This article is based on and produced as a part of an EU-funded Jean Monnet network project ‘EUROMEC’ led by Professor Maria Stoicheva, Sofia University, Bulgaria. Strand 2 of the project is entitled: ‘New European young researchers’ identities. Exchanges and doctoral studies—an international study of processes and outcomes in the EU’ with partners from St Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia, Bulgaria; Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; University of Luxembourg; University of Durham, UK; University of Aveiro, Portugal; and Beijing Language and Culture University, China