YRMA Voices – Edition 7 features the experiences of two researchers who used the YERUN Research Mobility Award to advance ambitious interdisciplinary collaborations in two critical areas: digital governance and sustainability in higher education.
Dr. Dennis Redeker, postdoctoral researcher at ZeMKI, University of Bremen, used the award to initiate a partnership with Dublin City University that evolved into a long-term collaboration on digital constitutionalism and human rights online. Despite pandemic-related delays, the exchange led to major publications, joint teaching initiatives, and ongoing work through the growing Digital Constitutionalism Network.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón, Assistant Professor at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, completed a research stay at Nova University Lisbon that strengthened her focus on sustainable development. The mobility period allowed her to connect institutional efforts in Spain and Portugal, resulting in lasting partnerships, new project opportunities, and a broader international network.
Their stories reflect the enduring value of research mobility in creating space for innovation, building strategic connections, and turning shared challenges into long-term academic cooperation.
What impact did the YERUN Research Mobility Award have on your research and professional development?
Dr. Dennis Redeker: The YERUN Research Mobility Award definitely supported the development and deepening of the cooperation with Professor Edoardo Celeste, my host at Dublin City University (DCU). When we submitted the application for the YERUN award, we had hardly worked together before. We knew we wanted to explore new topics at the intersection of political science and law; we had only just met and our cooperation started with the founding (with others) of the Digital Constitutionalism Network at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum. Part of this joint exploration has been to apply for and receive (with two other colleagues, Nicola Palladino and Kinfe Yilma) a grant from (what is now) Meta Research to conduct a study on digital constitutionalism and social media platforms, specifically following the query if and how human rights norms can be interpreted in social media content governance. All in all, the YERUN Research Mobility Award helped us to set concrete goals for the collaboration, which we then pursued in spite of world events working against us.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón: The YERUN Research Mobility Award has significantly enhanced my research capabilities and professional development. Thanks to YERUN, I was able to undertake a research stay at Nova University Lisbon from July 15 to 26, 2019. The principal investigator who hosted me is an expert in Strategic Environmental Assessment and Planning at the School of Science and Technology, and a senior researcher at the Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research (CENSE). The experience of this researcher and his network of sustainability professionals was a crucial starting point for this experience. As a result of this stay, I was able to strengthen ties with an expert university researcher in sustainability and work with her team on various scientific productions. Additionally, this experience allowed me to connect CENSE professionals with the INAECU institute in Spain by inviting this expert to give a presentation at a conference in Madrid, thus expanding collaborations not only with the award recipient but also between institutions.
Can you share a memorable moment or highlight from your mobility experience?
Dr. Dennis Redeker: The positive decision for the mobility award came in late 2019 and I planned my visit at Dublin City University for the spring of 2020. However, then things changed quickly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of meeting in person as planned in 2020 I only visited Dublin in the fall of 2022. When I visited the DCU campus and Professor Celeste showed me around, it felt like a very long journey finally ended, with a lot of cooperative work already done virtually. Luckily, the eventual physical visit was only an additional step on the way of a cooperation in research, teaching and outreach that is still ongoing.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón: One of the most memorable moments of my mobility experience was when I was invited to present a seminar during my stay through CENSE on sustainability in universities, specifically at Nova University Lisbon. This seminar brought together various interdisciplinary researchers, which was invaluable for obtaining both theoretical and methodological feedback. During this seminar, strategic topics on sustainability in universities were discussed, with a special focus on the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Projects and actions carried out at this institution were presented, leading to a discussion on benchmarking sustainability in higher education institutions and future lines of research with the aim of integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into curricula. This exchange of ideas and experiences enriched the debate and helped find points of connection between different disciplines. The study highlighted the importance of active participation of the university community in achieving the SDGs, presenting success stories and challenges faced. Furthermore, it underscored the relevance of interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve common goals, demonstrating that the union of different perspectives can generate innovative and effective solutions.
Did the collaboration initiated through the award lead to any ongoing partnerships or follow-up projects?
