Start the new year with inspiration and connection!

The five Flemish universities invite you to the annual PhD Talent Stakeholder Meeting – A platform to bring PhD talent and organisations together to exchange ideas and spark collaboration.

Join us on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, at USquare Brussels for a New Year’s edition focused on how researchers and industry can better understand each other when it comes to skills. This year’s theme: “Speaking Each Other’s Language: The Competence Conversation.”

What can you expect from this interactive information and networking event?

>> For PhDs and postdocs from a Flemish university:

• Discover how companies and organisations interpret and apply competencies
• Learn to express your own skills in ways that resonate with industry
• Exchange ideas with peers and professionals to bridge the gap between research and business
• Expand your network in an open and informal setting.

! As of 12 January, you will receive confirmation of participation and you will be matched with other researchers to briefly discuss some key competencies via email or MS Teams. This pre-meeting exchange will help you arrive well-prepared and ready to engage in the World Café discussions.

>> For representatives from companies/organisations:

• A deeper understanding of how competencies are developed and expressed in an academic context
• A shared vocabulary to sharpen job profiles and improve mutual understanding.
• Exchange with other employers on PhD talent and much more
• It is not a recruiting event, however, you will meet a pool of PhD talent and get a chance to position your employer brand in an open, informal setting.

Programme: 

14:00 – 17:00

• Opening by the PhD talent coordination team
• Keynote by Mathias Shroijen (ULB): How to translate the EU Research Competences Framework to the non-academic labour market?
• World Café: mixed group discussions on 7 key competences.

17:00 – 18:30

• Networking & closing reception

Date & Location

20 January 2026. Usquare – Generaal Jacqueslaan 210, entrance via Building AC, 1050 Elsene, just a 5-minute walk from the VUB Main Campus. For more information on the location, click here.

Registration

• Participation limited to 40 researchers & 40 representatives from companies/ organisations (max. 3 people per company/ organisation) → Register until January 9, 2026  via:  https://forms.office.com/e/Kc5kW0YnMR
• For the representatives of a company / organisation: We encourage you to bring a friend from another organisation!
• In case of overbooking, a waiting list will apply

If you can no longer attend, please notify us at phdtalent@vlir.be as soon as possible.