IQS enhances doctoral student training with the third edition of the PhD Talent Programme

On 5 and 6 February, 30 students from the different IQS doctoral programmes participated in the third edition of IQS Training Sessions, an intensive educational event onsoft skills and tools for finding a job. The activity took place at La Cova de Sant Ignasi in Manresa and sought to provide future PhDs with key skills for their professional development beyond their academic specializations.

On this occasion, the training sessions included specific workshops on having a positive attitude, healthy habits, leadership, impostor syndrome, and personal branding. The event was led by the Kalidoscopia team, specialists in designing programmes that improve wellbeing in the workplace and enhance personal growth. Their participation provided students with concrete tools to stand out in the competitive labour market.

One of the highlights of this year’s edition was the team building activity held along with the Tirallongues de Manresa “human towers” (castells) group. Through building human towers, participants were able to experience first-hand the values of teamwork, effort, and improvement that characterize this Catalan tradition. The dynamics made it possible to strengthen key skills such as collaboration, effective communication, and leadership.

Since its first edition in 2022, the IQS PhD Talent Programme has evolved and continued to improve as a fundamental initiative within the training itinerary for PhD students. In the first edition, held in 2022, the foundations of the programme were laid with workshops focused on leadership, communication, and decision-making. The second edition, held in 2023, expanded the scope of the event, incorporating sessions on time management, teamwork, and emotional wellbeing. With the third edition, the programme has completed its first training cycle, allowing participants to undertake a comprehensive three-year itinerary.ç

This year, the IQS PhD Talent Programme has reached an important milestone: the first group of students who have completed the three-year training cycle. This achievement reaffirms the strength and impact of this initiative, which has become a crucial pillar within IQS’s commitment to the employability of its doctoral students.

With this comprehensive programme, IQS is reinforcing its commitment to an educational model that combines academic excellence with the development of professional skills, preparing future PhDs to successfully face the challenges of the labour market.