Looking back at the "WP5 Seminar of the Expert Support Teams" in Tours

On October 20 and 21, the NEOLAiA team from the University of Tours welcomed research support staff ("Expert Support Teams") to the MSH Val de Loire. These professionals came from diverse backgrounds (HR, communications, doctoral program coordinators, research data managers, etc.) but all represented the 9 universities of the alliance. They gathered around NEOLAiA’s research pillar, "Increasing Regional Research Impact." The goal of these two days was to share best practices, new ideas for actions, initiatives, or approaches, build sustainable networks, and assess future joint collaborations to advance research within each university.

4 thematic working groups and many common challenges

How can open science be presented to PhD students and young researchers ?
How can students be encouraged to take an interest in research ?

These were just a few of the many questions raised by the 46 experts, who were divided into four working groups (PhD Support, HRS4R, Science Communication, and Research Data Management and Documentation). Over two intense days of breakout and plenary sessions, participants shared the practices implemented within their own universities. This quality time allowed them to discuss and identify solutions to shared challenges.
 

A wide range of topics for discussion, including :

• A collaborative workshop aimed at gathering best practices to develop a joint "Guide of Best Practices for Incoming Researchers and Their Families."
• Presentations and discussions with expert-evaluators of the HRS4R ("Human Resources Strategy for Researchers") label—a distinction awarded by the European Commission to recognize universities, organizations, and research institutions committed to improving their human resources practices. The workshop focused on label renewal, on-site audits, implementation methods for the HRS4R strategy, and the Italian HRS4R network.
• A workshop by the PhD Support group entitled "Working and Collaborating Together," dedicated to advancing a "Handbook for Joint PhDs (Cotutelles)," planning the mapping of doctoral programs, and potentially organizing a joint event for European PhD Day in 2027.
• Visits to two libraries for the Research Data Management and Documentation group : the IEHCA (European Institute for the History and Cultures of Food) library at the Villa Rabelais, and the Les Tanneurs university library (BU).
• Numerous workshops to share tools and best practices for the Science Communication group, including one on communication and science outreach culture for PhD students, featuring a presentation of the SAPS ("Science with and for Society") and its initiatives.

From reflection... to action !

Beyond presentations and sharing best practices, several future areas of work were identified :

• A joint proposal for the next European Union call for projects, "European Researchers’ Night" / "MSCA and Citizens 2027", proposed by the University of Tours.
• The co-writing of a joint PhD (cotutelle) guide aimed at collecting structural information from each doctoral student hosted by one of the alliance's universities.
• A potential joint event for "European PhD Day" in 2027.

At the end of the event, each group was invited to share the topics they wished to include in the agenda for the next Work Package meeting in 2027. Finally, participants had the chance to discover the cultural heritage of Tours and its region, wrapping up their visit with a tour of the Château de Chenonceau!