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.

Download the Brussels Innovation plan

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 

Main Training Events & Conferences Programme pillar Month of Fellowship
Fellowship kick off and training
  • Societal challenges in the BCR
  • Research ethics and integrity
  • Project management basics
  • Self-assessment and career planning workshop
 I 1st
Training and networking
  • Open science and research transparency
  • Interdisciplinary research workshop
 I 3rd
Training and networking
  • Adaptive leadership workshop
  • Inter-cohort exchange
 II 6th
Training and networking
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation workshop
  • Inter-cohort exchange
 II 10th
Training and networking
  • Artificial intelligence for the common good training
    (responsible use of AI in research)
  • Inter-cohort exchange
 II 13th
Training and networking
  • Advanced communication skills for interdisciplinary research
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion in collaborations
  • IRIS days: outreach and public engagement event
 II 16th
Training and networking
  • Sustainability and responsible research workshop +networking
  • Inter-cohort exchange
 II 19th
Training and networking
  • Policy Engagement and Advocacy training (JRC)
  • Inter-cohort exchange
 II 22nd
Career transition training and networking
  • Speed-dating with representatives of the non-academic sector through IRIS consortium networks
  • Managing your own research group
 III 25th
Intersectoral and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer workshop III 26th