I recently spent three months at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development in Utrecht through the Eu-SPRI Circulation Scheme, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. My main goal was to advance my second PhD paper focusing on how governments implement missions. Regular discussions with my host supervisor, Iris Wanzenböck, were invaluable. Tese conversations helped me refine the framing of my paper, and now only minor edits remain before submission to a journal. Beyond writing, I immersed myself in a vibrant academic environment. Weekly seminars and activities organised by the Mission-Oriented Policy Observatory (MIPO) gave me fresh perspectives. Presenting my work to MIPO was a highlight—the feedback I received improved the clarity and structure of my research. Networking was another major benefit. I connected with leading scholars and fellow PhD students, which broadened my understanding of mission-oriented innovation policy in the Netherlands. While a comparative study with Norway wasn’t feasible within my timeline, these insights will enrich my thesis by placing Norwegian findings in a broader context. If you’re an early-career researcher, I wholeheartedly recommend applying for the Eu-SPRI Circulation Scheme—even for a short stay. It accelerated my research and expanded my network. My advice? Embrace the opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives. This experience reaffirmed how collaborative environments can drive impactful research on sustainability and innovation policy.
An Yu Chen is an Early Career scholar researching the linkages between science and technology in emerging green technologies at the IMP Innovation, Strategy & Sustainability group within Alliance Manchester Business School at The University of Manchester. She approaches this topic through three major disciplines: science-of-science studies, innovation studies and sustainability transitions. Her doctoral work investigates how scientific knowledge flows across disciplines to underpin the development of green technologies.
During her EU‑SPRI‑funded circulation at the Entrepreneurship, Finance & Innovation (EFI) group at Politecnico di Milano, she was able to further develop the conceptual framework underpinning her PhD. There, she examined how the scientific knowledge base supports sustainable innovation, enriching her analysis and enabling more nuanced insights into green technology emergence.
In this piece, An Yu shares her experience working in a different academic environment and reflects on how the circulation award helped enlarge her existing networks, deepening collaborations within both Manchester’s IMP group and Polimi’s EFI colleagues.
Fig.1:The Politecnico di Milano was established in 1863
A PhD journey offers many opportunities, but few are as transformative as stepping into a new academic environment. I recently had the privilege of undertaking a month-long research exchange at Politecnico di Milano in Italy, funded by the EU-SPRI PhD Circulation Award. This experience became a catalyst for my intellectual growth, collaboration and personal development.
As a final-year PhD researcher, I had long thought about pursuing a research exchange. I wanted to understand how PhD life unfolds in different parts of the world, and I hoped that new perspectives would enrich my thesis. Thanks to the support of Professor Stefano Baruffaldi, my supervisors Cornelia Lawson and Silvia Massini, and the guidance of Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo, I secured EU-SPRI funding for this exchange.
The award itself reflected a commitment not only to the advancement of my research but also to fostering personal growth through international mobility.
Shaping My Research Focus
Throughout my stay at Politecnico di Milano, I worked on refining a paper that explores the perspective of gender and its indirect influence on interactions between technology inventors and academic authors. Weekly discussions under Professor Baruffaldi’s mentorship helped me sharpen my arguments and clarify my writing.
Initially, my research aimed to cover gender disparity in science and technology, homophily (the preference for associating with one’s own gender), and their impact on innovation outcomes. I chose green technology as my research setting, recognising that gendered personality traits could lead to diverse innovation pathways. However, I soon realised that I was attempting to address too many complex issues in a single paper. Through dialogue and reflection, we successfully disentangled these ideas to build a more focused, coherent argument.
Learning from Experts and Broadening Horizons
A major highlight of my exchange was gaining practical skills in constructing disruptiveness and novelty indicators which are the key tools for my PhD work. Thanks to the insightful guidance from Daniel Souza and Thomas Feliciani, I deepened my understanding of how scientific indicators can reveal whether novel approaches in research drive technological advancement.
I also attended the META Workshop – Machine Learning in Climate Change Mitigation Scenarios. This event introduced me to cutting-edge discussions in technoscience, focusing on the philosophical, ethical, and societal implications of emerging technologies. I enhanced my proficiency in random forest algorithms and learned techniques for designing robust data architectures in machine learning.
Green technologies are vital for addressing climate change. The workshop broadened my methodological toolkit and deepened my understanding of how innovation contributes to climate mitigation.
The Power of Academic Community
My time at the Entrepreneurship, Finance and Innovation (EFI) group was deeply rewarding. From day one, I was welcomed into a vibrant, open environment where spontaneous discussions and collaborative thinking thrived. The EFI Research Seminar gave me a platform to present my work, sparking engaging debates and helping me see my research through new lenses.
Fig.3: The ceiling of the PhD office has plants, and there are staff who come in to water them
The open office design at Politecnico, with glass walls and shared spaces, fostered a unique energy. It encouraged focus and made interactions with colleagues easy and natural. These daily exchanges during coffee breaks and lunches helped me build confidence in sharing and refining my ideas.
Cultural Exchange and Personal Growth
Living in Milan also gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in Italian culture. From navigating the metro system to savouring the local cuisine, I found parallels with my own life and learned to appreciate the subtle cultural differences. I believe these experiences contributed significantly to my PhD journey, offering lessons in empathy, adaptability and global citizenship.
This exchange strengthened my research, expanded my academic network and enriched both my personal and professional development. I am deeply grateful to Eu-SPRI for supporting this transformative opportunity. For any PhD student considering research mobility, I wholeheartedly recommend applying for the Eu-SPRI Circulation Award. The intellectual, professional and personal benefits are profound and enduring.
