Building successful networking and research strategies

How can I build an international research network? And how do I successfully turn my research idea into a grant application?

These questions are crucial for realizing research ideas and acquiring funding. However, the path to building successful networking partnerships and funding acquisition is not always easy.

Our workshop series as part of the MSCA and Horizon Europe funding opportunities addressed precisely this challenge on 20 and 21 March 2025 at the main campus of Trier University of Applied Sciences. At the start of the workshop series, we invited researchers from Trier University of Applied Sciences and its partner institutions in Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and Switzerland. Our series illustrated how targeted strategies can promote the success of research cooperations and which guidelines need to be considered for the successful submission of a funding application.

We are always networking - consciously or unconsciously. In line with this motto, our first speaker Dr. Elisabeth Holuscha offered valuable insights into networking strategies with her workshop, Expanding Horizons: Internationalizing Doctoral Education for a Global Research Career. The half-day seminar on 20 March 2025 was shaped by new approaches to fostering international competencies and building an international research environment.  

International networking requires leaving your comfort zone. An elevator pitch provides an excellent opportunity to practice this step. The workshop participants developed a brief introduction with information on their current position and their project proposal. Therefore, the participants recreated real-life networking situations, which will be useful for future conferences or seminars interactions.

All in all, networking is the foundation for international research collaboration. The next step is to integrate these contacts into the grant application process. 

The research idea is the first brushstroke, while the grant application is the finished masterpiece. What started out as a research idea can soon change direction after the application process. In her workshop EU-Fundraising for Research and Innovation, Nicole Klein-Stocké, our expert in Innovation Management and Fundraising, presented the entire workflow, from concept to the submission of the grant application. In a lively manner, she conveyed the dos and don’ts of the application process, explained key aspects of the process, and pointed out the funding opportunities available for different groups.

The full-day workshop on March 21 provided a great opportunity to focus on the challenges and chances of securing funding.

Anecdotes from the field and interactive MSCA quizzes made the complex topic more tangible. At the same time, this setting offered space for individual questions and ideas for practical solutions.

The start of our MSCA workshop series has shown that funding acquisition does not just revolve around having good research ideas. It is also about building a strong network and having a solid strategy for submitting a grant application. Science thrives on communication – whether through interdisciplinary cooperation, international partnerships, or a direct dialogue with funding institutions.