The main objective of this programme is to enhance the career perspectives of early stage researchers (ERS) by providing the unique opportunity to be exposed to research and training in both an academic as well as an industrial environment. This will be facilitated through the partnership which has been set up between the Polymer Chemistry Research (PCR) group of the Ghent University and the industrial partner DOW Benelux B.V., bringing together two world class research partners active in the field of polymer chemistry. This partnership will offer excellent multidisciplinary doctoral training opportunities for the ESR in the development of renewable and sustainable coating resins with multifunctional properties and will foster a long-term collaboration between both partners. The PCR group has developed the fundamentals of the novel thiolactone platform chemistry and the research aim of this project is to exploit this chemistry to develop a novel chemical platform for renewable smart coating development.