From PhD to SME

14 October 2024 - 27 May 2025
Info session, Kick-off, 12 sessions, closing event
Campus Diepenbeek & VOKA
Success 7433380 1280 Success 7433380 1280

Content

Around 80% of our (post)doctoral researchers continue their careers beyond academia. Business careers differ from academic ones: in business, people typically work in rapidly changing contexts, take considerable risks, focus on attitude rather than on knowledge, and work together with different kinds of profiles.
Hasselt University and VOKA - KvK Limburg join forces in this exclusive 'From PhD to SME' programme, the aim of which is to build bridges between the world of research and small and medium-sized enterprises. 12 (post)doctoral researchers are given the unique opportunity to learn more about how SMEs are run and to put this knowledge into immediate practice. The following SME's have agreed to participate: Anne Faggio, Hyperfox, and MTL Transport.

Participants are given a chance to gain first-hand experience in a Flemish SME in order to increase their hiring potential and smoothen their transition into the non-academic labour market. In addition, they'll be able to build formal as well as informal networks, and to learn to identify and name their own strengths - maybe their skills and interests match better with business life than they had ever considered?

Practicalities

For whom?

  • PhD candidates & postdoctoral researchers
  • 12 places available
  • Priority is given to researchers from Hasselt University.

Please note that this programme is not designed for researchers in the earliest phase of their PhD: applicants should already have 1 to 2 years of research experience.


Information session 2024

  • The content and practicalities of the trajectory will be presented during an information session. During this session the teachers, Frank De Craecker (Workitects) and Stefan Vanderick (Moment bvba), will give a presentation on the 6 theoretical modules linked to this program. The participating companies will also be introduced.
    • September 16, 2024, 17:00-19:00.
    • Campus Diepenbeek, B.102, and a reception will take place around 18:00 in room J30.


Programme

The programme will run from October 2024 through to May 2025.

It consists of the following components:

  • a full-day kick-off at VOKA
  • 6 modules consisting each of a half-day theoretical session, a practical assignment in an SME, combined with a half-day intervision session. More information about the content of the sessions can be found here.
  • A closing event in June at VOKA

When & where?

  • Kick-off
    • October 14, 2024.
    • VOKA, Gouverneur Roppesingel 51, 3500 Hasselt
  • 6 theoretical sessions: 18/11/2024, 02/12/2024, 07/01/2025, 24/01/2025, 27/02/2025, 27/03/2025
    • All the sessions will take place from 09:00-12:00.
    • VOKA, Gouverneur Roppesingel 51, 3500 Hasselt
  • 4 intervision sessions: 18/12/2024, 06/02/2025, 11/03/2025, 08/05/2025
    • All the sessions will take place from 09:00-12:00.
    • UHasselt, Campus Diepenbeek A4.
  • Closing event
    • June 17, VOKA, Gouverneur Roppesingel 51, 3500 Hasselt

Registration?

Acknowledged as?

  • DS BSH: career management & personal development: session aimed at career management
  • DS ST: career & Personal Development: course/session about career or personal development
  • DS HLS: compulsory elective transferable skills courses - one transferable skills course

At times during your research, you might get boxed in your work. You may not know what is going on in the outside world. As PhD researchers, we focus mostly on our research and domain. But there is more out there. From PhD to SME is a program that helps you know and experience what is out there. It helps researchers bridge the gap between academia and industry while providing them with an avenue of communication and knowledge sharing with local SMEs. I found it an immensely worthwhile trajectory. I hope others will experience the same in the future.
(participant in 2023)
The track has been a great experience and really shows how the critical thinking skills you gain in a PhD can be applied in practice. You get to talk to leaders in great companies and not just learn but also really exchange insights - it's not just one-way traffic. You can even make real change within the company - our group did with our recommendations!
(participant in 2023)
"The PhD to SME" program is an exhilarating opportunity, particularly for international PhD students. As PhD candidates, we often become deeply engrossed in our own research, which can limit our ability to think from alternative perspectives. Moreover, being an international student, I have witnessed that business operations in my home country differ significantly from those in Belgium, and this contrast has been a tremendous source of inspiration for me. The program spanned six months, during which we collectively delved into theoretical courses and practically applied our knowledge through intervision sessions with SMEs. The brainstorming sessions offered within the program proved to be invaluable, as each participant gained fresh insights and perspectives.
(participant in 2023)
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