Alice Cucca - “Good things take time”: how securing funding for a PhD project can become a rewarding experience

Alice, you’ve just started your PhD research at the Centre for International Law (within the Faculty of Law and Criminology, ULB). Could you tell us what your project focuses on and what you see as its main contribution?
The main objective of my research is to define the actions of the European Union (EU) and its Member States in trade involving occupied territories through a holistic approach that encompasses international law, EU law and international trade law. At the centre of my project lies the study of four cases of illegal occupation, I am referring to the cases of Crimea, Palestine, Western Sahara and Northern Cyprus.
Under international law, the illegality of these occupations imposes specific obligations on the EU and its Member States in defining their relations with these territories. They are obliged not to recognise the occupation itself, the situation created by the occupying power and not to aid or assist the occupying power in maintaining this unlawful situation. Now, if we examine the EU’s practice involving occupied territories in relation to the four cases mentioned above, we can notice that the EU has adopted inconsistent practices in trade involving occupied territories. To be more precise, the EU has established different regimes that appear to depend on the specific occupied territory in question. It’s exactly here that the scope of my research comes into play. Considering the EU’s differentiated approach toward occupied territories and the obligation of non-recognition, aid or assistance incumbents on the EU and its Member States, through my project I will try to understand whether it’s possible to construct a common regime in trade involving occupied territories. In pursuing this goal, I will examine on which legal basis the EU has developed a differentiated trade practice, addressing at the same time the challenges raised by the EU law and World Trade Organisation (WTO) law. With my project, I will contribute to determine the legal implications for the EU and for its Member States within a such diverse commercial practice through a cross-cutting perspective.

Do you have any funding?
Yes, I obtained the FRESH^[1] scholarship in December 2025 to conduct my PhD research at the ULB.

What made you choose this scholarship?
I chose this fellowship due to the societal impact of my research topic which perfectly aligned with this type of grant.

Have you tried securing other funding before?
No, it was the first time that I tried to get a scholarship.

The FRESH grant supports research projects with demonstrable societal impact. What specific impacts did you identify during the development of your project?
Trade involving occupied territories has an intrinsic social dimension. This occurs due to its sensitive character that leads to moral and ethical questions, which end up involving numerous actors at different levels. My project will provide a deeper insight of the EU and Member States’s actions in trade involving occupied territories through a multidimensional approach that includes international law, EU law and also WTO law. This is extremely relevant given the research deficiency in the existing literature in addressing this topic through a transversal dimension.
Concerning the potential beneficiaries of my research study, I have identified different recipients. The main recipients of my research are the EU and its Member States. As explained so far, my research will provide a clear legal framework for the EU and Member States’ actions in trade involving occupied territories, an area currently unclear due to EU’s diverse trade practices on this issue. Concurrenly, my project will have a broader impact on the players who turn the wheels of trade and operate in occupied territories, as for example, the European companies and multinationals. Indirectly, my study will benefit all actors working on social justice and human rights such as non‑governmental organizations (“NGOs”) and trade unions. These latter are particularly sensitive to this subject as demonstrated by the different petitions and campaigns they have presented on this matter. In the same way, the civil society will also take advantages from the outcome of this study. Day by day, our society is demonstrating an in-deep concern regarding the responsibility of our governments in reinforcing illegal occupations in every form, including trade.

What are the main benefits of a FRESH scholarship?
The FRESH scholarship, as mentioned before, supports projects with societal impact in the fields of humanities and social sciences. This funding is extremely important because it promotes research on social issues, fostering the understanding or the functioning of specific sectors. Through this grant, you will receive funding to conduct your PhD thesis in a Belgian University over four years. This scholarship is divided into two period, with the possibility of renewal after the first two years (2+2).

What advice would you give to anyone wishing to apply for this call for proposals (which is expected to open in July 2026 and close in August 2026), depending on the stages of the selection process?
My main recommendations concern the time devoted to the research development and the form that the project should assume. The construction of a research subject is a continuous process where time is a fundamental factor that should not be overestimated. “Good things take time” is a quote that became a simple truth for me in this process. Time is precious because it allows you to look at your project with different perspectives, incorporating point of views that you may not be able to include before, as they are the result of a process that led to an evolution. In addition, another element extremely fundamental regards “the form”.
The substance is the heart of your project, but the form is “the mean” through which you share your project and let the others grasp the content of your research. The form requires a particular attention whose codeword is clarity. The project must be clear, not only for you, but also for those that will have the opportunity to read the text of your project or listen your oral presentation. Working on the “form” makes your project clearer. This is a key point not only for this process, but also for your academic career, when you will write articles or you will take part as a speaker at conferences or seminars. Before, I drawn my attention to the importance of “the time factor”. In this regard, it’s essential to recall that time spent during this process does not concern only the project itself but also you. This time can positively impact you both as a student and simply as a person. In the midst of this, you may be full of expectations and emotions. However, you should acknowledge your work and enjoy this process. Regardless the outcome, this process represents an important step of your journey, rich of little and great progress and lessons that deserve to be recognised: first of all, from you.
 

[1] Fund established by the Government of the French Community in Belgium. FRESH stands for Fonds pour la Recherche en Sciences Humaines in french (Fund for Research in the Humanities).