From the 13th to the 16th January 2026, the PhDnet Induction Week took place at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, initiating the 7th cycle of the European PhDnet “Literary and Cultural Studies,” a three-year programme that brings together doctoral students and professors from the Universities of Stockholm, Bergamo, Warwick, Helsinki, Lisbon, Giessen, and Graz. Three of our doctoral candidates from the Centre for Cultural Studies, Lisa Schantl, Hanna Gottlieb-Zimmermann, and Lisa Schattmann have successfully participated in and presented their dissertation topics at this first PhDnet conference, introducing their works on translingual poetry, discourses on pregnancy and childbirth in the 17th century, and contemporary romantasy literature.

Besides presenting their works-in-progress at the conference, the doctoral students also had the opportunity to attend workshops on the subjects of “Conference Presentations” by Dr. Deborah de Muijnck (JLU Giessen), “Overcoming the Fear of the First Draft” by Dr. Danica Stojanovic-Schaffrath (University of Graz), and “Open Access Publishing” by Prof. Elisabeth Wåghäll-Nivre (University of Stockholm), accompanied by a keynote lecture on “Jeunet’s Amélie and the Poetics of Images: On the Transformative Power of Art” delivered by Prof. Kirsten von Hagen (JLU Giessen). A tour of the University and the city of Giessen completed the programme, giving the PhD candidates a glimpse of what their extended stays in Giessen, which are part of the curriculum, might look like.

The PhDnet offers young scholars the chance to form connections with fellow doctoral students as well as professors and researchers in their field, and we are looking forward to the many conferences, symposia, and collaborations to come!