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.
