Center for Graduate Support and Academic Staff Development

Important information for scientists in early career phases and external offers

WissKon25 – die NaWik-Konferenz für kommunizierende Forschende

Am 02. Dezember 2025 findet die WissKon25 – die NaWik-Konferenz für kommunizierende Wissenschaftler:innen in Karlsruhe statt.

Mit der WissKon-Konferenz bietet das Nationale Institut für Wissenschaftskommunikation (NaWik) jährlich eine Plattform für einen offenen und kreativen Austausch. Hier dreht sich alles um Forschende und ihre Dialoge mit der Öffentlichkeit und den Medien. Eine Anmeldung zur WissKon ist ab Herbst 2025 möglich.

Nähere Informationen unter:
https://www.nawik.de/wisskon/die-wisskon-2025/

Doctoral and habilitation regulations of the faculties of the RPTU in Landau

Faculty of Psychology at the RPTU in Landau

Faculty of Educational Sciences at the RPTU in Landau

Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences at the RPTU in Landau

Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences at the RPTU in Landau

Doctoral Ombuds Committee

The Doctoral Ombuds Committee is available to all doctoral candidates who have problems with their doctorate as a first and low-threshold point of contact.

You can find the website of the Doctoral Ombuds Committee here.

Information for those interested in a doctorate

This page will be filled in gradually and is intended to simplify the beginnings of your research. It is not legally binding. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: zgapl[at]rptu.de or the TU-Nachwuchsring gf[at]nachwuchsring.uni-kl.de

In principle, a doctorate requires:

There are several financing options for living expenses, which are described under "Financing".

Under the following link you will find a further test that can give you an idea of whether a doctorate suits you: Test: Are you the type for a doctorate? – academics

There are different types of doctorates.

On the one hand, a distinction can be made between a monographic and cumulative doctorate.

  • Monographic means that a complete text is written on one (doctoral) topic.
  • A cumulative doctorate consists of several articles that are published in recognised specialist journals.

A further distinction can be made in the type of supervision:

  • Individual doctorate
    This form of doctorate means that future doctoral candidates independently find a supervisor for their doctoral project.
  • Structured doctoral programmes
    In these programmes, there are often additional offers in the interdisciplinary and "soft skills" area for an additional qualification.
  • External doctorate
    In this case, the doctoral candidates do not have an employment relationship at the chair where they are doing their doctorate. They usually have another job. This means that they often have fewer ties to the university. 

There are several ways to finance a doctorate:

  1. Jobs at the university usually combined with another activity (e.g. teaching ).
    (Job offers and careers - RPTU University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau can be found here)
  2. Third-party funded positions or scholarships (here are good contacts for possible doctoral supervisors)
  3. Graduate College
    (existing graduate programmes at the RPTU can be found here: Coordinated Research – RPTU University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau)
  4. Scholarships
    On the following pages you can find general information about scholarships. In the scholarship database you can research which scholarships are suitable for your subject.
    General information: Homepage (stipendiumplus.de)
    Scholarship databases: http://www.mystipendium.de
    Scholarship database of e-fellows.net - e-fellows.net
  5. So-called external doctoral studies:  Financing your livelihood through another employment
  6. Co-operation in the private sector

When financing a doctorate, please note that scholarships are usually not subject to social security contributions. It is best to inform yourself in advance about the topic of "social insurance" in order to be able to make a good decision.

A useful FAQ on the use of artificial intelligence and good scientific practice from the Ombudsman for Science can be found here:
https://ombudsman-fuer-die-wissenschaft.de/13211/faq-kuenstliche-intelligenz-und-gute-wissenschaftliche-praxis/

External offers

PhD Pathfinder

You’re planning your PhD or supervising a PhD? This tool will guide you through the process of planning your PhD in Germany. Learn more here: https://www.research-in-germany.org/en/your-goal/phd/pathfinder.html#/

 

HAW Professorships: A Practice-Oriented Career Path

Free Webinar hosted by GSO & HTW Berlin: HAW Professorships: A Practice-Oriented Career Path

When planning your career, you may envision either a traditional university professorship or a less-defined role outside academia. But have you considered a path that blends both worlds?

Germany’s Universities of Applied Sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften, HAWs) offer a unique career opportunity. As a professor at an HAW, you can design your teaching, bridge theory and practice, and inspire students in highly applied fields—all while engaging in research and industry collaborations.

📅When? April 1, 2025, 12:00.1.15 PM (CEST) 

📝 Learn more and register here.

