The recruitment process for MATCH 13 Doctoral Candidate (DC) positions has made significant progress, with two calls completed and a third currently underway.
The first call attracted a total of 42 applications, while the second call received 45 applications, bringing the total to 87 applicants across both calls, reflecting a strong interest in the program.
Figure: Number of applications received for each DC position in each call.
In terms of gender distribution, approximately 76% of applicants were male and 24% female. This aligns with broader trends in the Information and Communication Technologies disciplines, where women represent 22% of Doctoral graduates in the EU, and highlights the need to encourage more women to pursue research careers in these fields.
Geographically, most applications came from Asian countries, particularly Pakistan and India. Although Europe had relatively fewer applicants—primarily from Southern European countries—it was still the second most represented continent.
https://youtu.be/d21aHZRiv58?si=OYFUk6P-LvHweKn0
Across the two recruitment calls, nine DC positions were successfully filled. In the first call, five of the thirteen available DC positions were successfully filled, while the second call filled four of eight, with two selected candidates declining offers.
Among the nine researchers recruited so far—five male and four female—there is strong international representation, with nationalities including Greek, Indian, Spanish, German, Belgian, Argentinian, French, Chinese, and Russian. This diversity underscores our commitment to gender balance and to fostering an inclusive, global research environment.
A third call is now open to fill the remaining four positions:
- DC1: Impact of extra-light scattering on coupling in MCF.
- DC4: Innovative MCF amplifier approaches for telecommunications.
- DC10: Design of wavelength space division multiplexing MCF-based passive optical networks.
- DC12: Design of application-aware high-capacity optical networks.
If you are interested in pursuing a PhD in a dynamic, international research environment, we encourage you to apply!
We thank all applicants for their interest and look forward to welcoming a diverse and talented cohort of researchers.