NEOLAiA Mentorship Programme – The First Mentee from Tours on Mobility in Jaén!

Since February 2025, NEOLAiA has been offering early-career researchers a new form of support at the European level: an 18-month mentorship programme providing personalised guidance from an academic mentor at a partner university, combined with a short mobility period at the mentor’s institution.

Marie Bultez is a PhD student in History at the University of Tours (CeTHiS). She is currently in the third year of her doctoral research, entitled: “Gender and Physical Disability in the Early Modern Period: The Example of Touraine in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.” She is among the first researchers to benefit from this programme. Her mentor is Yolanda Caballero Aceituno, a lecturer and researcher in English Philology at the University of Jaén, Spain.

In April 2026, Marie Bultez completed a two-week mobility stay with her mentor. We met her upon her return to France to gather her thoughts on the experience. (Interview realized transcribed and translated.)

1 – What motivated you to join the NEOLAiA mentorship programme?

I would say the opportunity to gain international experience and to work in English. After completing my PhD, I see myself continuing in academia, although for the moment I do not intend to take the competitive examinations required for certain academic positions in France. In that context, it is important to have a more substantial, richer, and perhaps more diverse CV. For me, the mentorship programme was therefore a great opportunity.
In addition, I do not rule out the possibility of teaching abroad after my PhD. This programme offered a valuable first international experience, allowing me to see how things work in another country while also improving my English.

2 – In your opinion, what are the main benefits of this programme and mobility experience?

First of all, I would highlight the human aspect. In addition to my mentor, Yolanda Caballero, I was able to reconnect with Ana Valverde, whom I had met during her stay in Tours in 2025 within my research unit and who, like me, is a member of the NEOLAiA PhD Forum.
I also met many people from the English and Literature departments at the University of Jaén, which was extremely positive for me. It provides opportunities to build contacts and develop a professional network. As I mentioned earlier, there is also the opportunity to improve one’s English. Today, being able to work in English is an essential skill.

3 – You are actively involved in the NEOLAiA alliance, notably through the PhD Forum. In your view, how does this European dynamic represent an opportunity for early-career researchers?

This dynamic is very important because it allows us to gain perspective on our own practices. In History, the field I know best, we tend to focus heavily on France. Sometimes, working from a broader European perspective is even viewed somewhat negatively. Having the opportunity to see how research is conducted elsewhere, in another country, is therefore extremely valuable.
Within NEOLAiA, I am also involved in the PhD Forum. Initiatives such as the PhD Café , scheduled for 4 June, provide an excellent opportunity to discover other research topics and different ways of thinking. It is a genuine source of intellectual openness. Moreover, the time commitment is not burdensome. It is something I genuinely enjoy doing.

4 – How do you envision the continuation of your collaboration with Jaén or within NEOLAiA after the mentorship programme ends?

I intend to stay in touch with the colleagues from Jaén whom I met during my stay. For example, a Spanish colleague has already invited me to participate in a BIP in Cyprus in September on the theme “Plurilingual Futures: Voices, Practices, and Reimagining Europe.” Ana and I, whom I had already met before my mobility, have also developed the habit of sharing calls for papers, information about conferences that may interest us, and other academic opportunities.

I have also built strong connections with Wiebke (Bielefeld) and Caroline (Tours) through the PhD Forum and the BIP that took place in Tours about a month ago. Perhaps another mobility experience could be considered in the future, for example in Bielefeld. There is also a large NEOLAiA network, "Narrating (Hi)Stories in Decentring Europe", which is highly relevant to my research interests, so I continue to follow its activities closely.
 

Addtional information

The mentoring programme is developed within Work Package 5, dedicated to research. Its objective is to support the career development of early-career researchers and strengthen their international outlook. Through this initiative, NEOLAiA aligns with key European priorities regarding scientific excellence and support for research careers, particularly within the framework of the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R).

The PhD Forum, meanwhile, is developed within Work Package 2, dedicated to learning and teaching. Composed of volunteer doctoral candidates, its aim is to organise activities for all doctoral researchers across the alliance in order to foster networking, the sharing of best practices, and the exchange of experiences. Two major initiatives are currently being developed: a podcast highlighting mobility opportunities for doctoral candidates and an online event, the PhD Café, which provides a space for discussion and exchange among PhD candidates.