The 2026 Annual Meeting opened with a dedicated training day for Early Career Researchers, led by VALIDATE's own Samantha Vermaak and Dr María Adelaida Gómez. The 2026 ECR Workshop focussed on grant writing, offering practical guidance on how to turn research ideas into competitive proposals. Through interactive sessions, participants learned how to identify funding opportunities and structure applications effectively — gaining valuable insights from experienced researchers and grant reviewers.
Workshop Agenda
Monday 22 June 2026
Fragata Room, Floor 10, Hyatt Regency Cartagena
08:30–09:00 - Registration, tea and coffee
09:00–10:00 - Who You Are, Expectations and Workshop Aims
10:00–11:00 - Understanding Funders and Grant Calls
11:00–11:30 - Break
11:30–13:00 - Writing for Impact: Aims Page, Project Description, Project Statement and Rationale
13:00–14:00 - Lunch
14:00 –15:30 - Objectives and Logic Models
15:30 –16:00 - Break
16:00 –16:40 - Timelines and Budget
16:40 –17:00 - Troubleshooting and Final Tips
18:00 –20:00 - Workshop Dinner - Kokaú Restaurant (Floor 11)
