EURECA-PRO organised the 19th Freiberg Colloquium of Young Researchers, which was held at TU BAF from June 2nd to 6th, 2025. The conference focused on "Responsible Consumption and Production in the Use of the Earth's Resources"
From 2 to 6 June, TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TU BAF) became a living laboratory for sustainable innovation as it welcomed 14 doctoral candidates from across the EURECA-PRO alliance—Montanuniversität Leoben (MUL), Hasselt University (UH), Silesian University of Technology (SUT), University of Petroșani (UP), and Technical University of Crete (TUC). Over five intensive days, the EURECA-PRO Young Researchers Colloquium 2025 equipped early-career scientists with new skills, fresh perspectives, and an expanded European network—all under the banner of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
The colloquium opened with an intercultural communication workshop that helped participants bridge linguistic and cultural differences—an essential foundation for collaborative research across borders. A compact German language course added another layer of practical competence, preparing the cohort to navigate daily life in Freiberg and future stays in German-speaking labs.Introductory sessions about the EURECA-PRO alliance set the stage: faculty members outlined ongoing joint degrees, shared research architectures, and the alliance’s roadmap for embedding sustainability into every program and project. For many doctoral candidates, it was a first glimpse into how their individual theses fit a wider European agenda.
This year’s highlight was the 34th Krüger Colloquium titled “Being Human in the Age of AI: Farewell to Uniqueness?” – an engaging reflection on humanity’s evolving identity in a digital world. In addition, students took part in the Colloquium of Young Researchers, where they presented their own projects and discussed future-facing ideas across disciplines.
The program also featured:
- A company visit to a water treatment plant using renewable energy, A sustainable geocaching session,
- A laboratory tour through key facilities at TU BAF,
- And a dynamic Alumni Talk on career paths after the PhD.
At the conclusion of the Colloquium, the following awards were presented:
- Best Research: Shabnam Ahadzadeh (UH) and Hamza Mumtaz (SUT)
- Best Presentation: Johannes Krämer (MUL) and Marios Salinas (TUC)
- Students’ Choice Award: Mujahid Ali (SUT)
This intensive two-week program deepened participants’ academic and cultural understanding while strengthening the EURECA-PRO network and its commitment to sustainable, innovative, and inclusive research in Europe.