At the International Career Fair organized by Grenoble INP-UGA, aUPaEU had the opportunity to organize an Agora stand, aimed at students looking to expand their academic horizons.

During the virtual round tables, 16 master’s students from Grenoble INP-UGA , including several ERASMUS exchange students , had the chance to explore a variety of opportunities. The discussions centered on internship prospects, research and innovation matchmaking, and doctoral courses, offering valuable guidance for their academic and professional journeys.

All these services are part of the many services offered on the Unite! Agora , a digital platform powered by the aUPaEU project to support the Unite! University Alliance.

In this session, Valentina Biconne, from the aUPaEU project, alongside Meritxell Vinyas, from UPC , walked the students through the platform’s key features, which are designed to help students connect with cutting-edge research infrastructures, find internships, and get involved in academic networks across Europe.

At the center of the discussion were:

●      Research Infrastructure Hub : Contacting research facilities at Unite! universities to find research opportunities.

●      Research & Innovation Matchmaking : Connecting with experts to tackle research challenges.

●      Doctoral Course Catalogue : Accessing a diverse range of doctoral programs from Unite! universities.

●      Internship Opportunities : Exploring potential positions within the Unite! community.

The roundtable discussions served the double purpose of showcasing opportunities and gathering feedback on the first services developed by aUPaEU. Collecting feedback is a critical phase of testing the services Agora offers, as it helps determine whether the platform is effectively addressing the needs previously identified, while also uncovering any emergent or latent needs, and identifying additional features desired by users. This evaluation ensures that the platform remains relevant, user-centered, and adaptable to the evolving expectations of students and researchers.

A strong interest emerged in exploring internship opportunities offered by laboratories across different European countries, as well as in learning about PhD programmes available within the Unite! universities. The students expressed a clear desire to gain international experience in their careers, emphasizing their ambition to travel and expand their horizons . They hope that the Agora platform will become a key tool in supporting them to step beyond their home universities, providing the right information to help them take bold steps, connect with others, and build valuable networks at the early stages of their research journeys.