ACADEMIC STAFF

Connect. Collaborate. Contribute. Community.

Advance your research ideas through cross-border collaboration.

Home/Academic Staff
Academic Staff

We have a lot to learn from each other. Even small interventions can make a huge impact.

Dr. Ceren Sezer, Chair of Urban Design at RWTH Aachen University, explains how we exchange ideas, provide a platform for informal interaction and stimulate cross-border collaboration.

Academic Staff

The benefits of joining IDEA League

Collaborate and share best practices with your peers at Europe’s leading technical universities by making valuable connections, reducing red tape and lowering barriers. Connect with IDEA League for a fun and rewarding way to contribute with a trusted community of academics, and find solutions to society’s challenges, inspiring the next generation of innovators.

Continue reading for more information about our Expert Working Groups, grants, Summer Schools and Doctoral Schools and get involved.

EXPERT WORKING GROUPS

Do you have a research idea but need support?

Join our Expert Working Groups and begin brainstorming

What we do

Your idea might be related to academic life, research, administrative issues, sharing best practices or a new initiative. IDEA League can link you to the right people at our partner universities to start multidisciplinary, cross-border collaboration.

Our Expert Working Groups deal with various topics, such as how we can more efficiently share our extensive research infrastructures and reduce red tape and how we can lower barriers, enabling students to embark on courses at our member universities with seamless credit mobility.

The groups also explore strategies for sharing knowledge effectively and for engaging with wider European society by providing insights into how technology is driving the future.

To join, you must be affiliated with one of the IDEA League partner universities.

Get in touch

Simply complete the form at the bottom of this page, and we will connect you to experts at our partner universities who will help you jumpstart your project.

Be inspired by our current Expert Working Groups

Healthy Campus Development

A network has been developed to exchange ideas on solving architectural and urban design challenges related to improving the quality of learning and living environments on growing university campuses.

Increasing Student Mobility

A group has been established to set up, further develop and anchor digitally supported curricula for cross-border teaching opportunities. This will reduce bureaucratic hurdles and promote international student mobility.

Sustainability Framework

A framework has been established to promote sustainability at IDEA League universities, and an action plan to clarify the framework was drawn up so that the universities can follow it effectively and help protect the environment.

read more

Partnerships with African Universities and Institutions

This group is exploring the idea of a series of summer schools for interdisciplinary and intercultural teams to address current international challenges and develop solutions based on design thinking concepts.

READ MORE

Sharing Research Infrastructures

A group has been discussing the idea of developing a joint virtual research infrastructure to enable researchers to access all the available expertise and technological possibilities digitally.

Advanced Studies in Applied Technology

This group is exploring the possibilities for continuing education and establishing lifelong learning in applied technology for industry managers with no background in or limited knowledge of technology.

Gendered and Inclusive Research and Innovation

This group is focusing on research and innovation in engineering and the natural sciences to promote diversity among researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and end users.

FRONTRUNNER GRANTS

Do you need funding to pursue a joint research project?

Apply for our Academic Staff Frontrunner Grants

What we do

Are you an academic or research staff member affiliated with one of the IDEA League partner universities who wants to organise a meeting, conference or visit for the purpose of exploring innovative ideas together? IDEA League’s Frontrunner Grants offer funding of up to €5,000 to explore the feasibility of developing common initiatives in research or education.

The budget covers venue rental, catering and additional technical support. Participants are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation costs.

Academic staff at IDEA League universities need to meet the following requirements to apply.

  • At least 4 (out of 5) IDEA League partner universities must be involved.
  • The activity can be a workshop, a conference, a visit, a tour or a competition.
  • It must involve creating or strengthening a network of researchers.
  • The activity must be the start of a future collaboration.
  • The aim should be a follow-up activity or joint output in the form of a proposal or educational programme.

Get in touch

Send a short proposal (max. one side of A4) to the Secretary General (J.L.Zachariah@tudelft.nl) and your local Operations Board member (see contact information here). The Operations Board will decide within six weeks whether your proposal has been approved.

DOCTORAL SCHOOLS

Want to pass on your knowledge to the next generation of researchers?

Organise a Doctoral School

What we do

IDEA League’s Doctoral Schools are unique programmes jointly designed and conducted by our partner universities. Combined inter-university groups of second- and third-year PhD candidates attend each partner university to follow multiple complementary modules over a single academic year.

The Doctoral School programmes combine the search for solutions to global challenges with innovative doctoral training. They offer a unique opportunity for outstanding PhD students to enrich their research and build networks with researchers from the other IDEA League partner universities.

Get in touch

If you are interested in organising a Doctoral School, send a short proposal (no more than one A4) to the Secretary General (J.L.Zachariah@tudelft.nl) and your local Operations Board member (see contact information here). The Operations Board decides within 6 weeks whether the proposal is approved.

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Do you want to inspire students to solve society’s challenges?

Organise a Summer School

What we do

IDEA League’s Summer Schools are a combination of lectures, interactive workshops and group projects. Students develop new insights into current research and get the chance to connect, exchange ideas and benefit from the collective expertise of our partner universities.

To qualify, you must be affiliated with one of the IDEA League partner universities.

“You have the opportunity to deal with and interact with brilliant students and colleagues from other universities. It’s fantastic!”

Serena Graziosi, associate professor at Politecnico di Milano, explains the advantages of organising a Summer School and provides tips on how to do it.

Get in touch

If you are interested in organising a Summer School, send a short proposal (no more than one A4) to the Secretary General (J.L.Zachariah@tudelft.nl) and your local Operations Board member (see contact information here). The Operations Board decides within 6 weeks whether the proposal is approved.

Do you have a good idea and want to connect with your IDEA League peers?

Send us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

    First Name *

    Last Name *

    Email Address*

    Phone Number

    University

    Subject

    How can we help?

    Find out more about the initiatives we offer our students and staff at IDEA League.

    Summer Schools

    Summer Schools

    An amazing opportunity for students to attend enriching lectures, interactive workshops and projects and connect with staff and students from partner universities.

    Read more

    Doctoral Schools

    Talented PhD students attend innovative doctoral training sessions to boost their own research and collaborate with partner universities to find solutions to global challenges.

    Read more

    Support Staff

    By connecting with peers at our partner universities across Europe, support staff can develop professionally by sharing knowledge and best practices.

    Read more