The Doctoral School is delighted to welcome 30 exceptional doctoral candidates as part of the fifth cohort of the PhD Excellence Program, officially launched on 21 May 2026.More than 50 participants gathered at the Casino de Morges to celebrate the start of an exciting new chapter. The event brought together new fellows, alumni from previous cohorts, and program affiliates for an evening of inspiration, exchange, and community building.Philip Mair, Head of the Doctoral School (EDOC), gave an overview of the program: its mission, structure, and the many opportunities it offers to help doctoral candidates develop their leadership potential and explore future career paths. Participants also heard from Markus Renoldner (EDMA) and Zoubeir Saraw (EDMX), fellows from of 4th cohort, who shared their experiences of the Program trainings and reflected on the impact the program has had on their personal and professional development.The evening concluded with a networking session, giving new fellows the chance to connect with one another, start building relationships across cohorts, and exchange with the program coordinators in a relaxed and informal setting.We warmly congratulate the 2026 fellows and wish them every success as they embark on this journey.Since its launch, the EPFL PhD Excellence Program has supported 137 doctoral candidates in developing the transversal and leadership skills needed to thrive in their future careers, not only as excellent researchers, but also as engaged members of society and the leaders of tomorrow.Curious about where the journey can lead?Find out what the program graduates have achieved. Meet Luc and Suhas, founders of DeltaSpark, a climate-tech startup born from a collaboration that began through the PhD Excellence Program.Interested in joining the community?If you are looking to expand your horizons, develop new skills, and explore pathways beyond academia, keep an eye out for the next call for applications. Applications for the 2027 cohort will open later this year.For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the EPFL PhD Excellence webpage.© 2026 EPFL - Julie Mazard© 2026 EPFL - Julie Mazard© 2026 EPFL - Julie Mazard© 2026 EPFL - Julie MazardFundingThe EPFL PhD Excellence Program is part of the Student Support Program, a philanthropic initiative by EPFL. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Fondation du Domaine de Villette and Holdinova SA for their generous support, which helps make this program possible.