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Doctoral School's Newsletter
També en Català 

Publication for UPC doctoral candidates

September 30th, 2026. No. 17

Start of the academic year and support from the Doctoral School

We are starting a new academic year with new challenges, opportunities, and projects to continue advancing your research careers.


The Doctoral School will keep you informed about all activities, resources, and initiatives so that you can make the most of this stage. Welcome to the 2026-2027 academic year!


For new members, as well as for those who began their doctoral studies in previous academic years, we would like to remind you of our communication channels:
  • Mail: escola.doctorat@upc.edu

  • Telephone: 93 4016153

  • Tickets: https://demana.upc.edu/escoladoctorat/

  • Suggestion box: https://doctorat.upc.edu/en/school/suggestion-box

  • And when we are not available, our virtual assistant will be at your disposal to guide you and help you find the information you need.

Grants & fellowships

Grants for contracts for the training of doctoral candidates in companies and other entities (Industrial Doctorates) 2026 from the "Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades"

The application period for grants corresponding to the year 2026 is open from September 30 to October 26, 2026, at 2:00 p.m (Spanish mainland time).

Four-year grants for various types of entities aimed at promoting industrial research or experimental development projects that incorporate a doctoral thesis, with the goal of facilitating the labor market entry of researchers early in their careers, enhancing their employability, and promoting the integration of talent into the productive sector to boost competitiveness.

The industrial research or experimental development project may be carried out entirely by the applicant entity or in collaboration with another entity, whether public or private.

The grants will cover the following items:
  • Grant to fund direct project implementation costs: employment of the doctoral candidate, mobility expenses, and other project implementation expenses.
  • Grant to cover tuition fees for doctoral studies.
This funding is aimed at companies, as well as private non-profit entities and public administrations, that do not include R&D&I among their objectives or planned activities in their statutes, governing regulations, or corporate purpose.

For more information:
Information page "Agencia Estatal de Investigación"
Frequently Asked Questions

Cross-disciplinary training

Upcoming courses

Upcoming scheduled courses from the Doctoral School's transversal training plan. For more information and registration here.

Course title
Start - end dates
Responsible Conduct in Research and Innovation (Research Integrity)
09/10/26 - 06/11/26
(Campus Nord)
Statistics Modul 1: Introduction to Statistical Inference
19/10/26 - 11/11/26
(Campus Nord)
Create – Protect – Innovate: Bringing ideas to market (Entry level)
16/10/26 - 01/01/27
(Campus Nord)
Create – Protect – Innovate: Bringing ideas to market (Advanced level)
16/10/26 - 01/01/27
(Campus Nord)
Publishing and communicating scientific knowledge (Registrations opening soon)
02/11/26 - 16/11/26
(Campus Nord)
 More information 

New Cross-disciplinary Training catalogue and calendar for the 2026-2027 academic year

The calendar and catalogue of cross-disciplinary training courses aimed at UPC doctoral candidates for the 2025–2026 academic year are now available on our website. This training offer includes activities designed to complement research training and to strengthen key skills for the academic and professional development of doctoral candidates.

 Read more 

Open Science, an essential step before thesis deposit 

Starting this academic year, having completed at least one training activity on Open Science will be a mandatory requirement to apply for the deposit of the doctoral thesis.

To facilitate compliance, we offer you two options:

📅  October 13 | 13.00–15.00 h
💻  Online training in Open Science
👉  Registration is now open! https://formacio.ice.upc.edu/ing/estudis/formacio/curs/738070/curs-ciencia-abierta-open-science/

Starting November 1st
You will also have access to asynchronous online training, which you can complete at your own pace.

Don’t leave it until the last minute: complete the Open Science training and have this requirement ready for when the time comes to deposit your thesis!

Professional development for researchers 

Researcher Connect is a free training course aimed at early-career researchers, designed to strengthen their communication skills in international and multicultural academic contexts.

The training is not an English course, but rather a program aimed at improving English communication skills in the field of research.

We are looking for 30 early-career researchers from Spain and Greece who:
  1. Have an English level of B2 or higher.
  2. Are currently engaged in research activity and able to commit to the training schedule.
  3. Obtain authorization from your university or research institution to participate.
  4. Commit to developing one or two concrete outcomes resulting from the training, such as facilitating the publication of research, sharing the knowledge acquired with other researchers, or fostering new connections and collaborations.
Training dates: November 10 to 19, 2026
Schedule: from 14:00 to 17:00 (CET) 
Application deadline: October 10, 2026

More information and registration

For any inquiries: education@britishcouncil.es
 More information 

The Faber Entrepreneurship Program is coming to Spain for the first time, and applications are now open!

