Conference

Leiden Research Support Network Conference 2025

Date

Monday 16 June 2025

Time

09:00 - 17:00 hour

Address

PLNT, Langegracht 70, Leiden

Ahead of the times: Building the future of research support

Join us at the fifth Leiden Research Support Network Conference where we'll delve into critical topics shaping the future of research support professionals. Take part in a variety of thematic interactive workshops and meet your research support colleagues working in the different faculties of Leiden University and LUMC.

Registration is now open!

Register

Programme

8:45 - 9:15

Registration

9:25 - 9:35

Welcome by Anouschka Versleijen and Hester Bijl

9:35 - 9:45

Programme introduction by Eugenia van Engelenhoven

9:45 - 10:30

Keynote by Andreja Zulim de Swarte

10:45 - 12:15

Workshops round 1

12:15 - 13:30

Lunch

13:30 - 15:00

Workshops round 2

15:00 - 16:00

Networking market

16:00 - 16:45

Workshops round 3

16:45 - 18:00

Networking drinks

Keynote speaker Andreja Zulim de Swarte

The RM Roadmap: Unlocking teams & talents in the research management profession

Behind every successful research project stands a team. Not just of researchers, but of professionals who make excellence and impact possible. Who are these key players? What do they need to thrive? And how do we ensure their unique talents are recognised, valued, and retained in our academic institutions? With her deep understanding of EU ecosystems and commitment to collaboration, Andreja empowers research managers to act as strategic enablers in an increasingly complex and interconnected research and innovation environment.

Andreja Zulim de Swarte, RM ROADMAP Ambassador for the Netherlands, will share some key insights on the future of research management in Europe. She will highlight EU-funded projects like RM ROADMAP and CARDEA, and reflect on the wider movement shaping the profession. We will touch on emerging frameworks such as RM COMP, and explore how national networks, competence frameworks, and co-creation efforts are paving the way for clearer career paths. 

Andreja chairs the ROADMAP NL Working Group within ARMA-NL. In these roles, she supports the national dialogue on the recognition and professionalisation of research management, helping to connect Dutch stakeholders with broader European developments. 

As EU Liaison Officer at UMC Utrecht and Utrecht University Life sciences strategic theme she focuses on EU research policy, funding strategies, and building connections with Brussels-based networks and institutions. Her work involves close collaboration with national and international partners, including NFU, UNL, LERU, Coimbra Group, and EARMA. 

Andreja is involved in several working groups and advisory boards related to Horizon Europe, and contributes to the advancement of research support through community building and strategic alignment between institutions and EU-level initiatives.

Andreja Zulim de Swarte

Break & networking market

Take a moment to recharge and connect with fellow participants during our coffee break and networking market. You will have the opportunity to join tables hosted by experts on various networks and relevant topics, including Una Europa, Vidatum, Project Management Pool, Academia in Motion, ARMA-NL, Una Europa and EARMA. Engage in conversations at the info tables and expand your professional network! 

Workshops round 1 | 10:45 - 12:15

What are prerequisites for successful interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research?

This interactive workshop explores the foundations of successful interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Participants will examine the skills, structures, and mindsets needed to bridge disciplines and collaborate across sectors. Through best practices, case studies and guided discussions, the session will highlight key enablers—shared language, mutual trust, and institutional support—for impactful, boundary-crossing transdisciplinary research. 

Facilitators: Bas Nijboer, Lea Kodeih 
Speakers: Jochem Zuiderwijk, Margaret Gold

Mapping support functions across the research project lifecycle

From identifying the different research support functions and mapping them on the project cycle, understanding the workflow and efficiently unlocking the next steps, this workshop offers an overview of the research lifecycle and ensures you are connected with key contacts who can help you at Leiden University. After an overview of the research project life cycle, colleagues from different research support domains will identify where on the cycle their role(s) come in. There will also be the opportunity for you to add your thoughts 

Facilitators: Sara Cigna, Pascal Flohr, Danijela Koppers-Lalic (LUMC)

A survival guide for Project Managers: An active thinking session

Working as a project manager can feel overwhelming and there are times when it might be difficult to balance the variety of tasks and responsibilities. This interactive session aims to equip you with essential information to help you navigate your role with confidence.  

