European Doctoral Day: How a PhD Broadens Career Opportunities Outside Academia

On May 13, 2026 Association Bernard Gregory (ABG) hosted an online event in celebration of the first European Doctoral Day. Under the theme “How a PhD Broadens Career Opportunities Outside Academia”. During the half day we explored current trends in doctoral careers, intersectoral mobility initiatives, and recruitment practices. By bringing together international organizations, public institutions, researchers' associations, and companies, it provided young researchers with insight into the European career landscape. The program includes two roundtable discussions: the first one presents recent European survey data and current and future initatives and perspectives on intersectoral mobility, and the second one features recruiter–PhD tandems. These pairs provide a dual perspective on recruitment practices and professional integration beyond academia, including the testimony of a researcher in exile. This initiative aims to strengthen dialogue between academia and non-academic sectors and to promote the employability and mobility of PhD holders across Europe. In the program 00:00 Introduction 1:35 Opening from Jean-Luc Beylat, President of ABG 11:16 ROUND TABLE 1: PhD Careers in Europe- Trends, insights and perspectives, with: Gian Maria Greco, Chair of the Marie Curie Alumni Association; Simon Marti, Head of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education; Joanna Rutkowska, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Zurich, Eurodoc, COST CCA; Laurent Gouzènes, President of the Research and Innovation Committeeof Mouvement des entreprises de France; Elisa Garcia, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, EURAXESS; Fiona McBride, Senior Researcher Developer, University of Liverpool, Prosper Project. Moderated by: Janina FengelDeputy Secretary General EUT+, ECROS. 2:42:50 ROUND TABLE 2: Recruiting and being a PhD outside academia: Employer–Researcher dual perspective, with: Jeanine Jolain, Michelin, HR partner Mateus Garcia Rodolfo, Michelin, Materials Scientist and Engineer Artem Shulga, QDI systems, Founder & CEO Süleyman Kahraman, QDI systems, Research Engineer Etienne Renault, SiPearl, R&D Computer Science Manager John Osorio Ríos, SiPearl, Senior AI Benchmark Engineer Moderated by: Kristina Berkut International Cooperation Manager, ABG. 4:29:56 Concluding remarks and perspectives, Slaven MISLJENCEVIC Team Leader, European Commission DG Research & Innovation