 

Call for applications for the Dorothea Erxleben Visiting Professorship as of 1 October 2025

Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg is seeking to fill the Dorothea Erxleben Visiting Professorship as of 1 October 2025. This professorship will be awarded for a period of two years to female scientists in the early career phase who are aiming for an academic career. The aim of the visiting professorship is to promote female academic careers and to prepare the candidate for a career as a university lecturer. The subject profile of the applicants is not specified, but it should be compatible with the OVGU's areas of specialisation.

The call for applications can be found here. 
Applications are requested by 11 April 2025, enclosing the usual documents (academic CV; list of the five most important publications; lecturing activities; previous teaching experience; research topics; academic references) via the online application portal.

If you have any questions regarding the advertised position, please contact Dr Anne Teller on 0391/67-58020 or by e-mail: anne.teller@ovgu.de. 
General information on the professorship and previous holders can be found on the BGF website at www.bfg.ovgu.de/-p-224.

 

Website of the UniWiND-AG on Open Science

The UniWiND working group “Open Science in the doctoral phase” has published a new website (www.openscience.uniwind.org) that provides an easy-to-understand introduction to the complex topic of Open Science, including a glossary, FAQs and linked resources for early career researchers and science managers.

Information on the use of AI and good scientific practice

A useful FAQ on the use of artificial intelligence and good scientific practice from the Ombudsman for Science can be found here:
ombudsman-fuer-die-wissenschaft.de/13211/faq-kuenstliche-intelligenz-und-gute-wissenschaftliche-praxis/

Equal Opportunities in Appointment Procedures

An Unconscious Bias Training

Biases can occur in appointment procedures, which influence the procedure as bias effects. The training on bias in appointment procedures with a focus on gender bias is aimed at members of appointment committees.  It is the result of a cooperation project between the Technische Universität Berlin and the Berlin University of the Arts and was funded by the Berlin Programme for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities for Women in Research and Teaching.

The training lasts around 40–60 minutes and consists of 9 animated scenes that can be viewed in both German and English. Further information can be found on the TU Berlin website.

Funding line for postdocs at the University of Bremen

“Independent Projects for Postdocs”, call for proposals from the Central Research Development Fund at the University of Bremen

The funding line is aimed at postdocs from all faculties...

...in the early career phase (up to two years* after the doctorate). The aim of the funding is to carry out a first research project after the doctorate and to acquire third-party funding.
...in the advanced phase (at least two, at most four years* after the doctorate) with the aim of becoming eligible for appointment.
(* In the case of proven childcare periods or care of relatives, the periods are extended).

 

The funding is for 3-year 100% positions plus material resources of up to EUR 6,000 per year.

Particular attention is paid to interdisciplinarity.

Deadline for applications is April 1, 2025
 

All details on the website of the University of Bremen.

UN/SEEN-Symposium mit Livestream

9-11 April 2025 // ONLINE as well as on site in Mainz

The UN/SEEN symposium is dedicated to the visibility of female graphic designers in the period between 1865 and 1919 and the present day.
By combining historical and contemporary perspectives, the positions and works of female designers will be publicized.

The symposium will be organized as a hybrid event format, with an in-person event in Mainz and a livestream for virtual participants.

Further information can be found at:
unseen-women.design/symposium

WissKon25 – die NaWik-Konferenz für kommunizierende Forschende

On 2 December 2025, WissKon25 - the NaWik conference for communicating scientists - will take place in Karlsruhe.

With the WissKon conference, the National Institute for Science Communication (NaWik) offers an annual platform for an open and creative exchange. It is all about researchers and their dialogues with the public and the media. Registration for the WissKon is possible from autumn 2025.

Further information can be found at:
www.nawik.de/wisskon/die-wisskon-2025/

Current events at the Dresden University of Applied Sciences

Dieses Format der virtuellen Kaffeepause bietet in zwei Teilen à 45 Minuten spannende Einblicke in den Karriereweg an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW). Es richtet sich an alle, die sich für eine Professur an einer HAW interessieren. Neben wertvollen Inputs der Referent*innen gibt es Raum für Fragen und einen offenen Austausch.

Dieses Format der virtuellen Kaffeepause bietet in drei Teilen à 45 Minuten spannende Einblicke in den Karriereweg an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW). Es richtet sich an alle, die sich für eine Professur an einer HAW interessieren. Neben wertvollen Inputs der Referent*innen gibt es Raum für Fragen und einen offenen Austausch.

Dieses Format der virtuellen Kaffeepause bietet in drei Teilen à 45 Minuten spannende Einblicke in den Karriereweg an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW). Es richtet sich an alle, die sich für eine Professur an einer HAW interessieren. Neben wertvollen Inputs der Referent*innen gibt es Raum für Fragen und einen offenen Austausch.