Today, 30 August 2026, marks the beginning of the new Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) Board’s term. Meet the Board that will lead the Association over the next two years!
The MCAA Board comprises five Executive Committee (ExCom) members and six ordinary Board members. As the MCAA’s legal governing body, the Board is responsible for representing the Association and setting its strategic direction.
Elected on 30 May 2026, the Board for the 2026–2028 term starts its mandate today after a three-month handover period. The new ExCom comprises Ornela Bardhi (Chair), Ashish Avasthi (Vice-Chair), Ana Paula Mendonça (Vice-Chair), Pablo Emiliano Tomatis (Treasurer), and Maria Magdalena Razalan (Secretary). The ordinary Board members are Sabina Cveček, Fan Mo, Eugenio Otal, Roxana Radu, Sandra Rebok, and Magdalini Theodoridou.
Vision for the 2026–2028 term
As the new Board officially begins its two-year term, the new Chair, Ornela Bardhi, shares her expectations: “Every Board brings together its own perspectives, experiences, and ambitions, and I am excited about the new ideas, energy, and opportunities that the new term will bring. I look forward to working closely with the Board, the Secretariat and the MCAA community to strengthen the Association, support our members, and advance the MCAA’s long-term goals and impact.”
In terms of priorities for the new term, she emphasises that enhancing good governance throughout the Association and ensuring its financial sustainability are among the key areas the new Board will focus on. “A stronger financial foundation would give the Association greater flexibility to invest in its members, pursue its priorities, and plan confidently for the future.”
Ornela also leaves a message for MCAA members: “I encourage everyone to be active, make their voices heard, and share what they need and what they would like the MCAA to become. Your ideas, feedback, and engagement are essential to helping us shape the Association’s future.”
Reflections on the 2024–2026 term
Reflecting on the MCAA Board’s term for 2024–2026, the previous Chair, Gian Maria Greco, says: “This term marked an important stage in the MCAA’s evolution: from a rapidly growing network into a more mature, structured and influential global Association. The MCAA now brings together over 24,000 members representing 165 nationalities. I am proud that, while continuing to grow, we strengthened the capacity and structures needed to serve this remarkable community sustainably.”
Looking back at the past two years, he notes that the Board’s achievements were the result of collective efforts: members who contributed their time, ideas and trust. “I hope we will be remembered as a Board that helped prepare the MCAA for its next stage: a Board that turned growth into capacity, policy participation into influence, and successful initiatives into sustainable structures.”
As the new Board begins its work, Gian Maria’s advice is to keep the members at the centre of every decision: “The MCAA is an Association made by its members, for its members. Its structures, procedures, and professional capacity should always enable participation, not replace it.”
He encourages MCAA members to continue engaging and shaping the Association’s future. He concludes: “My final message is, above all, one of gratitude. Thank you for your trust, your engagement, and your willingness to contribute. The MCAA exists because members across the world choose to share their knowledge, support one another, and turn individual experiences into collective action.”
The MCAA welcomes the new Board as it takes office and extends a special thank you to the previous Board for its dedication and commitment during its term.
About the MCAA
The MCAA is a global network of researchers who have benefited from or are benefiting from the MSCA. The MCAA supports and contributes to advancing knowledge for a global, diverse, and informed society. Its primary focus is to support its members’ career development, offer networking opportunities, and contribute to shaping research and innovation policies in the EU. Currently, the MCAA has over 24,000 members from 155+ countries, at all career stages and from diverse research fields.
