The European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) is a community of over 12,000 brilliant individuals. We sincerely value the opinions of our members, and each year we conduct an EACR member feedback survey to gather your invaluable feedback. We’re delighted that in the 2023 survey 99% of EACR members would recommend membership to others, and the positive comments we’ve received have been inspiring.
We’re thrilled to share with you the exciting changes and developments we have planned based on your feedback and ideas.
Enhanced networking opportunities
One recurring request we received loud and clear from the survey was your enthusiasm for more networking avenues, and so we’re expanding both in-person and virtual networking events:
- Our Early Career Researcher (ECR) Council is actively planning a trial series of exclusive online networking events, offering fantastic opportunities to connect and collaborate with fellow EACR members who share your passion for cancer research.
- Additionally, we’re exploring the possibility of organising even more networking events during our in-person conferences to foster meaningful connections.
- We’ve also been working on a mentoring program to provide guidance and support within our community. Stay tuned for further updates!
Increased funding opportunities
Funding matters in research, there’s no denying it, and we know that it’s important to our members. Here are some new and expanded funding opportunities we’re offering:
- We’ll very soon announce a new EACR initiative to support our members in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through grants to attend any conference, course or workshop. This initiative will open doors to a wider range of scientific gatherings and help to promote international collaboration.
- We’ve recently expanded our Travel Grant programme for both EACR Conferences and the EACR Congress, ensuring broader accessibility to and inclusivity of EACR events. This included ring-fenced funds for researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and for researchers from Turkey and Syria after the disastrous earthquakes of 2023.
- In addition the EACR Board is actively considering how we can extend more funding opportunities to researchers beyond the early career stage.
More information about funding
- Your feedback highlighted the importance of getting comprehensive information about available funding opportunities. We’re pleased to be working on a new centralised grants hub where we’ll list open grant calls from many different funding bodies, helping you to explore and apply for funding opportunities more effectively.
Practical skills, transferable skills, and career development
- Another significant aspect emphasised in members’ comments was the desire for more webinars and talks covering practical skills, transferable skills, and career development. We’re thrilled to tell you that we’re actively working to meet this demand and we hope to announce a new initiative in this area soon, in collaboration with EMBO.
- Our affiliation with Molecular Oncology will offer new opportunities for members to get insights into the world of publishing. Watch this space!
- In the meantime, we encourage you to explore the on-demand webinars available in the EACR member area. Why not check out our great on-demand videos on ‘Success in Grant Writing’, ‘Work-Life Balance’ and ‘Improving your Interview Technique’? EACR members just need to log in using your usual EACR member credentials.
- Don’t forget The Cancer Researcher Podcast, which covers a wide range of career development areas like grant applications, choosing a postdoc position, and becoming a PI.
We couldn’t be more excited about the new initiatives we’re developing in the next few months. As always, we’re committed to supporting your cancer research journey and making a meaningful impact together. Thank you for being an essential part of the EACR community!
