Radiance & Research Mobility: Dr. Juliane Sauer on Shaping MSCA Support

In this episode of EURAXESS Smart Talks, we sit down with Dr. Juliane Sauer, Director and founding member of OXYGENEUM, and former MSCA National Contact Point for Switzerland. With over a decade of experience supporting researchers across Europe, Juliane shares her journey from academia to consultancy, her leadership in the Net4Mobility project, and her current role in the ambitious Radiance initiative.Together, we explore how Radiance is working to harmonize support for MSCA National Contact Points (NCPs) across countries, improve researcher mobility, and leverage digital tools—including matchmaking platforms and AI—to strengthen collaboration.Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, or simply curious about how the EU fosters scientific careers and international cooperation, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of research support.🔑 Key Topics Covered•Juliane Sauer’s career path: from communication scientist to EU research consultant•The Radiance project: scope, funding, and goals•Ensuring consistency among MSCA NCPs across countries•Peer learning, benchmarking, and tailored training approaches•Quantitative & qualitative evaluation methods for NCP support•Adapting to diverse target groups: doctoral networks, postdocs, industry partners•Matchmaking platform for researchers and institutions•The role of AI in supporting—but not replacing—human expertise⏱️ Question Timestamps•00:57 – Introduction to Dr. Juliane Sauer’s background•02:38 – What is the Radiance project and its objectives?•05:56 – How will consistency among NCPs be ensured across countries?•09:10 – Evaluating success: indicators and feedback mechanisms•10:06 – Adapting Radiance to different MSCA schemes and target groups•13:30 – Tailoring support for widening and third countries•13:33 – The matchmaking platform: how it works and why it matters•16:00 – Exploring AI tools: balancing automation with human touchSend us a message!