Call for applications 2026: Smarter and healthier cities on a changing planet

Smarter and healthier cities on a changing planet provides early career scientists at TUM, Imperial and PoliMi working in one or more of the area of health, sustainability, smart technologies and urban planning and design the opportunity to meet each other across disciplines. They can form international research connections, and get to participate in a series of online and in-person training sessions, focused on both individual career development and collaborative research skills (e.g. understanding EU research funding and policy landscapes).  The programme also aims to help researchers develop interdisciplinary project teams and develop proposals for further research collaboration.

Applicants who are within 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD, from engineering, natural sciences, medicine and/or business, who are working on topics that fit into the larger theme of smarter and healthier cities on a changing planet are encouraged to apply.

To apply for the 2026 cohort of the European Talent Academy, please fill in the form below and use the given keywords. For more information about the programme, please refer to the European Talent Academy page on the TUM Global & Alumni Office website and the call for applications document.


Keywords to use for the application: Climate resilience, Carbon neutrality, Renewable energy, Green infrastructure, Biodiversity, Circular economy, Urban ecology, Nature-based solutions, Sustainable mobility, Environmental justice, Urban farming, Net-zero buildings, Sustainable architecture, Eco-innovation, Emissions monitoring, Green certifications, Urban rewilding, Soil health, Sustainable procurement, Blue-green networks, Low-carbon cities, Sustainable construction materials, Sustainable material innovation, Energy harvesting technologies, Water resource management in urban settings, Climate-smart design, Environmental communication design, Smart growth, Mixed-use development, Transit-oriented development, Walkability, Public space design, Urban regeneration, Compact cities, Zoning innovation, Green roofs, Low-impact development, Tactical urbanism, Placemaking, Urban densification, Inclusive urban planning, Mobility hubs, Urban morphology, Adaptive reuse, Biophilic design, Urban sprawl mitigation, Resilient streetscapes, Human-centered design for urban spaces, Urban interaction design, Design for wellbeing, Smart product-service systems, Design for sustainable behavior, UX/UI for urban services, Health-promoting environments, Participatory design and planning, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial intelligence (AI), Digital twins, Urban sensors, Smart grids, Data-driven governance, Predictive analytics, Intelligent transport systems, E-governance, Urban informatics, Edge computing, Blockchain for cities, Smart lighting, Urban robotics, Cybersecurity in urban systems, 5G connectivity, Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), Smart waste management, Augmented reality (AR) in planning, Real-time traffic analytics, Air quality monitoring systems, Data-driven urban systems, Urban data analytics, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Advanced materials for urban resilience, Smart infrastructure, Smart materials, Computational urban science, Big data in urban analytics, Energy storage for urban applications, Urban innovation ecosystems, Policy for smart cities, Citizen engagement in smart cities, Data governance in urban systems, Ethics of smart technologies, Social impact of urban technologies, Active transport, Air quality, Mental health, Urban heat islands., Health equity, Noise pollution, Access to healthcare, Food security, Physical activity, Social cohesion, Urban loneliness, Green exercise, Community health workers, Urban nutrition, Pandemic preparedness, Health impact assessments, Clean water access, Age-friendly cities, Urban stress reduction, Public health data systems, Design for wellbeing, Health-promoting environments, Disaster preparedness, Climate adaptation, Flood management, Energy efficiency, Water conservation, Urban cooling, Risk mitigation, Community resilience, Infrastructure durability, Future-proofing, Heatwave response plans, Emergency communication systems, Urban insurance models, Resilient supply chains, Microgrid deployment, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Urban fire safety, Resilient housing, Post-disaster recovery planning, Climate migration strategies, Climate-smart design

Eligibility

Applicants should be within 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD. These periods exclude any career break, for example due to:

  • family care
  • maternity or paternity leave 
  • health reasons
  • reasons related to COVID-19 such as home schooling or increased teaching load

Programme and timeline

The programme takes place from February to December 2026.  Participants must commit to attending all of the following online and in-person mandatory sessions, which are:

  • 25 February; 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (CET) – Online introduction
  • 4 March; 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CET) – Virtual storytelling workshop
  • 18 - 20 March – In-person kick-off in London – Networking and finding collaborators
  • 14 April - 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (CET) – Check in and idea refinement session
  • 22 May- 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (CET) – Funding session
  • 16 - 18 June – In-person retreat in Munich – Project Development
  • September (date TBC) – Individual project development session with consultant
  • 6 - 8 October – In-person closing session in Milano


Registration – Application European Talent Academy 2026

(include your fellowship title as applicable)
(100 words max, 700 characters)
(50 words max, 350 characters)
(50 words max, 350 characters)
(50 words max, 350 characters)
(100 words max, 700 characters)

I agree that my personal data will be processed by the TUM Brussels Office of the Technical University of Munich (https://www.international.tum.de/en/global/brussels/) for the purpose of applying for the European Talent Academy 2026, sending related informational materials during the programme as well as for the application of the program via TUM communication channels. My personal data will be deleted 10 weeks after the end of the programme. I can revoke my consent at any time for the future without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on Art. 6 (1) lit. a DSGVO that took place on the basis of the consent until the revocation. After your revocation, we will delete your data from the registration form. Please note that your participation in the webinar can then no longer be ensured. Please send your revocation to (brussels@tum.de).

Under the legal conditions, there is a right to information, as well as to correction or deletion or to restriction of processing or a right to object to processing, as well as the right to data portability. There is also the right to lodge a complaint with the Bavarian State Commissioner for data protection. If you have any questions, please contact the TUM data protection officer (www.datenschutz.tum.de).

Your contact at TUM


TUM Brussels

If you require help or have any questions, please contact TUM Brussels Liaison Officer Iris Figliolia.

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