Thinking about a PhD in Europe as a career strategy (and not just as the next academic step)
After my recent webinar on how to prepare for a PhD in Europe, I was reminded of something I see every day in my consulting work: the urgent need in Latin America for clear, strategic, and contextualized information to support decision-making in scientific training. For that reason, in this article I will not go into every detail of the application process —that is reserved for those who attend the webinars— but I will offer a broader perspective on how to approach this decision as part of an international career plan.
In Latin America, we talk a lot about “doing a PhD,” but very little about why and with what strategy.
Throughout my nearly 20 years of scientific research experience in Europe, and now as a scientific consultant in Mexico, I have observed two very clear patterns:
- Talented people who do not even try to apply because they feel they are “not good enough.”
- People who do manage to enter a PhD, but without a clear vision, and eventually end up exhausted, frustrated, or underutilized.
This is why, rather than repeating technical information —which already exists in many places— I want to emphasize one central idea:
An international PhD should not be merely an academic milestone, but a strategic life and career decision.
1. It’s not just about “studying abroad”
A PhD in Europe can transform your professional trajectory: it can open doors in universities, research centers, industry, international organizations, public policy, consulting, and scientific diplomacy.
But this only happens when you approach it as:
- An investment of 3 to 5 years of your life.
- A commitment to a topic, a scientific ecosystem, and a type of professional role.
- An opportunity to build international networks and collaboration between your home country and Europe, for example.
Doing a PhD simply “because it’s the next step” or “because it’s what you’re supposed to do” is usually a poor strategy.
Doing it with clarity about where it can take you changes everything.
2. Europe as an ecosystem, not just a destination
In my webinars, I always emphasize this: Europe is not just a place where scholarships exist.
It is a research ecosystem with very specific characteristics:
- A strong culture of international collaboration.
- Programs that integrate mobility, research stays, networking, and joint projects.
- Environments where science does not stay on the page, but informs innovation, public policy, industry, and concrete solutions.
When you come from Mexico or any Latin American country, this not only opens doors for you to train abroad —it also equips you (if you choose to return) with a different kind of influence and a stronger capacity to connect both regions.
3. Shifting from “meeting requirements” to “designing a trajectory”
Many people get stuck in the logic of:
“First I improve my CV… then I’ll figure out where to apply.”
I usually propose the opposite approach:
“First I understand what kind of career I want to build, what issues I want to influence, and then I decide which PhD, in which country, with which research group, and under what conditions makes sense for that vision.”
This requires asking yourself uncomfortable but essential questions:
- Do I want a primarily academic career, or can I also imagine myself in industry, international organizations, public policy, consulting?
- What kind of research truly interests me: basic, applied, interdisciplinary, or connected to concrete social challenges?
- What role do I want future collaboration between Mexico/LatAm and Europe to play in my work?
A well-chosen PhD can become a powerful bridge between those answers and your professional reality.
4. Not doing it alone (and not starting from zero)
No one taught us how to:
- Read a call for applications strategically.
- Evaluate the quality of a supervisor.
- Understand the differences between programs, countries, and types of PhD structures.
- Translate our Latin American academic trajectory into the language used in Europe.
That’s why so many people feel they “don’t even know where to start.”
This is exactly where my work comes in:
Not to tell you whether you should or shouldn’t do a PhD, but to help you make informed decisions, align your goals with real opportunities, and build a viable pathway tailored to your specific case.
5. If you’re considering a PhD in Europe, this is the best moment to do it with intention
Interest in Europe is growing, competition is increasing, and at the same time there are programs and funding schemes that continue to invest in international talent —including Latin America— when there is a solid proposal behind it.
My invitation is not “apply now,” but rather:
- Think strategically about your next step.
- Stop seeing the PhD only as a degree and start seeing it as a node in a network of collaborations that can connect Mexico and Latin America with Europe.
- And if you need support, seek it—not because you can’t do it on your own, but because there is no reason to reinvent the path when accumulated experience already exists.
Would you like to work on your PhD strategy in Europe with me?
As a consultant, I support students, early-career researchers, and institutions in:
- Clarifying whether a PhD in Europe makes sense for their life and career project.
- Identifying opportunities that align with their profile.
- Designing a strong narrative for their CV, motivation letters, and interviews.
- Evaluating research groups, supervisors, and contexts to make informed decisions.
- Building collaboration bridges between Mexico/LatAm and Europe.
In my webinars, I go in depth into types of PhD programs, portals, funding schemes, and concrete examples.
In individual mentoring sessions, we translate all of that into your specific case.
If you are seriously considering a PhD in Europe and want to approach it strategically, it will be a pleasure to work with you.
