The 19th edition of the V4 Training for Research Project Managers will take place in Brussels on 23-25 November 2026. The training is jointly organised by the four Visegrad Group liaison offices for research and innovation: the Czech Liaison Office for Education and Research (CZELO), National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDIO), Polish Contact Science Agency (PolSCA) of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development (SLORD). PolSCA is now inviting applications for 9 places available to participants representing Polish institutions.
The training is aimed at professionals involved in supporting the preparation and implementation of research and innovation projects, including project managers and administrators, research support staff, project coordinators, and those providing organisational or strategic support for research activities. The training is not intended for researchers or for people working in the business sector. Both the training and the selection process will be conducted in English.
This year’s edition will bring together 50 participants. Of these, 36 places are reserved for representatives of institutions from Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, while 14 places will be offered to participants from other EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe. Within the V4 allocation, PolSCA is recruiting 9 participants from Poland.
Three days of learning, hands-on work and exchange of experience
V4 Training is neither an introduction to Horizon Europe nor a proposal-writing course. Instead, it offers a broader look at research management and European research projects, including the EU research and innovation policy context, the role of research managers at different stages of project implementation, and the competences required in an increasingly professionalised R&I environment. The programme will consist of three days of training. This edition will place an even stronger emphasis on workshops, group work, discussion and peer-to-peer exchange.
Active participation will be an important part of the programme. Rather than focusing solely on transferring knowledge, we want to create space for participants to discuss the day-to-day realities of research management, challenges related to project delivery, and solutions used across different institutions. The training will also provide an opportunity to meet colleagues performing similar roles in organisations across Europe, compare different approaches to research support, and build new professional connections.
Research management as a growing profession
The upcoming V4 Training also reflects the broader European discussion on the professionalisation of research management. Today, the role of those supporting research and innovation goes far beyond the administrative management of projects. Research managers are increasingly involved in planning research activities, developing consortia, managing projects, supporting teams and contributing to institutional strategies. As a result, professional development in this field requires more than familiarity with individual funding programmes or project procedures. It also involves the conscious development of a broader set of professional competences.
One of the reference points for this discussion is the European Competence Framework for Research Managers (RM Comp), which sets out the competence areas relevant to the profession and provides a framework for thinking about the professional development of research managers. As organisers of V4 Training, we want to reflect this perspective more strongly in our activities. The upcoming edition will remain an intensive and practice-oriented programme for research project managers, while at the same time we are exploring how our future activities could better respond to the needs of professionals at different stages of their careers. In the coming years, this may lead to more differentiated training formats taking into account participants’ level of experience, responsibilities and competences, also in relation to the RM1-RM4 professional development levels.
Practical information
The training will take place in person in Brussels on 23-25 November 2026.
The programme will begin at approximately 11:00 on Monday, making it possible for participants to travel to Brussels on the same day. The mandatory programme will finish at approximately 13:30 on Wednesday, followed by a farewell lunch.
Participation in the training is free of charge. Travel and accommodation costs must be covered by the participants or their home institutions.
How to apply
PolSCA is recruiting 9 participants representing Polish institutions. The application form will remain open until 5 October 2026.
Particular attention will be paid to the motivation statement included in the application form. Given the interactive nature of the training, we are looking for participants who are ready to take an active part throughout the programme, share their own experience and work together with colleagues from other countries.
Selected applicants will be informed of the outcome by 12 October 2026.
Application form: HERE
Previous editions and events
Would you like to see what V4 Training looks like in practice? Take a look at the summary of the previous edition, where you can find highlights, photos and some of the main takeaways from the training. To date, over 550 people have completed the training, and in November 2025, we hosted our first alumni reunion.
You can also watch our short promotional video to get a feel for the atmosphere of the programme and hear directly from its participants.
