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InterACT: International postdoctoral fellowships build bridges between science and policy

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) will launch the InterACT COFUND postdoctoral fellowship programme in September 2026, co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The initiative is managed by the European Research and Innovation Support (ERIS) team of the Vice Rectorate Innovation and Valorization. Over a period of five years, the postdoctoral programme will recruit 14 international researchers through two competitive calls.

In today’s world of geopolitical tensions and complex global challenges, scientific innovation increasingly depends on collaboration that crosses disciplinary, sectoral, and national boundaries. Yet research too often remains in silo’s, limiting its potential to inform policy and deliver broader societal impact. Postdoctoral researchers play a central role in generating knowledge that supports public decision-making, but they are rarely supported in working across disciplines or engaging directly with policy actors. Strengthening the science–policy interface and equipping researchers with the skills to translate research into actionable insights are therefore essential to advancing evidence-based policymaking in Europe and beyond.

To meet these challenges, VUB is establishing InterAct, an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral postdoctoral research and training programme, designed to equip researchers in translating scientific excellence into meaningful societal and policy-relevant impact.

The first call, opening in September 2026, will select seven postdoctoral researchers for a three-year fellowship, with a strong focus on societal impact and active engagement with stakeholders across disciplines and sectors. Applications from all fields of science are welcome.

Contact

More information on eligibility criteria, funding conditions, and the application process will be disclosed soon. In the meantime, you can contact Alessandra Rossetti (Alessandra.rossetti@vub.be) for more information.

 

About Vice-Rectorate Innovation & Industry Relations, VUB

The mission of the Vice-Rectorate Innovation & Industry Relations of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is to create a positive impact on society through the valorization of scientific research. Its operational and multidisciplinary team, VUB TechTransfer, aims to connect the university’s innovative research expertise with society and industry, together with its partners VUB Foundation, the philanthropic fundraising team, and Crosstalks, the interdisciplinary networking platform. 

https://www.vub.be/en/innovating-together-for-better-world-vub/innovation-vub

About VUB

Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB wants to make an active and committed contribution to a better society. 

www.vub.be

EU funding acknowledgment

This project is co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 101260463.

 

Koen Stein

Koen Stein

Perscontact wetenschap & onderzoek

 

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About Press - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB wants to make an active and committed contribution to a better society.

The World Needs You

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel assumes its scientific and social responsibility with love and decisiveness. That’s why VUB launched the platform De Wereld Heeft Je Nodig – The World Needs You, which brings together ideas, actions and projects based on six Ps. The first P stands for People, because that’s what it’s all about: giving people equal opportunities, prosperity, welfare, respect. Peace is about fighting injustice, big and small, in the world. Prosperity combats poverty and inequality. Planet stands for actions on biodiversity, climate, air quality, animal rights... With Partnership, VUB is looking for joint actions to make the world a better place. The sixth and last P is for Poincaré, the French philosopher Henri Poincaré, from whom VUB derives its motto that thinking should submit to nothing except the facts themselves. VUB is an ‘urban engaged university’, strongly anchored in Brussels and Europe and working according to the principles of free research.

www.vub.be/dewereldheeftjenodig

 


Contact

Pleinlaan 2 1050 Brussel

02 / 629.11.38

tineke.sonck@vub.be

www.vub.ac.be