During the session participants will work in groups to compile a list of best practices, tips, and tricks based on three key topics: data management, project administration, and financial management. At the end of the workshop participants will come together for a feedback session. 

After the conference, the lists created will be compiled into one document and shared with participants and the wider project management community.  

Facilitators: Imelda van Hooijdonk, Dimitra Kouimtzidou, Nina Hefele, Elka Smith

Workshops round 2 | 13:30 - 15:00

Finding the balance between knowledge security and open science 

Within a changing geopolitical situation, there has been an increasing awareness of the importance of knowledge security. At the same time, with decreasing trust in academia, transparency of research results continues to be of major importance. As research support staff, how do we deal with making this balance between open science and knowledge security, as well as academic freedom? In this session, we will start with a presentation on this ‘trilemma’, after which we will look at several of these ourselves.  

Facilitators: Manon Osseweijer, Pascal Flohr, Tessa de Roo  

Speaker: tba

"I don’t understand my oven, but I still want to bake": How to use GenAI for project & grant lifecycle

AI tools are becoming a staple of our digital work environment – whether we fully understand their inner workings or not. That shouldn’t stop us from learning how to “bake” with them. This interactive session is designed for research support professionals who want to explore the potential of Generative AI (GenAI: AI tools that can generate text, images, code, and more) to support every stage of the project and grant lifecycle. 

We’ll focus on real-world, practical applications, drawing from use cases and examples sourced from the LRSN community. From proposal writing to project management and business development, we’ll explore how GenAI tools can support creativity and enhance digital literacy, while keeping a close eye on ethics, privacy, and responsible use. 

Whether you are curious without any experience or already experimenting, this session welcomes everyone from beginners to advanced users. 

• Understand what GenAI is – and isn’t: Participants will gain a clear, jargon-free understanding of AI tools and how they can (and can’t) support their work. 

• Explore real-life use cases: Participants will learn from practical examples across the project and grant lifecycle, contributed by peers and tailored to the needs of the LRSN community 

• Experiment responsibly: Participants will discover how to integrate AI tools ethically in their own workflow, no matter their experience level. 

Facilitators: Vassilis Koutsogiannis, Anna Coyajee, Auke Ruhe 

Management of large collaborative research projects – surrounded by people

In this hands-on workshop, participants will dive into three real-world scenarios related to people management challenges in large collaborative research projects. Through parallel group work and shared reflection, attendees will exchange strategies and tools to manage difficult conversations, and understanding their own reactions and behaviors—and the impact these have on others. 

Facilitators: Dimitra Kouimtzidou, Ellen Stijl (LUMC) 

Workshops round 3 | 16:00 - 16:45

Changes in the Funding Landscape

The primary goal of this session is to equip RMA professionals with a deeper understanding of the current and upcoming changes in the research funding landscape. With the prospect of national budget cuts in the Netherlands, the emergence of the next European framework programme (FP10). 

By the end of the session, participants will have a better understanding of what these changes mean for their work—from advising researchers on funding opportunities to aligning project planning and institutional strategy. 

Facilitators: Zsuzsanna Angyal, Walter van Raaij 

Mastering Data Management Plans: Essentials and Updates

According to the Leiden University Data Management Regulations, researchers need to draw up a Data Management Plan (DMP) at the start of their research. But what is a DMP exactly and what is it for? In this workshop we will give a basic introduction to the concept of data management plans, we will discuss the revision of the Leiden DMP template that we are currently undertaking, and highlight how this all ties in with national and international guidelines around DMPs and data management.

Facilitator: Femmy Admiraal 

Science Communication in Research Support

Discover how science communication is relevant to your role. A detailed dissemination plan for research results is often required at the proposal stage, and making these results visible is crucial for engaging stakeholders and ensuring their uptake in society. In this session, participants will learn the basics of science communication, understand how it is organized at Leiden University, and engage in a discussion on its relevance for the daily work of research support staff in both the pre- and post-award phases. 

Facilitator: Saskia van Reenen 

Who’s organising this event?

This event is organised by the Leiden Research Support Network. The network is for all research support professionals working at Leiden University. Within the network, research support professionals from different domains exchange knowledge and experiences, and work together to answer (complex) questions from researchers. Questions? Please contact: [e-mail].

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• leiden research support network