Conference
Failing Forward – Turning Rejection into Future Opportunities
- Date
- Monday 15 June 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Agora
Wassenaarseweg 52
2333 AK Leiden - Room
- Living Lab (1B.01)
On Monday, 15 June, the session Failing Forward – Turning Rejection into Future Opportunities will take place, focusing on open conversations about rejection, resilience, and learning in academic life.
In academia, unsuccessful applications are often experienced as personal failures, while they are often necessary steps in the process of growth, improvement, and eventual success. This session aims to create an open and constructive space to reflect on rejection as part of academic life and to explore practical ways to move forward.
Programme
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Welcome and Introduction Opening reflections by Billy Tsagkroni on experiences of rejection in academia and how these experiences shape the understanding that rejection is an inherent part of academic life, ultimately inspiring the development of this session. |
| 15:45 – 16:15 | Rejection, Resilience, and Resubmission Eveline Crone shares her personal experiences with rejection in academia, the importance of resilience, and how feedback from unsuccessful applications can help strengthen future proposals. |
| 16:15 – 17:00 | Changing the Culture Around Failure Interactive discussion on how we approach failure within academia: How can we foster a healthier culture around rejection? What can we do as colleagues, and what can the faculty do to better support researchers in this process? |
Registration is open until 30 May.
This session aims to encourage honest exchange, shared learning, and practical ideas for creating a more supportive academic environment.
Hosted by Billy Tsagkroni in collaboration with the Research Desk FSW Team.