Where Mountains meet Minds: The Unite! Research School 2025

Hi, I’m Nicolas, a master’s student in Information and Computer Engineering at TU Graz. I joined the Unite! Research School in November 2025 and here’s my experience — along with why you absolutely shouldn’t miss the next URS.

If I had to sum up the week in one sentence: it was five fully packed days of inspiring research and collaboration, amazing places, even more amazing people, far too many French pastries, and lots of unforgettable memories to take home — all set in the stunning Autrans valley in France.

But let’s start at the very beginning:
In November, the fully-funded Unite! Research School (URS) brought together about two hundred master’s and doctoral students, as well as researchers and industry experts from the nine Unite! universities to explore various research fields like Space and Tech, AI and Cybersecurity, and Engineering Biology. And I was one of them.

Did you know that this opportunity includes accommodation and meals and can also get you 3 ECTS credits?

Day 1: Grenoble Warm-Up

Arriving a day early by train meant I could wander through Grenoble’s charming old town, enjoy Lebanese food with some other early birds, and hike up the Bastille (which you can also reach by the famous funicular if you prefer a more comfortable ascent). After visiting the Dauphinois Museum, it was time for the official welcome: some typical French pastries, lots of chatting and getting to know everyone and a scenic bus ride to Autrans at 1,100 metres of altitude. We settled into our dorm-style rooms, broke the ice over some drinks and rounded off the evening with a wine-and-dine dinner and some unexpectedly intense table-football matches.

Day 2: The official Kick-off

The academic programme kicked off with seminars focused on our chosen topics and the start of our two-day case studies. Each mixed group tackled a research topic, with the best presentation slide earning a moment of fame, with an official presentation of their work on Friday.

In my chosen field, AI and Cybersecurity, I joined sessions on cache-template attacks, knowledge graphs for analogical reasoning, and applied AI in civil engineering. Coffee breaks provided essential fresh air, good conversations and yet more pastries. Most of my afternoon went into our knowledge-graph case study, before ending the day with billiards and card games.

Day 3: More Case Studies & Transferable Skills

With our case studies due, Day 3 was a blend of focused group work and collaborative skills courses. We explored prompt engineering for research, the importance of open science, and the responsibilities that come with being a researcher.

The evening held a highlight: an indoor planetarium show, followed by real stargazing with telescopes outside — complete with close-up views of Saturn and the moon.

Day 4: Industry Insights & Alpine Relaxation

The morning continued with transferable skills seminars, followed by talks and a panel discussion from Grenoble-based industry leaders. A block of free time allowed me to go for a run and test the spa facilities (two saunas, a jacuzzi, and a pool—purely for academic recovery, of course).

Our final night in Autrans was celebrated with a DJ-led dance evening that lasted far longer than any of us had intended, fuelled by laughter and new friendships.

Day 5: Back to Grenoble & Final Goodbye

After an early checkout we headed back to Grenoble by bus for industry visits in our respective fields. My group visited INRIA, the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation, including their impressive 3D-motion analysis facility room with fifty-seven cameras—basically a research-grade holodeck.

The closing ceremony wrapped up the week with presentations from the case-study winners. Saying goodbye to every one after such an intense, joyful week wasn’t that easy at all.

The next Unite! Research School in May 2026, organised by the Politecnico di Torino, is just around the corner — find out more about the programme now and fill out the application form for the Unite! Research School 2026 on Metacampus!

The weekend at Geneva and CERN

With the weekend still ahead, I stayed another night in Grenoble with some of the new friends I’d made. After exploring the local cuisine, I travelled to Annecy on Saturday—beautiful canals, charming old town, highly recommended. Sunday was spent in Geneva, wandering through free museums, the Botanical Garden, and the CERN Science Gateway. The tram ride to the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN is absolutely worth it, also for the interactive, informative exhibits and topics such as the Big Bang, Quantum Computing and their famous Large Hydron Collider.

Conclusion

This week at the Unite! Research School was far more than a 3 ECTS educational programme. What I enjoyed most about the Unite! Research School was being able to talk and exchange ideas with researchers from so many different areas and backgrounds. Through the collaborative tasks — and especially the conversations at the dinner table with the other students — I made connections that will last long after this unforgettable week in the French Alps.

Interested in the Unite! network and planning your own international mobility in Europe?
Have a look at the various possibilities in the Intranet TU4U on “Mobility Programmes and Funding Opportunities” and at the website “Unite! for Students”.  
Follow the Unite! Instagram account to stay up to date with new opportunities, programmes, and events.