ISLANDS Mid-Term Check Meeting in Brussels – A Key Milestone for Our Researchers

ISLANDS Mid-Term Check Meeting in Brussels – A Key Milestone for Our Researchers

On June 17, 2025, the ISLANDS project reached a significant milestone with the successful completion of its Mid-Term Check (MTC) Meeting in Brussels. The event brought together for the first time in person all the project’s doctoral candidates, their academic supervisors, members of the project management team, and the Project Officer from the European Research Executive Agency (REA).

The meeting was hosted at the NH Collection Brussels Centre, organized by CNIT and coordinated by the General Coordinator Dr. Stefano Buzzi, and served as an important moment of reflection and exchange. Each fellow had the opportunity to introduce themselves, present the background and objectives of their individual research projects, and share their experiences within the ISLANDS network so far. The Project Officer provided valuable feedback and highlighted the importance of the fellows’ training, supervision, and professional development under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) framework.

The day before the meeting, a welcome dinner was organized at the traditional Belgian restaurant Het Kelderke in the beautiful Grand Place, giving everyone the chance to meet in a more informal setting. The dinner fostered a sense of community and strengthened the bonds among the researchers and supervisors.

The Mid-Term Check was not only an administrative checkpoint, but also an opportunity to celebrate the progress made by the consortium and the motivation, creativity, and scientific curiosity demonstrated by our early-stage researchers. The fellows’ presentations showcased the diversity and richness of the interdisciplinary approaches being pursued within ISLANDS, and their commitment to advancing research in their respective fields.

We are proud of the work accomplished so far and excited to support our fellows as they continue their academic journey. The MTC meeting has energized the entire network, and we look forward to the many achievements that lie ahead.