The Peer Exchange Platform for Narrative-style CVs (PEP-CV), managed by the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), invites researchers to rethink how they recognise and communicate their contributions through two online workshops. The first session will take place on 16 October, and the second session on 13 November 2026, at 12:00 CET.
Researchers often struggle to recognise and communicate their contributions, even when they have a wealth of experience and achievements. Research culture, academic expectations, comparison, perfectionism, past experiences, and sense of identity can influence how researchers perceive and value their work.
The upcoming PEP-CV workshops are designed to help researchers at all career stages gain new perspectives on their contributions and communicate them more effectively. They are free and open to anyone interested, including MCAA members and non-members.
Owning your story
Titled “Owning your story: Confidence, contribution and narrative CVs,” the first workshop in the series on recognising, communicating and developing narrative CVs will be held online on 16 October 2026 from 12:00 to 13:30 CEST. The workshop is organised in collaboration with the University of Leeds.
During the session, Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths, Researcher Development Advisor (PGR Development) at the University of Leeds, and Pooja Khurana, Career Development Manager at the MCAA, will explore the beliefs and assumptions that shape how researchers understand their achievements and contributions, as well as ways to recognise and communicate them beyond traditional measures of academic success.
Developing your narrative CV
The second workshop, titled “Building your narrative CV,” will take place online on 13 November from 12:00 to 14:00 CET. Organised in collaboration with the University of Leeds and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the session will focus on how researchers can turn their achievements into compelling narratives.
During the session, Taryn Bell, Researcher Development Consultant at the University of Leeds, Carmen Melatti, Impact and Engagement Manager at the CRG, and Pooja Khurana, Career Development Manager at the MCAA, will share their insights on how to develop a narrative CV that effectively demonstrates researchers’ skills and experiences to reviewers.
Please note that there are limited spots available, with a maximum of 40 participants.
The workshops are part of PEP-CV’s ongoing efforts to foster a supportive mentoring culture for developing narrative CVs and to encourage reflection on current practices while contributing to the broader shift towards fairer, more inclusive research assessment in Europe and beyond.
For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Update–19 October 2026: Participants interested in attending the second workshop are invited to complete the registration form by 2 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.
About the MCAA
The MCAA is a global network of researchers who have benefited from or are benefiting from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (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 25,000 members from 160+ countries, at all career stages and from diverse research fields.
