We present a new webinar series “EDEN PhD Spotlight” for PhD community of researchers
Date: April 8th, 2026
Time: 1:30–2:30 PM (CET)
Format: online
Session Overview
This panel session will focus on the activities of the EDEN DLE Doctoral and Postdoctoral Community, with particular emphasis on understanding and addressing the educational needs of PhD candidates and early-career researchers.
The discussion will explore opportunities for professional development, including career pathways within and beyond academia, as well as possibilities for international collaboration and research funding. Special attention will be given to how the EDEN network – and the broader European research landscape – can support emerging researchers in building sustainable and impactful careers in the field of digital and open education.
Key themes will include:
- Identification of educational and training needs of PhD candidates and early-career researchers
- Professional development strategies and career pathways
- Opportunities for collaboration within international research networks
- Access to funding schemes and research support mechanisms at European and international level
Interactive Component
The session will actively involve PhD participants through live polls aimed at exploring their educational needs and professional development expectations. These insights will contribute to shaping future initiatives of the EDEN DLE Doctoral and Postdoctoral Community.
Moderator
Antonella Poce – EDEN Chair of PhD Community, currently holds the role of full professor in Experimental Pedagogy at the Department of Education and Humanities of the University Roma Tor Vergata, where she is the head of the INTELLECT Research Center (Center for Museum Heritage Education, Well-being and Technology in Education). She is the Head of the joint degree one-year post graduate courses “Museum Education. General Aspects”, “Heritage Education and Digital Technologies”, and of the joint degree two-years post graduate course “Advanced Studies in Museum Education”. She is author of different publications of national and international relevance on the topics of innovation, assessment and use of technology in teaching and learning, in the context of heritage experience. She took part in different national and European research projects on digital learning, soft skills development, critical thinking promotion and evaluation, use of heritage for fostering social inclusion. She has been a member of EDEN since 2009. In 2016 she was awarded the title of EDEN Fellow and in 2020 the title of EDEN Senior Fellow. From 2017 to 2020 she has been President of EDEN – NAP Network of Academics and Professionals.
Speakers
Mika Levonen is Head of Sector at the European Research Executive Agency (REA) of the European Commission, where he works within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, focusing on the management of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. In his role, he contributes to the implementation of European research funding programmes that support researcher mobility,career development, and international collaboration. He has extensive experience in research programme management within the European Commission, including roles as call coordinator and project ofWicer. With a background combining academic research and science policy, his work supports the development of research careers and the strengthening of the European research and innovation ecosystem.
Silvi Serreqi is a Project Advisor at the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) of the European Commission. In this role, she contributes to the management and implementation of EU-funded programmes supporting innovation ecosystems, interregional collaboration, and capacity building across Europe. She has been involved in initiatives such as the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument, supporting projects that foster cooperation between regions and strengthen innovation capacities. Her work focuses on facilitating collaboration among stakeholders, promoting innovation-driven growth, and supporting the development of European research and innovation networks.
Dr Isabelle Brianso (PhD) is Vice Rector and associate professor at Avignon University (France) / Centre Norbert Elias (UMR 8562), where she teaches museology and communication – oriented to cultural heritage. Her research focuses mainly on discourse and the analysis of heritage processes in an international context (UNESCO, Council of Europe), as well as the study of museum visitors and cultural mediation. A former Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow hosted at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), she is an expert-evaluator for the Cultural Routes programme of the Council of Europe.
Dr Marquard Smith (PhD) is Academic Director of the AHRC’s London Arts & Humanities Partnership, a doctoral training programme across 8 London higher education institutions and non-HEIs including London Museum, The National Archives, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. He teaches at UCL, London, where he was the Programme Leader for the MA Museums & Galleries in Education (2016-2023), and is Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Visual Culture. An academic and curator of exhibitions and public programming in London, Venice, Istanbul, and Vilnius, Marq’s publications include Research: Practitioner | Curator | Educator and Decolonizing: The Curriculum, the Museum, and the Mind.