From Research to Real‑World Impact: Why European Cultural Exchange Inspires My Work

Please share a short biography

My name is Fabienne Trotte, I am Head of Research, Innovation and Training at Relais Culture Europe, the French Creative Europe Desk. Trained in cultural management and geopolitics, I have developed expertise in European cultural cooperation and public policies. Based in Paris, I have been supporting cultural organisations in designing European projects since the early 2000s. I have worked on EU research and innovation projects such as the Horizon 2020 MESOC project (measuring the societal impacts of culture) and the trans-making project on culture, democracy and societal transitions, both now completed. I am currently involved in the Horizon Europe IDEAL project, focused on inclusive democratic engagement and language technologies in Europe.

Please provide a short overview of your job and its relation to STEM. What is your current job? What is the field about?

As Head of Research, Innovation and Training at Relais Culture Europe, my daily work involves following up the implementation of European research and innovation projects, advising cultural actors on EU funding opportunities, and running workshops on designing European cooperation projects. My role sits at the crossroads of culture, public policy and innovation, with links to STEM through the use of digital tools and participatory technologies in European projects. For example, my current involvement in the IDEAL project leads me to work with researchers exploring democratic engagement, social innovation and language technologies in Europe.

Who or what inspired you to follow this career path / start this job?

From the beginning, my career path has been inspired by a strong interest in European cultural cooperation and in creating concrete opportunities for exchanges between people, places and ideas. Working at the interface between cultural organisations and EU programmes appealed me because it allows research‑based activities on social and cultural innovation, inclusion and democratic participation, rather than purely administrative work. A key motivation for me is to build bridges between cultural actors and universities, and to support cross‑sector collaborations linking academic and non‑academic partners around shared projects. Finally, the possibility to work “on the field” with diverse partners across Europe, experimenting and learning collectively, continues to be a major source of inspiration in my job.

What does your typical working day look like?

A typical working day combines coordination work, research and collaboration with partners across Europe. My day usually starts with reading and responding to emails from project partners and cultural organisations, and preparing or following up on online meetings. These meetings are often held with universities, cultural actors and NGOs to discuss project ideas, refine work plans or solve practical issues in ongoing collaborations. Between meetings, time is dedicated to writing (project documents, reports, concept notes) and searching for new information on democracy, multilingualism and social innovation in the cultural field.

Please give an overview of your study path and how you got into this career. If you could start all over again, how you would change the career path? Has there been an educational experience (formal/informal/traineeship/...) that helped you? Did your colleagues follow similar study and career paths?

My study path has been mainly in European cultural management and policies, and in geopolitics at Paris 8 University. Entry into this career came through a student research assignment: a comparative study carried out with Relais Culture Europe, which then led to a traineeship and, shortly after, a first position on “Heritage and Europe”. The work progressively shifted towards the links between social and economic innovation, culture and territories, then towards the coordination of European projects and, step by step, to the design and coordination of a research project (the MSCA RISE trans‑making), followed by partnership roles in MESOC and now in IDEAL. If starting again, the path would probably keep the same European and cultural focus. Among colleagues, many have studied political science or European studies, which creates a shared background in EU policies and cultural cooperation.

What are the professional & personal key skills needed to do your job?

Here are some professional & personal key skills needed to do my job and how I use them:

• Administrative skills – Used daily to manage budgets, contracts, calendars and reporting obligations for EU-funded projects;

• Collaboration – Used to work in international teams with universities, cultural organisations and NGOs, sharing tasks and decisions to move common projects forward;

• Writing – Used to draft project applications, reports, and training materials in clear language that different audiences can understand and use;

• Project management – Used to structure application, monitor progress and organise meetings so that multi-partner projects reach their objectives;

• Active listening – Used in meetings and workshops to understand cultural organisations’ needs, constraints and expectations before giving advice or proposing project directions;

• Initiative – Used to launch new ideas, suggest partnerships or organise activities without waiting for others to ask, helping opportunities to emerge;

• Critical thinking – Used to evaluate project ideas, test their relevance for EU cultural cooperation, and choose the most robust approaches before committing time and resources.

What types of jobs & industry sectors can you work in, with your skills?

My profile opens access to several sectors. With skills in EU project design, research, multilingual communication and cultural cooperation, I can work in cultural institutions, EU-related organisations, NGOs or universities, either as an EU cultural project manager or as an expert in EU cultural cooperation.

What are the main challenges in your job?

The main challenges in my work come from combining EU project requirements with fast-changing cultural and societal contexts. Managing time and workload is also demanding, especially when coordinating several projects or diverse activities at once.

What is your advice to students?

Choosing this kind of work means choosing a demanding, long-term career, so it is important to move forward step by step, with curiosity and clarity. It is about building a solid foundation in social sciences (culture, European policies, geopolitics, democracy, citizenship) and combining it with very practical skills: project writing, management, languages and digital tools. You can look for concrete experiences (internships, student projects, volunteering in cultural organisations) to understand how cooperation really works between cultural actors, universities, cities and NGOs. This can help mix academic knowledge with field work and make the most of every opportunity for mobility and European projects, to get used early to cooperation, and to multilingual and multicultural environments.

How can teachers and parents support their students / children?

For careers at the crossroads of culture, Europe, research and democracy, teachers and parents should nurture curiosity and independent thinking, together with a strong interest in people, places and the world around us.