In this episode, I sit down with Viltaré Platzner, Head of the Centre of EU Projects at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, to talk about the human side of research management. We unpack the real day-to-day: reading people, building trust with PIs and partners, handling silence and conflict in consortia, and staying resilient when Horizon proposals miss by a whisker. Viltaré shares her route into RM, the reality of covering the full project life cycle in a small team, and why empathy, curiosity and boundary-setting matter as much as technical skills.
We also take a frank look at professionalisation: how the European competence framework for research managers helps map skills—but can feel abstract or “de-humanised” compared with lived practice. From hiring (often juniors) and mentoring under tight resources, to retaining talent that private consultancies try to poach, Viltaré lays out the Eastern/Central European context, the role of supportive leadership, and why community (EARMA, peer networks) is a lifeline. The episode ends with practical advice: make time for reflection, keep learning, and find your people
Time codes:
00:01:41 Introduction
00: 04:10 Fly in
00:06:40 Personal skills in practice
00:24:25 The competence framework
00:43:37 Hiring and training challenges
01:01:25 Reflections and advice
01:06:22 The toughest challenge