The program is aimed at Master's and PhD students, as well as postdoctoral researchers from Spanish universities in STEM fields

FEP gives participants the opportunity to explore new career paths and develop essential entrepreneurial skills through practical examples of how to identify business opportunities, validate markets and address the main challenges of turning scientific research into market-ready solutions. Whether or not you already have a business idea, the program helps you build skills that are increasingly valued across innovation, entrepreneurship and industry ecosystems.

The program will take place from November 26-28th and includes three main components:
  • Learning sessions with entrepreneurs who began their careers in academia and will share their experiences, challenges and practical tools.
  • Optional mentoring sessions focused on developing entrepreneurial skills and supporting career decision-making.
  • The opportunity to apply for an optional internship at a Faber portfolio startup, providing hands-on experience in a business environment.
If you are interested in exploring the impact of your work beyond academia and discovering practical applications of scientific knowledge, apply for your place here before October 30th!
 More information 

5th Edition of the Course on the Research Career

The Young Academy of Spain is organizing the 5th edition of the Course on the Research Career, which will take place on October 22 and 23 in the Great Hall (Aula Magna) of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Santiago de Compostela, with both in-person and online participation.

The course is primarily aimed at early-career researchers (R1 and R2) and will address key aspects of scientific career development, such as the various stages of a research career, funding opportunities, proposal writing, science communication, emotional management, and inclusion.

The activity is open to all fields of knowledge and to researchers from both the public and private sectors.

Date: October 22 and 23, 2026
Venue: University of Santiago de Compostela – Great Hall of the Faculty of Chemistry

In-person and online format
Sign up now!
 More information 

Contests & Awards

Registration is now open for the 2025–2026 Enrique Fuentes Quintana Doctoral Thesis Awards.


The registration period for the 2025–2026 Enrique Fuentes Quintana Doctoral Thesis Awards is now open.
Doctoral theses defended between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, that have obtained the *cum laude* distinction in the following categories are eligible for this award:
  • Economy, finance and business
  • Political science, sociology, and communication
  • Health and life sciences
  • Engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and architecture
  • Humanities
Prize amount for each category: 6.000 €
Deadline for submission of candidacies: Until November 16, 2026
 More information 

Agenda

Unite!Energy 2026: Advancing Sustainable Energy and Inclusive STEM Education

Sustainable energy, research and gender-responsive STEM education take centre stage on 26–27 November 2026: The Unite!Energy 3rd Annual Conference in Darmstadt brings together early-career researchers and experts to exchange knowledge, explore the latest developments and innovations in sustainable energy, and discuss how gender-responsive STEM education can contribute to these developments.


The programme will feature scientific presentations, a poster session and interactive workshops on gender responsive STEM education. A dedicated session on gender in research and education will bring together female professors, researchers and educators to exchange experiences, best practices and perspectives on fostering diversity and inclusion across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).


For students and presenters: Share and explore sustainable energy research
Students and researchers  interested in sustainable energy are invited to take part in the conference and explore current scientific results, developments and innovations in the field. Researchers also have the opportunity to share their latest scientific results with the community.


Participation in the conference is free of charge. Meals during the event will be provided by the organisers. Travel and accommodation expenses are not covered.


Registration is now open and must be completed by 15 October 2026: https://forms.gle/RrPiznB9kUGPE52y6


For professors, researchers and administrative staff: Contribute an activity
Professors, researchers and administrative staff are invited to propose and lead activities as part of the Unite!Energy 3rd Annual Conference.


Proposals can contribute to the conference themes of sustainable energy research and innovation, gender-responsive research and education in STEM, or interdisciplinary approaches connecting sustainability, education and inclusion.


Funding is available to support selected activities, depending on their relevance and feasibility.


For questions, please contact the organising team at unite.energy@upc.edu or unite-energy@tu-darmstadt.de.


Key dates:
15 October 2026: Deadline for registration
26 – 27 November 2026: Unite!Energy 3rd Annual Conference in Darmstadt

Stay tuned at doctorat.upc.edu!

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