BUP PhD Students Training 2025
The annual BUP training for PhD students was held as a full-week event on 24-28 November 2025, at Uppsala University. The participants also took part in the BUP Symposium under the joint theme 'Strengthening the Security and Resilience of the Baltic Sea Region – Environmental, Political, Social, and Economic Shocks and Crises'.
The aim of the training was to provide knowledge, skills and network opportunities to PhD students focusing on security and resilience in the Baltic Sea Region. In total, 27 students from 19 universities took part in the event.
The training was organised in collaboration with Adam Mickiewicz University and Lodz University of Technology.
Outcomes of the training
Through mentoring and individual supervision sessions, participants received valuable feedback on their PhD work, strengthening both the quality and direction of their research. The training also offered lectures, workshops, and activities focused on interdisciplinary cooperation within the Baltic Sea Region, enabling students to integrate diverse disciplinary perspectives and regional contexts into their studies.
The workshops 'Sharing and Reflecting on Sustainable Futures', 'Calculating the carbon footprint', and the 'Planetary Plate Puzzle' serious game further provided conceptual and methodological tools to address sustainability, resilience, and environmental or social crises. In addition, thanks to keynote presentations and opportunities to present their own work, students developed their scientific communication skills, learning to convey research findings to broader academic audiences and to confidently respond to feedback from peers and experts.
The training was complemented by participation in the BUP Symposium, where the PhD students engaged with a wide range of research themes and interacted with researchers from universities across the Baltic Sea Region, broadening their academic exposure and understanding of regional challenges.
Finally, by bringing together around 30 PhD students from different universities and cultural backgrounds, along with senior researchers, the training also fostered new connections and opened the door for future cross-university collaboration.
The PhD students got the opportunity to give a poster presentation toward the end of the week, as a part of the BUP Symposium. Photo: Adam Sjöström
Evaluation of the event
The evaluation was completed by 18 participants and the training received an overall impression score of 9.4/10. Several positive aspects of the event were highlighted. In particular, the individual supervision sessions were highly appreciated, as was the keynote presentation 'First Impressions Matter: Presentation Intros Unleashed'. All workshops received very positive feedback, with students emphasising the relevance and importance of the topics covered. Practical aspects such as the food and the communication with the organising team were also rated very favourably.
Quotes from the evaluation
“Individual supervision was the best. I needed a fresh eye to look at my work. The organisation was great. All instructions were clear and conveyed through different means.”
“Previous international trainings/conferences that I attended brought together mostly Western European participants. It is great that other networks exist to promote collaboration beyond this region.”
“The programme was varied, and I appreciated every element of the training.”
Organiser voice
”We are happy to have once again brought together an engaged and enthusiastic community of PhD students from participating BUP universities. Feedback from the evaluation forms indicates a high level of satisfaction with this year’s event, highlighting the value of the training in advancing both presentation and research skills.
As is often the case, this year’s feedback also emphasised the importance of pairing PhD students with experts in their field, as well as the opportunity to network with peers and senior researchers. Hearing about how different parts of the training proved valuable to the participants is both highly rewarding for us as organisers and motivating for the continued development of BUP training opportunities for junior researchers in the Baltic Sea Region.”
Participant evaluations
- Participants gave the supervision they received an 9.3/10 rating.
- Participants gave the presentations and discussions in smaller groups an 8.8/10 rating.
- Participants thought that the event was worthwhile in attending, in terms of their studies, future aspirations and career, giving a 9.1/10 rating.
All overall ratings were made on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is considered negative and 10 is considered positive.
Voices of participants
Mana Taheri - Participant from Estonian University of Life Sciences
Before attending, I expected to be networking with other PhD researchers as well as exploring methods that can enrich my research.
The best part of the event was when we focused on our work by listening and sharing with other colleagues, and getting expert feedback on our projects.
From the event, I will bring with me advice on my project, good contacts for future collaborations and opportunities that the BUP brought to us.
Maciej Skuza - Participant from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University
My expectations for the event were to expand my academic competencies in self-presentation and in presenting the results of my research; to consult my current progress and future research plans related to my PhD with an experienced researcher and other doctoral candidates; and to meet new people from the Baltic Sea region in order to exchange experiences and perspectives on various issues.
There were many excellent moments during the training. I can mention, among others, the workshops with Prof. Tomasz Branka and Dr. Maciej Szulc, who provided us with valuable guidance on how to enhance our competencies in academic presence and public speaking; the tour of Uppsala University and Uppsala Cathedral with an outstanding guide; and the shared dinners, during which we were able to exchange our experiences in a more relaxed atmosphere.
From the BUP PhD Students Training, I will certainly take away a range of highly valuable international contacts - excellent people from various countries whom I had the opportunity to meet, as well as enhanced academic competencies such as self-presentation, presenting research results, and increased self-confidence. These are skills that will be extremely useful in my further academic career.
Images from the event
Photo: Pontus Ambros
The event began with a fascinating guided tour of Uppsala, featuring a special focus on the hidden stories of Uppsala University’s main building and its surroundings.
Photo: Pontus Ambros
The opening keynote was delivered by Prof. Tomasz Brańka from Adam Mickiewicz University and focused on the importance of first impressions and tips for a good presentation delivery.
Photo: Pontus Ambros
On the second day of the event, the PhD students had the opportunity to present their research to both their peers and senior experts. Some participants from Ukraine joined remotely and delivered their presentations online.
Photo: Kiana Islamian
The event had three parallel workshops: 'Calculating the carbon footprint', 'Sharing and Reflecting on Sustainable Futures' and the pictured 'Planetary Plate Puzzle: A serious game' for deliberating sufficient future diets.
Photo: Joanna Bernacka
In the PhD students presentations, they had the chance to practice their presentation skills and received valuable feedback on their thesis.
Photo: Pontus Ambros
Dr. Maciej Szulc delivered a keynote presentation offering practical guidance on how researchers can effectively share their ideas beyond academia.