ECM e.V. logo – Education, Career, Mentoring

ECM Contact

Meet people. Share experiences. Take the next step.

ECM Contact is the flagship event of ECM e.V.—a meeting point for students, apprentices, young professionals, researchers, founders, and partners. Through discussions, workshops, and personal encounters, we bring together people who want to share their experiences and those seeking orientation.

Our Vision: We want talent to turn into opportunity: people gaining the self-confidence, knowledge, and contacts to progress, and then passing on what they've learned to others. ECM Contact gives special space to African experiences and perspectives in Germany while welcoming everyone who wants to learn, contribute, and connect.

Discover Edition

Discover Edition: 2025 — Highlights & Photos

Select an edition to view its program or highlights.

Past Edition 2025

Paths into research, professional ambitions, and experiences worth sharing.

ECM Contact 2025 brought together over 125 students, young professionals, and experienced leaders from various industries to explore opportunities in research and working life. In panel discussions and personal stories, speakers shared how they found their direction, seized opportunities, and took responsibility for their next steps.

Research Discussion

Research: Understanding Paths and Finding Your Place

What does research mean, and why might someone choose it? This discussion highlighted different research environments—universities, industry, and research institutes—and how African talents in Germany can access them. The panel combined explanations of research with personal accounts of seizing opportunities and building a career in this field.

  • What research is and how its different environments work.
  • Why do research—beyond just a title or degree?
  • Finding research opportunities in Germany and preparing for them.
  • How practical experience and professional networks contribute to a research path.
  • Transitioning between industry and academic research.

Key Takeaway

There is more than one path into research. Understanding the environment, gaining relevant experience, and learning from people already working in the field helps you find the right entry point.

Perspectives from the Panel

Career Planning Discussion

Career Planning: Turning Potential into Action

This panel encouraged participants to take their ambitions seriously and act on them. The discussion covered advancement opportunities, the importance of a deliberate career plan, and how African professionals can put their potential into practice. Alongside entrepreneurship, the panel also discussed intrapreneurship: taking initiative and creating value within an organization.

  • Recognizing your potential and having the courage to seize opportunities.
  • Being ambitious from the start and turning ambition into a plan.
  • Finding mentors and remaining open to advice.
  • Clearly communicating development goals—even to your manager.
  • Taking initiative in an organization and contributing beyond your own tasks.

Key Takeaway

Give your ambition a concrete shape: set a direction, seek advice, make your goals visible, and take initiative right where you are.

The Panelists

Photos

Research Discussion

Career Planning Discussion

Community & Networking

More Impressions

Join us at ECM Contact 2026

Discover this year's program and reserve your spot for October 30 and 31 in Erlangen.