Dr. Dennis Redeker: The cooperation supported by the YERUN Research Mobility Award led to a number of outputs and follow-up projects. Next to a joint chapter (with Mauro Santaniello) in 2023, we also published a chapter and the open access book “The Content Governance Dilemma” (Palgrave Macmillan) together with Nicola Palladino and Kinfe Yilma to communicate the findings from the Facebook grant-funded research. In late 2024, a joint chapter in the Oxford Handbook on Digital Constitutionalism appeared (with Clara Iglesias Keller), in early 2025, an article in Internet Policy Review followed. Other journal articles are currently in the works and I am sure many more are to come. We continue to organise joint Erasmus+ funded teaching activities as part of the growing Digital Constitutionalism Network.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón: Yes, the collaboration initiated through the YERUN Research Mobility Award has allowed me to become a member of CENSE – Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research. CENSE is an interdisciplinary research centre affiliated with the NOVA School of Science and Technology, focusing on the interaction between human and ecological systems to promote sustainable development. Additionally, we have worked on several projects related to sustainable development goals and the circular economy with various researchers from international universities. These partnerships have resulted in joint publications, participation in international conferences, and additional research initiatives.
What advice would you give to researchers considering applying for the YERUN Research Mobility Awards?
Dr. Dennis Redeker: Do it, no matter if you have a very concrete project you and your partner want to pursue or a new (interdisciplinary) exploration based on a whim and joint curiosity. In addition, the nature of YERUN – made up of young universities – means that there could even be a spirit in common, of universities that do not date back hundreds of years and that are often created at a time of expansion of universities in Europe. It could just be that this spirit helps to develop new joint projects geared to revolutionize the status quo in research – and teaching.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón: I would suggest that these researchers, considering their lines of research and the universities linked with YERUN, approach the application process with a clear vision of their research objectives and how collaboration can enhance their work. It is important to identify potential partners whose expertise complements yours and to be open to interdisciplinary and different approaches. Additionally, make sure to articulate the potential impact of your research and how it aligns with the goals of the YERUN network. The experience offered by YERUN through its mobility awards is priceless and should not be missed by researchers looking to expand their horizons and strengthen their professional networks. YERUN’s dedication to fostering international collaboration and professional development has been fundamental for many researchers, so I can only congratulate them on their 10th anniversary. This trajectory of work by the YERUN network makes this award a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange among professionals (especially with internationally renowned researchers), and to boost your professional career by increasing possible scientific collaborations and expanding your network of contacts.
Thank you, Dennis and Leyla Angélica!
Both stories reflect the diversity and adaptability of the YERUN Research Mobility Awards, grounded in academic curiosity, strategic thinking, and a commitment to addressing real-world challenges. Whether through exploring digital rights or advancing sustainability in universities, these researchers show how mobility is more than movement, it is momentum.
As the YERUN network marks a decade of supporting research excellence, stories like these affirm why investing in international collaboration remains as vital as ever.
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Short bios:
Dr. Dennis Redeker is a postdoctoral researcher at ZeMKI, University of Bremen, affiliated with the Platform Governance, Media, and Technology Lab. His work focuses on foreign policy making and global digital governance, especially transnational Internet, platform, and AI regulation. In 2019, he co‑founded the interdisciplinary Digital Constitutionalism Network, which explores human rights’ place in digital technologies and the constitutionalization of the digital sphere. Dennis earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bremen. While pursuing his degree, he completed research stays at NYU’s Center for European and Mediterranean Studies and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center. In March 2021, he defended his dissertation entitled “Digital Constitutionalism: Transnational Advocacy Networks and the Struggle for Human Rights in the Digital Age”. Dennis is currently a fellow of the Information Society Law Center (ISLC) at the University of Milan and a Visiting Professor at FGV‑CTS in Rio de Janeiro. In the past, he served as a fellow at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) and a Teaching Fellow at KI‑Campus. In 2022, he was named a Young Academy Fellow by the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg. Dennis is an associate editor for “digital governance” at the journal Digital Society. His teaching emphasises research‑based, problem‑based and transnational collaboration – including Erasmus+ Blended-Intensive Programs. Dennis is a work package lead for an EU Horizon Europe project (“REMIT”) and a regular contributor to international policy processes, including the UN Internet Governance Forum and its regional counterparts.
Dr. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics with an international mention from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics, receiving the Award for Outstanding Performance. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Organization at UAM. Her research focuses on business strategy, education, open science, and sustainability. In addition to her academic work, she has provided professional services as an economist to various private organizations, including P & B Consulting, the Confederation of Employers of Cartagena (Murcia, Spain), Estrachi S.A., and the FADE Foundation. She is an active member of the Interuniversity Institute for Advanced Research on Evaluation of Science and Higher Education (INAECU), the Society and University research group (SOCYUN), and CENSE.
