From 8 to 12 June 2026, TU Bergakademie Freiberg  became a vibrant hub for sustainable innovation as it welcomed eleven doctoral candidates from across the EURECA-PRO alliance. Participants represented TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany), Hasselt University (Belgium), the Silesian University of Technology (Poland), the University of Petroșani (Romania), and the University of Lorraine (France). In addition, Prof. Tomasz Szulc from the Silesian University of Technology joined the colloquium as a guest lecturer.

Over five intensive days, the EURECA-PRO 20th Young Researchers Colloquium provided early-career researchers with new skills, fresh perspectives, and an expanded European network, all within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

The colloquium began with two international scientific events hosted by TUBAF: the Forum on Sustainable Value Creation: Circular Economy and Logistics and the Freiberg Forum on Bio-based Materials. These forums offered participants valuable insights into current research activities and created opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange with researchers from different countries and scientific backgrounds.

An intercultural communication workshop held on the following day enabled participants to strengthen their ability to collaborate across linguistic and cultural boundaries - an essential competence for international research cooperation. A language lunch complemented the workshop by providing a practical and interactive environment for intercultural exchange.

Introductory sessions on the EURECA-PRO alliance highlighted the alliance's educational and research activities. EURECA-PRO team presented ongoing joint degree programmes, research structures, and the alliance's strategic vision for integrating sustainability into teaching, research, and innovation.

A guest lecture by Prof. Tomasz Szulc (SUT) on Closed-Loop Business Models provided participants with valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with the transition towards a circular economy in Europe.

Highlight: Pitch Your Research

One of the highlights of this year's colloquium was the workshop "Pitch Your Research", delivered by the SAXEED team. The interactive training received highly positive feedback from all participants and focused on one of the most important transferable skills for researchers: communicating scientific ideas clearly and convincingly.

Participants learned how to explain the significance of their research, engage diverse audiences, and foster future collaborations. On the final day of the colloquium, they had the opportunity to put these skills into practice by presenting their own research projects and receiving constructive feedback from the trainers and fellow participants.

At the conclusion of the colloquium, the following awards were presented:

• Best Pitch Award: Shadi Karimi (SUT), Donata Nariswari Wahyu Wardani (TUBAF)
• Students' Choice Award: Dirk Kurt Hans (TUBAF)

The program also featured: 

The programme also included several activities designed to connect sustainability concepts with practical experiences:

• A company visit to a water treatment plant powered by renewable energy;
• A sustainability-themed geocaching activity;
• Guided tours of key laboratories and research facilities at TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Night of Science and Business

The intensive programme not only deepened participants' academic knowledge and intercultural understanding, but also strengthened personal connections within the EURECA-PRO alliance. By bringing together young researchers from across Europe, the 20th Young Researchers Colloquium further reinforced the alliance's commitment to excellent, innovative, and sustainable research and contributed to building the next generation of scientists dedicated to addressing global challenges.