Doctoral studies focused on internationalization and multi-center research cooperation

Project title

Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries

Medical University of Gdańsk

Name of programme

Operational Program Knowledge Education Development

Competition

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Study Programs

Project value

PLN 3,853,610.04

Funding value

PLN 3,737,999.04

Project delivery period

from September 3, 2018 to July 28, 2023

See the effect of our work

What problem does our project solve?

The aim of our project was to address the problems encountered by the target group, which were participants of PhD studies carried out at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Medical University of Gdańsk. Before submitting the project to the National Center for Research and Development, we consulted with PhD students and asked them to share with us their needs and situations that stand in the way of their scientific development. The most frequently reported problems were limited opportunities to exchange experiences with scientists from foreign research centers caused by the lack of funds for internships or study visits to foreign, renowned research centers, as well as insufficient funds to conduct research or publish scientific articles in the most prestigious, but also often expensive, magazines.
The presented project was therefore a response to the actual needs of PhD students, as it assumed the intensification of research work (exchange of experiences with scientists from abroad, trips for research internships, training and international conferences), increasing the effectiveness of the undertaken science (participation in interdisciplinary, international workshops) and providing various forms of support enabling the efficient implementation of the doctoral thesis (including funds for scientific publications and reagents).
The implementation of this project allowed, to some extent, to alleviate for a specific group the problem faced by scientists around the world, namely underfunding of science.

Who will benefit from the project results?

Everyone benefits from the implementation of the project: doctoral students, supervisors, the university and science itself. Doctoral students, just starting their research and scientific careers, approach their chosen path with great enthusiasm, but also hope. Supporting them in the most problematic aspects on this difficult path allowed, among others, for them to acquire new, unique skills that they used/use in their research work, or to exchange scientific experiences with foreign research centers (which is one of the EU requirements imposed on scientists as part of the so-called mobility). The competences of doctoral students, through participation in workshops, training, internships and scientific conferences, have been significantly expanded, which additionally increased their competitiveness on the labor market after the completion of the project. After completing the project, many participants also focused on further development of their scientific careers, to which - we hope - we contributed by implementing the project.

What was the biggest challenge for us in implementing the project

The most intense period according to the planned project implementation schedule should fall in 2019-2021. As is well known, these years were challenging for everyone and difficult for all those carrying out research work. The most difficult thing was to try to implement as many planned projects as possible during this difficult period and to adapt the project provisions to the current realities. The key issue for us here was communication with the National Center for Research and Development, which helped us find many satisfactory solutions.

Our advice to other Applicants

We wish other Applicants to have as few unforeseeable situations as possible. © However, should such situations occur, we would like to emphasize that communication is key - at every stage of project implementation. Both in the case of the Project Team, Project Participants and Guardians. If you encounter problems, we advise you to propose a modification/new solution to the Project Supervisors on behalf of the National Center for Research and Development. Dialogue and mutual understanding are extremely important in such an important area as shaping the next generation of researchers and investing in our scientific capital.