Navigating challenges and setbacks
- Understanding different roles and opportunities across the research ecosystem
Who is it for?
Early career researchers in the life sciences, whether they hold a PhD or are still pursuing one.
When & where?
- Online via Zoom, join from anywhere in the world!
- Monday, 1 February to Friday, 5 February 2027
- Daily Schedule: Two sessions each day 15:00-18:00 TRT (13:00 to 16:00 CET)
Session 1: 15:00–16:30 TRT
Session 2: 16:30–18:00 TRT
The detailed programme and session agenda will be announced soon.
Confirmed Speakers
- Emma Yhnell (Reader & Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences, University of Cardiff)
- Nicola Dengo (Advisory Board Member at European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Assistant Professor at Università degli Studi di Padova)
- Hajrah Khawaja (The FEBS Journal, Cambridge, UK)
- Kaan Mert Güven (M.D., Ph.D. Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Education, Istanbul)
- Jerka Dumic (University of Zagreb, Croatia)
- Gerhard Wingender (Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir Turkiye)
The full list of speakers will be announced soon.
Registration
Participation is free of charge.
Advance registration is required. Registration form: https://forms.gle/BnFxBnHURZ3awSMf7
Application deadline: Wednesday, 20th January 2027, at 17:00 TRT.
Additional notes
- Registrations must be submitted by the application deadline.
- Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.
- The Zoom meeting link will be shared with registered participants following the registration deadline.
- Participants must attend at least 80% of the training sessions to be eligible for a certificate of attendance.