16 September 2025
Are you a researcher or research manager leading a research group and interested in developing your full leadership potential? Are you new to leadership in a research environment and perhaps unsure about your approach? If you are willing to broaden your horizon and exchange practices with colleagues in a similar role across YUFE universities, this is a unique opportunity to make the most of your leadership potential, to reflect on your approach to leading research projects, to learn about different cultural approaches and to expand your skillset.
What is YUFE offering for staff members?
The YUFE Alliance is based on the joint vision of ten young research-intensive universities and two non-academic partners in order to contribute to a more competitive, innovative and united Europe addressing European and global challenges.
The YUFE Alliance strives to support and develop all staff members with regard to their knowledge, skills and talents. Therefore, YUFE develops a variety of programmes aiming at different staff groups. The Research Leadership Programme is one of those.
What is the Research Leadership Programme?
YUFE universities are driven by research, but managing a team of researchers is a challenging job. Good leadership is a key ingredient for the success and wellbeing of the team. At YUFE, we believe that good leadership qualities are founded in self-reflection and agency. We encourage staff members to be curious about learning and to continue to improve their own skills. This Research Leadership Programme brings together researchers and research managers who are in charge of managing a research team and who want to go on a journey of leadership discovery together with YUFE colleagues. We especially encourage those research group leaders to apply who are relatively new in this role.
This programme takes place between December 2025 and February 2026. There will be two online sessions, self-study material, and a two-day on-site training activity in Brussels (travelling required). Participants are strongly recommended to network in between the sessions and after the programme. There are two places per university available.
Intended learning outcomes:
- Develop an awareness of how leadership theory could be applied in practice when leading a research team
- Identify approaches to effectively leading a research team
- Identify approaches in promoting clear team communication and effective performance within a research team
- Evaluate the effectiveness of your approach to leading a research team
- Develop an appropriate support network to be an effective research team leader
- Understand the team leader’s influence in promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within a research team.
The programme content
Virtual introduction to the programme
Date: Friday, 12 December 2025
Time: 13:00 – 14:30 CET (please be aware of time zones)
Format: Online
Trainer: Herwig Deconinck (True Colours)
Content:
- Welcome to the Research Leadership Programme
- Your needs and expectations
- Overview of the self-study period
Self-study period
Date: 15 December until the meeting in Brussels
Duration: Ca. 5 hours
Format: Self-study material will be provided to prepare for the training in Brussels. Participants can learn independently and at their own pace.
Trainer: Herwig Deconinck (True Colours)
Content:
- Values led leadership in research organisations
- Leadership and management styles
- Leadership inspiration
- Reflecting on current experiences and expectations of the management role within a research team
- The YUFE Equity, Diversity & Inclusion online course
Leading others
Dates: Wednesday, 21 January 2026 and Thursday, 22 January 2026
Time: Two full days (ca. 9:00 – 17:00 CET each day)
Format: On-site meeting at the YUFE Central Office in Brussels (Avenue des Arts 47, 1000 Brussels)
Trainer: Herwig Deconinck (True Colours)
Content:
- How to deal with differences
- Respond versus react
- Influencing styles
- Dealing with difficult situations
- People can only motivate themselves – how to facilitate this?
- Building blocks for extraordinary teamwork
- Taking time for leadership
Final reflection session
Date: Monday, 16 February 2026
Time: 10:00 – 12:00 CET
Format: Online
Trainer: Herwig Deconinck (True Colours)
Content:
- Reflection on your leadership development
- Sharing lessons learned
How to apply
There are two places available for each YUFE university. Your own university selects those two participants. Selected participants will be informed about the decision on 17 November 2025. To apply, you have to take two steps:
- Apply for the programme via the YUFE Virtual Campus
- You need to create a user account in the Virtual Campus, if you do not already have one. Once you have created an account, you can apply. If you face technical problems, please contact Charlotte Simmat ([email protected]).
- Submit a short motivation statement to your university’s contact person (see contact list below). The statement should include:
- Your name, department/faculty, and position
- What is your experience with leading a research team?
- In what way do you believe you could benefit from this programme?
Application deadline: 31 October 2025
Local contact persons:
- Maastricht University: Aude Frost ([email protected])
- Nicolaus Copernicus University: Urszula Walenczak ([email protected])
- Universidad Carlos III De Madrid: Amaya García Sierra ([email protected])
- University of Antwerp: Marjolijn De Clercq ([email protected])
- University of Bremen: Charlotte Simmat ([email protected])
- University of Cyprus: Savvas Christodoulou ([email protected])
- Université Sorbonne Nouvelle: Elissa Ammar ([email protected])
- University of Eastern Finland: [email protected]
- University of Essex: [email protected]
- University of Rijeka: [email protected]
Expenses
For travel and accommodation expenses please check with your university’s Erasmus coordinator, if you are eligible for Erasmus Staff Mobility funding.
- Maastricht University: [email protected] (Travel costs need to be covered by your department/ service. Please discuss this with your manager prior to your application.)
- Nicolaus Copernicus University of Toruń: YUFE office ([email protected])
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: [email protected]
- University of Antwerp: [email protected]
- University of Bremen: [email protected]
- University of Cyprus: [email protected]
- Université Sorbonne Nouvelle: [email protected] and [email protected]
- University of Eastern Finland: [email protected] and [email protected]
- University of Essex: [email protected]
- University of Rijeka: [email protected]
Further information
Contact your local YUFE contact person (see list above), if you have any additional questions or need further information.
