Why attend?

• Explore diverse career opportunities beyond academia, including industry, public administration, international organisations, and NGOs.
• Gain practical insights and advice from mentors who have successfully transitioned into various professional sectors across Europe.
• Participate in interactive small-group discussions and have the chance to schedule one-on-one mentoring sessions (subject to availability).
• Expand your professional network by connecting with mentors and fellow PhD students from the EC2U Alliance.

Discussions will take place in English.

Meet the Mentors

You will have the opportunity to interact with:

• Florian Dorner, PhD in Polymer Chemistry (Head of Quality for Paper and Films, Mondi)
• Ferenc Liedl, PhD in Organic Chemistry (Senior Consultant for Life Science, Adesso SE)
• Vald Leontie, PhD in Economics and International Affairs (Civil Engineer, Max Bögl)
• Simon Desgrez, PhD in Microelectronics (Technology Manager, Thales Alenia Space)
• Johannes Holvitie, PhD in Software Engineering, (Chief Operating Officer, Oiva Health Group)
• Giorga Rimondi, PhD in Russian Philosophy & in Language Education (Marketing and Communication Specialist, Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen)

Apply before March 23! 

Who can apply?

All PhD candidates in the EC2U Alliance, especially those in the advanced stages of their doctorate and considering options beyond academia, are encouraged to apply.

How to apply?

To apply as a mentee, please apply by March 23, 2026, using the online application form. Selected applicants will be notified by April 2, 2026 and will receive the webinar link.

You will be asked to provide the following information:

• Your name, email address, and university
• The discipline of your PhD
• Your research field
• Your date of enrolment and expected submission date
• Whether you would like to apply for optional one-to-one mentoring meetings after the webinar
  (mentees are responsible for organising these meetings with their mentor)
• A short description of the questions or topics you would like to discuss during the webinar and/or mentoring sessions

Questions? Contact: career.mentoring@jku.at