Diletta Pegoraro is an Early Career scholar researching the Dynamics of Global Value Chain Reconfigurations at the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering – Politecnico di Milano. She declines this topic in three major disciplines: Innovation, International Business and Economic Geography. During her Eu-SPRI-funded circulation at MIOIR (University of Manchester) she was able to further development the conceptual framework of PLOTTI (Place Leaders Of Twin Transition in the Italian local manufacturing systems, a project PRIN 2022 PNRR Next Generation EU – CUP E53D23016560001).
In this piece of writing she shares her experience and working in a different department and in which way this circulation award helped to enlarge her existing networks and create new collaboration.
In this post I will compare the Early Career Scholar (ECS) to a Sequoia tree and it will explain how the Eu-SPRI-funded circulation helps ECS to foster their immense inner potential for personal and academic growth. Both EC and Sequoia possess a deep-rooted foundation in learning and preparation. As sequoia absorbs knowledge from its environmental and bio-system, ECS actively seeks out experiences and collaborations for expanding knowledge. As the sequoia reaches skyward, its branches intertwine with others, forming a supportive network in where other species can find their home. Similarly, the ECS builds connections with peers and mentors, creating a symbiotic community that fosters collective knowledge and progress. However, only the right combination of environmental factors allows sequoia to become majestic trees, without then, sequoia remain only twigs. It is the same for an ECS, while growth opportunities are many, choosing the right option for the ECS program is crucial, as each option leads to different educational pathways.
As Sequoia needs the right environmental factors for thriving, also ECS needs access to resource and funding. The Eu-SPRI mobility programme is a perfect fit for this goal, as it enable the majestic growth of the ECR.
The visit to MIOIR proved strategically crucial for advancing the conceptual framework I’m developing. This framework will lay the theoretical foundation for a larger project named PLOTTI. My visit coincided with the GEOINNO2024 Conference, organized by MIOIR itself. Before the conference, I invited MIOIR scholars to contribute to my session, where I presented the framework in its early-stage development. Further discussions and valuable feedback continued throughout my visit at MIOIR.
Beyond actively working on the project, I immersed myself in the lively and active department, attending seminars and activities. The pre-seminar coffee meetings provided the perfect opportunity to pitch my research and receive immediate, friendly feedback from esteemed scholars. Of particular importance was the guidance I received from Professor Silvia Massini. Her expertise in innovation diffusion and digital technologies proved invaluable. With her help, I was able to refine the conceptual framework for accelerating the adoption of digital technologies for more sustainable living.
Joining the Eu-SPRI Circulation Programme can help you build a thriving research network by connecting with researchers from diverse institutions and disciplines. The visiting period provides valuable resources like access to research facilities, funding for travel and accommodation, and opportunities to collaborate with leading experts. To maximise your experience, develop a compelling timeline that highlights your research goals and aligns them with the host institution’s expertise. Connect with your tutor early to get feedback on your proposal and discuss research opportunities. Don’t hesitate to explore additional collaborations by scheduling meetings with other researchers at the host institution. Remember, this program isn’t about become the highest sequoia but about laying the basis for allowing a prosperity growth of your branches through collaborations and exchanges.
In conclusion, while separated by species and age, we ECS and the sequoia share a remarkable kinship, both standing tall with the promise of a flourishing future.
Arthur Moreira is a PhD Student studying the Economics of Innovation at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex. During his Eu-SPRI-funded circulation at CIRCLE (Lund University) he was able to advance his research for his PhD thesis ‘Mission-oriented innovation policy organisations: definition, impact, and the knowledge production trajectory of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation’. In this blog he shares his experience of living and working abroad and how his circulation helped develop his academic skills.
Aspiring researchers who work in the area of research & innovation policy studies and are affiliated to one of the 18 member organisations in Europe can benefit greatly from the EU-SPRI Circulation Award. This programme offers researchers the opportunity to work with a host institution in a different country, where they can exchange knowledge, develop new ideas, and build valuable relationships.
The Award is designed to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience among researchers and institutions in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation policy. One of the key benefits of the programme is the opportunity to work with someone you can choose to help you address your specific needs to help you improve your research. Perhaps one has an idea they want to explore, perhaps they need to learn a new method for their paper or perhaps they need to discuss their work with a different audience, refine their research ideas and approaches with diverse fresh detailed and encouraging feedback. This provides a unique opportunity for researchers to receive guidance and support from a recognized expert in the field, in an experienced tailored to your needs.
In my case the discussions with the host supervisor were paramount to strengthening the theoretical background of my thesis, enabling me to write a better-grounded contribution. When I could more clearly place my contribution in relation to the theory, it became easier to concentrate my efforts on addressing the relevant literature. The discussions proved so fruitful that I obtained concrete outcomes from it before the expected main ones involving the publication of the thesis. I had a short paper accepted in a peer-reviewed STI journal, I was invited to present it in a seminar with other young scholars and later, following the same line of thought, submitted an entry to and won a prize in a doctoral essay competition.
Beyond these concrete benefits, the EU-SPRI Circulation Programme also provides a valuable opportunity for researchers to broaden their perspectives, by being exposed to new ideas, experiences and people. This can be especially important for early-stage researchers who are still exploring their research interests and career pathways. In addition to working with a host supervisor, I had the chance to also present my work in one of the weekly internal meetings, where I received constructive feedback from other researchers at the host institution. This is a great opportunity not only to receive feedback from a diverse range of perspectives, but also to build confidence addressing a community where you are not originally part of.
Participating in the EU-SPRI Circulation Programme can also provide valuable networking opportunities, which can be essential for future career opportunities. By building relationships with researchers and institutions in different countries, researchers can expand their professional network, and potentially open up new career opportunities in the field. The Award is the perfect chance to bring your contribution to the level of rigour demanded in dealing with our current urgent socioeconomic and ecological challenges via STI policy.
