Unite! Seed Fund 2026: Call opens on 20 January 2026
Gain an early overview of the Unite! Seed Fund Call of Spring 2026. The call includes three funding lines: Student Activities, Teaching and Learning, and Research and PhD.
Belonging and Well-being is an interactive workshop series aimed at enhancing the well-being of Doctoral students.
Presented online via Zoom, the sessions are designed to respond to the personal, social, and academic challenges commonly experienced during the doctoral journey.
Through practical tools, guided reflection and open dialogue in a safe and inclusive environment, participants will work on strengthening their sense of belonging, developing effective coping strategies, and fostering personal and academic growth.
Each workshop lasts between 60 and 90 minutes and places strong emphasis on interaction, peer exchange, and active engagement.
Workshop calendar and summary:
IDGs and Compassionate Systems Leadership: Transform how you lead complex change |
| Facilitated by: Lucie Jiraskova (Grenoble INP-UGA) |
| 27 January 12:00 PM (Finnish time) |
| We will explore the Inner Development Guide and some tools from the Compassionate Systems Framework to learn new ways of thinking about well-being and relating to ourselves, others, and the world with greater compassion and clarity. |
Belonging and Support in Academia: Connect More, Stress Less |
| Facilitated By: Wilfried Grassegger (TU Graz) |
| 17 February – 12:00 PM (Finnish Time) |
| Academic environments thrive when individuals feel valued, connected, and seen. This session explores how the experience of "not belonging" contributes to stress and offers actionable strategies for fostering belonging and developing supportive relationships. |
From Self-Doubt to Confidence: Boost your Next Speech |
| Facilitated By: Diana Seyfarth (TU Darmstadt) |
| 03 March – 12:00 PM (Finnish time) |
| Many PhD students and early researchers struggle with self-doubt and fear of speaking up. This session offers practical strategies and simple mindset tools to strengthen your voice, communicate clearly, and build confidence in your next speech. |
From Self-Doubt to Confidence: Boost your Next SpeechNavigating Academia as You Are: Tools for Inclusion & Resilience |
| Facilitated By: Lea Belz (TU Darmstadt) |
| 09 April 2026- 12PM (Finnish time) |
| Discrimination, microaggressions, and structural disadvantages are real – yet rarely addressed. |
To sign up for any or all of the workshops, click the following link:
Gain an early overview of the Unite! Seed Fund Call of Spring 2026. The call includes three funding lines: Student Activities, Teaching and Learning, and Research and PhD.
As part of the Unite! Visiting Professorship Programme, TU Darmstadt welcomed six visiting professors from Aalto University for the winter semester 2025/2026.
This online matchmaking event takes place 12 March, 2026. Submit your presentation proposal by 23 January 2026.