About
IRIS is a European postdoctoral programme, COFUNDed by the Université libre de Bruxelles, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the European Commission within the framework of the MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE actions (Horizon Europe).
36 international postdoctoral researchers
36 international postdoctoral researchers will be recruited, 24 at ULB and 12 at VUB.
The programme period will take place between 2025 and 2030 and will open two calls, each offering 18 positions open to all fields of research, according to a bottom-up approach. During the fellowship, IRIS postdocs will benefit from an environment that fosters academic growth and well-being. Fellows will engage in optional secondments and short visits, take part in the IRIS management committee, and have 30 months to fully carry out their interdisciplinary research projects.
IRIS’s research programme hinges on two themes: interdisciplinarity and the six societal challenges of the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR). IRIS fellows' research projects will exemplify solutions in the applied context of the BCR but are intrinsically linked to ubiquitous European needs, thereby preparing the participating researchers European-wide career options.
Key pillars
The programme’s training framework is built on three key pillars: Foundations (I), Consolidation (II), and Transition (III), each designed to develop fellows’ research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) skills, expand their professional networks and enhance their future employability. The IRIS postdoctoral training programme goes beyond conventional academic training, offering tailored support for the transition from recognised to established researchers, equipping fellows for diverse career paths, and incorporating policy engagement and advocacy skills to enable fellows to create tangible societal impact and prepare for meaningful careers.
Training programme
In addition to the training through research of each individual fellow project, the IRIS COFUND offers network training over 30 months.
An indicative table is provided below. The IRIS training programme is designed to develop the 7 research competences as identified in the European Competence Framework for Researchers
