In recent years, the University of Bayreuth has successfully coordinated two consecutive European doctoral networks as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The two EU-funded consortia, TADFlife and TADFsolutions, were dedicated to developing a new generation of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that are more energy-efficient, longer-lasting and, at the same time, cheaper to manufacture. Particular emphasis was placed on so-called solution-processable materials, which in future could be processed in a similar way to printing inks and applied to flexible substrates using, for example, inkjet printing
It is exceptional for a university to secure and lead two such demanding European doctoral networks in quick succession. Even more remarkable, however, is the outcome at the end of the funding period: alongside scientific advances, an international training environment has emerged that has produced highly qualified specialists for research, industry and innovation in Europe. is expressly welcome.
“The true success of these networks is evident not only in scientific publications or technological advances, but above all in the people who have emerged from them,” says Prof. Dr. Anna Köhler, Chair of Opto-Electronic Processes in Organic Semiconductors at the University of Bayreuth and coordinator of both consortia. “Our doctoral students have learned, in an international environment, to combine scientific excellence with interdisciplinary thinking, entrepreneurial spirit and practical experience. These are precisely the kind of skilled professionals Europe needs to successfully translate new technologies into innovation and economic value creation.”
OLED technologies are now a key component of modern displays in smartphones, televisions, tablets and medical applications. The European networks TADFlife and TADFsolutions aimed to develop materials and concepts for OLEDs that enable greater energy efficiency, higher colour purity and a longer service life. Particular attention was paid to the ‘thermally activated delayed fluorescence’ (TADF) research approach, which enables a more efficient use of electrical energy in organic light-emitting diodes. The scientific work was closely linked to a structured training programme. Doctoral students from numerous countries worked in international teams, undertook research placements with industry partners and gained additional qualifications in areas such as science communication, project management, entrepreneurship and technology transfer
This approach lies at the heart of the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks. The aim is not only to provide young researchers with scientific training, but also to prepare them specifically for careers in academia, industry and innovative companies.
Europe faces intense global competition, particularly in the field of modern display and semiconductor technologies. Training highly qualified young professionals is therefore regarded as a crucial factor in securing long-term innovation capacity and technological independence. Right from the start of the project, the declared aim of the Bayreuth networks was to combine cutting-edge scientific research with the targeted development of future specialists and managers.
The networks, which have now been completed or are drawing to a close, have established a lasting international cooperation network between universities, research institutions and companies for this purpose. Many of the graduates trained through these programmes now work in research institutions or technology-oriented companies and are helping to translate scientific findings into marketable innovations.
For the University of Bayreuth, the success of the two successive EU networks underscores its international visibility in the fields of materials science and optoelectronics. At the same time, it demonstrates how closely cutting-edge research, international networking and the training of qualified specialists are interlinked.
