Dream + PLAN
Associate Supervisor
Funding Partner: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND, EU Horizon
Project Timeline: 2025-2030
COFUND
EU Horizon
The DREAM+PLAN (Driving Climate Positive Futures) program is an interdisciplinary and international PhD initiative designed to develop the next generation of climate researchers and changemakers working towards solutions for global climate challenges.
Funded through the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND program under the European Union’s Horizon Europe framework, the program aims to bridge research, innovation and action by supporting doctoral researchers to develop practical pathways towards a more sustainable, equitable and resilient future.
Coordinated by RMIT Europe, RMIT’s innovation hub in Barcelona, DREAM+PLAN brings together universities, industry partners, policymakers, NGOs and innovation organisations across Europe and Australia to create a collaborative research community focused on climate-positive futures. The program will support up to 32 PhD researchers whose work is guided by three core principles: resilience—strengthening the capacity of communities and systems to withstand disruption; restoration—repairing and rehabilitating degraded ecosystems; and regeneration—supporting the renewal of ecosystems and communities for long-term sustainability.
Through an interdisciplinary and cross-sector approach, DREAM+PLAN enables doctoral researchers to address complex climate-related challenges across areas including clean technologies, renewable industries, nature-based solutions, green finance, entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation. Each researcher will receive advanced scientific and professional training, alongside opportunities to collaborate with academic and non-academic partners to ensure their research generates practical, actionable outcomes.
The program creates a truly international research experience through global collaboration, doctoral schools, seminars, industry roundtables and extended research placements, including opportunities for PhD candidates to undertake secondments at RMIT University. By connecting early-career researchers with leading universities, industry experts and societal partners, DREAM+PLAN aims to build a new generation of researchers equipped with the skills and capabilities to understand and respond to the scale and complexity of climate change.
Supported by a consortium of European universities and a network of industry, government and community partners, DREAM+PLAN contributes to the goals of the European Green Deal and broader global efforts to accelerate climate action. The program’s graduates will be positioned to develop innovative solutions and lead transformative change across sectors, helping create a more sustainable, inclusive and thriving future.