Programme for EArly-stage Researchers in Lille

Project Information

PEARL

Grant agreement ID: 847568

DOI

10.3030/847568

Project closed

EC signature date 20 May 2019

Start date 9 September 2019

End date 8 September 2025

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 881 600,00

EU contribution

€ 2 440 800,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITE DE LILLE
France

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PEARL (Programme for EArly-stage Researchers in Lille)

Reporting period: 2021-09-09 to 2025-09-08

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The PEARL doctoral programme (Programme for Early-stage Researchers in Lille), co-funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the French National Research Agency (ANR), addressed a key challenge for the European Research Area: the need to train early-stage researchers capable of combining scientific excellence with interdisciplinary approaches, international openness and inter-sectoral experience, in order to respond effectively to major societal challenges.

In a rapidly evolving scientific and socio-economic context, doctoral training must go beyond disciplinary boundaries and traditional academic pathways. PEARL responded to this need by offering a structured and attractive doctoral programme embedded within the Université Lille Nord-Europe (ULNE) ecosystem, providing PhD fellows with high-quality research environments, strong international exposure and tailored career development support.

The overall objectives of the project were to train a new generation of interdisciplinary researchers, to enhance their employability through international and inter-sectoral mobility and transferable skills training, and to contribute to the strategic ambition of I-SITE ULNE to strengthen its international visibility and academic excellence.

In conclusion, PEARL successfully funded and supported 29 PhD fellows who carried out high-level research projects aligned with major societal challenges. The action demonstrated the relevance and effectiveness of an integrated doctoral training model combining excellence in research, mobility, skills development and institutional structuring. The PEARL approach has been fully integrated into the University of Lille’s doctoral strategy, ensuring the sustainability of its outcomes beyond the end of the European funding.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The first phase of the project (September 2019 – September 2020) focused on communication, dissemination and recruitment activities. Two complementary calls were organised: a first call to pre-select high-quality interdisciplinary PhD projects jointly proposed by supervisors from different fields, followed by an international call to recruit the most promising candidates. Due to the high quality of applications, 17 PhD fellows were recruited in the first intake.

Dissemination activities ensured wide international visibility through the PEARL website, social media, the EURAXESS portal, academic networks, recruitment fairs abroad, and the support of Science Attachés and Institut français representatives worldwide.

During the second phase (September 2020 – September 2021), the same recruitment process was implemented to reach the target of 30 funded PhD fellows. Particular attention was given to welcoming and integrating researchers, with dedicated support for administrative and practical matters. The PEARL project manager acted as a central contact point, while scientific supervision was ensured by thesis directors, laboratories and doctoral schools.

Beyond recruitment, the main results of the action include the successful implementation of an interdisciplinary, international and inter-sectoral doctoral training programme. All fellows carried out research stays or secondments in France or abroad, within academic laboratories and/or private-sector organisations, and several benefited from joint supervision or co-tutelle arrangements. The programme also fostered new collaborations between research laboratories that had not previously worked together, particularly in the context of the restructuring and merger of higher education institutions in Lille.

In addition, PEARL led to the development of new doctoral training courses delivered in English, focusing on both scientific and transferable skills. These courses were subsequently integrated into the training catalogue of the Doctoral College of the University of Lille, ensuring exploitation, dissemination and long-term sustainability of the project’s outcomes.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

PEARL contributed to progress beyond the state of the art in doctoral training by embedding interdisciplinarity, international mobility and inter-sectoral exposure at the core of PhD projects. Each thesis was supervised by at least two supervisors from different disciplines, enabling researchers to address complex scientific and societal challenges through integrated approaches.

The programme strengthened international collaboration through research stays and secondments within a strong European and international academic network, including leading universities such as Ghent University, KU Leuven and the University of Kent. Lille’s strategic geographical position further facilitated integration into European research networks and fostered a culture of cross-border collaboration.

Inter-sectoral secondments in companies and non-academic organisations enhanced the employability of PhD fellows by exposing them to innovation processes, knowledge transfer and diverse career pathways. This was complemented by a structured training portfolio focusing on transferable skills such as communication, digital competencies and entrepreneurship, monitored through individual Career Development Plans.

The impacts of PEARL are multiple. At researcher level, the programme enhanced career prospects and adaptability. At institutional level, it contributed to lasting structural changes by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, international partnerships and innovative doctoral training practices. At societal level, the research conducted within PEARL supports the translation of scientific knowledge into solutions addressing major societal challenges, thereby reinforcing the impact of research within the European Research Area.

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