Connecting Research: From Workshop to a Vibrant Community
There’s no shortage of academic conferences. But genuine international exchange that brings new perspectives and targeted collaboration? For that, you often have to take the initiative yourself. That’s exactly what Tobias Breitenbach and Jan Strackbein, doctoral students at the Chair of Supply Chain Management at the University of Mannheim, and Johanna Behrens, doctoral student at the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management at Tilburg University, decided to do. Together, they organized the SCM@ENGAGE.EU Research Workshop on Sustainability—the starting point for building a vibrant research community in the field of Supply Chain Management.
Their approach: Make use of existing networks to establish new connections and better integrate existing structures. On 10 and 11 July 2025, almost 30 researchers from the ENGAGE.EU alliance gathered at the University of Mannheim to share their sustainability-related research, learn from each another, and initiate new collaborations. The result was a multifaceted program featuring keynotes, research presentations, discussions, and a panel discussion where professors from the ENGAGE.EU universities shared their expertise.
Focus: Research, Career, and Diverse Perspectives
The workshop was based on three pillars:
- Research exchange among early-stage researchers, enriched by valuable input from diverse methodological and thematic angles.
- Sharing experiences: professors provided insights and practical career advice.
- Networking through personal conversations in an open, relaxed atmosphere.
Using Networks Sustainably
“The workshop was fully booked, participants enjoyed it, and they took a lot away from it. There was a great, almost family-like atmosphere with many exciting insights,” summarizes Breitenbach.
Supported by the University of Mannheim in cooperation with ENGAGE.EU, the workshop showed how easy these formats can be organized with a low threshold. ENGAGE.EU offers the ideal infrastructure for this: “It’s incredibly helpful to utilize the existing institutional connections of ENGAGE.EU. The network is the ideal size to launch initiatives like this,” adds Strackbein.
The workshop also served as a launchpad for further initiatives. Ideas include cross-university seminars or hybrid courses within the SCM@ENGAGE.EU community, which will be further developed in the future.
“ENGAGE.EU thrives on active participation. We encourage everyone to use the network—not just via email, but through real exchange. From our own experience, we can say: it was worth taking the initiative.”
The organizers are happy to help if other research communities are interested in starting similar initiatives. For more information, please contact engageuni-mannheim.de.