Please click on the workshop titles in order to see the further details concerning dates, venue, registration, content and testimonials from previous participants.
Brief Description: For postdoctoral researchers with an international background, it can be a real challenge to get into Germany's non-academic job market following an academic position. The entry routes into jobs are not always transparent, candidates are often not well-informed about what to expect in the application process and not everyone can offer German language skills. Where and how you can look for a job outside classic academia depends on your qualifications and skills set, on your individual life situation as well as on knowing about possible entry paths and strategies, the (unwritten) rules of the game and other parameters. This workshop, tailored specifically for the needs of international scholars, offers assistance with this. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "It is a great workshops for anyone who has experience only within academia and is looking to branch out. It clarifies what steps to takes and how to go about looking for jobs outside of academia.";
"As an international postdoc, I was unaware of many aspects of the German job market as well as how as an international person could contribute to a different job market. This workshop navigates and instills hope in finding all these and how unique our skills are in industry."
Brief Description: Post-doctoral positions are usually not that hard to get but finding the right one that can firmly establish a professional career is really challenging. At the same time, scientists towards the end of their PhD don’t have a lot of time to spend on the search for the right post-doctoral position. Therefore, this workshop provides a compact overview of relevant aspects and the opportunity to explore one’s own preferences. Specifically, participants learn to define their own criteria for a successful post-doctoral position, develop their targeted search and application strategy, assess the relative benefit of post-doctoral grants and prepare to harness the full potential of their post-doc interview. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "This is a really great workshop, well thought out and well organized. It helps you take a structured approach to a fairly nebulous and variable process, categorizes the various aspects to consider, including ones you may have missed, in addition to making you reflect on yourself and your needs when it comes to applying for a post-doc. It also utilizes the diversity of its participants to highlight the many different factors and paths to consider in the process of applying for post-docs.";
"Eye-opening experience. Anyone considering a position as an academic post-doc should participate in this workshop. I was surprised of how much I didn't think of, and probably would have missed, when searching for positions."
Brief Description: A competitive research grant proposal requires more than a strong research idea. Applicants need to identify a suitable funding opportunity, understand how proposals are evaluated, develop a coherent and feasible project and communicate a convincing case for support. This programme develops the transferable foundations needed to connect funding fit, project design, evaluation logic and proposal development. This compact, yet highly interactive workshop employs theoretical input, plenary discussions, individual and small group work, experience sharing and expert advice. Participants are expected to complete some assignments for the pre-teaching activities, which will be provided one to two weeks before the workshop. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "The workshop was highly practical, teaching me how to effectively structure a research proposal and design a project within time and budget constraints. The 'Lean Canvas' method and insights into European funding were especially useful. It’s an excellent resource for those new to grant writing.";
"The workshop gives a compact overview of the German funding landscape and provides excellent efficiency strategies for grant writing. A great way for early -but also for late- career scientist to learn about funding options and how to successfully approach them!"
Target Group: Postdocs and late-stage PhDs planning to apply for a research grant in the near future and would like to inform themselves about different funding schemes and what is essential to write a competitive grant application.
Brief Description: The workshop provides participants with an overview of the most important research funding organisations at national and European level as well as the funding instruments relevant to their current career situation. The project planning, application and review processes will be explained in detail. This provides participants with the tools for the independent acquisition of third-party funding. Therefore, strategies and tools for the concrete design and preparation of applications as well as common review procedures will be presented. In this sense, the workshop provides insights into formal and informal aspects of the review process. Dealing with the rejection of applications will also be covered. Participants will be supported in developing ideas as to which instruments could be particularly suitable for their individual career situation and the strategic development of their research projects. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "I suggest this workshop if you are late PhD students (as it was in my case) or early postdoc. It gives a very good introduction about the possible funding opportunities and its application process. It helps you to take initial steps towards the application of your own funds. You can also get more information through participants who might be actively applying for the funds. I would highly recommend the workshop.";
"An engaging workshop that helps taming the daunting task of looking for funding at the start of your PostDoc career. Perfect for people without any prior knowledge in grant writing and funding opportunities."
Brief Description: Are you sometimes struggling to balance the demands of research, professional development, and personal life? This workshop is designed specifically for PhDs and postdocs who want to master the art of time- and self-management. With a focus on directly applicable, well-proven methods, you'll gain actionable insights to set clear goals, plan effectively across different time horizons, and reduce stress in competitive academic environments. Join this engaging, interactive session to take control of your schedule, overcome distractions, and build habits that lead to long-term success - in your PhD, postdoc, and beyond. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "It was very useful to take the day to think about time management in a systematic and open way. I like that the workshop offers the chance to start actual habits by having a seminar partner to meet after 2 and 4 weeks and discuss.";
"I really enjoyed this seminar and learned a lot. Matthias shows great energy, and gives many ideas to try to implement in order to change our organization. I was a bit scared of the online format at first, but he really did a great job keeping it interactive with him and between participants. I would totally recommend this formation."
Brief Description: This course has been designed for Postdocs to provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge about leadership. The word "leader" goes together with "people". Leaders are expected to improve human performance and manage resources. Yet many professionals focus only on technical or scientific qualifications - not on complex social interactions. These professionals quickly learn that poor leadership and communication skills can undermine credibility and overall effectiveness. Whether in academia or industry, leaders are likely to manage 'knowledge workers' (smart, creative, highly professional people) - who expect to be treated with respect and given opportunities to develop their potential. For these roles, working collaboratively with others, understanding their motivations, making sound decisions and influencing a group towards win-win goals will be valuable skills. You will take steps to learn how to identify your own leadership type, clarify leadership ideals and behaviours, script successful meetings and discussions, listen to get complete information, empower your people, give constructive feedback and manage conflict. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "This leadership workshop offers a highly engaging and practical learning experience for anyone looking to strengthen their leadership capabilities. It strikes an excellent balance between theoretical input and interactive exercises, allowing participants to immediately apply what they learn to real-life situations.";
"The workshop was particularly interesting. It provided practical information and clear guidelines on leadership. I learned a lot during the sessions and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The instructor was very nice and helpful, and she delivered the material very clearly. I highly recommend it to postdoc/ PI who are planning to take the next steps in academia/industry."
Brief Description: In this workshop, participants learn how to prepare effectively for application processes in the non-academic job market, with a particular focus on the different phases and requirements of job interviews. The workshop focuses on the reflection of individual competencies, practical exercises on frequently asked questions and techniques in interviews and dealing with critical or unknown questions. Finally, participants will develop their own authentic self-presentation. Methodologically, the workshop focuses on a change of input phases, feedback rounds and guided exercises. A short section on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in interview preparation will explore how AI can be used effectively and appropriately to support interview preparation - for example, to practise interview questions - and where potential limitations and pitfalls might lie. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "It is one of the best workshops that I ever took part in. I liked everything as a combination of factors: prepared material, practical tasks, answers to questions, and the friendly atmosphere. The trainer paid a lot of attention so that all participants could learn everything that interests them, absolutely all additional questions from the participants received detailed answers. I would definitely recommend this workshop to those who is preparing to the interview now or want to be prepared in future.";
"Most useful workshop I have attended regarding the job search, especially moving from academia to industry! Christelle gave us not only many useful tips and feedbacks but also a lot of motivations that we can all do it :) I really liked the exercises and discussions with others as well. I think it is easy to get lost or demotivated, especially in academic settings where moving to industry is seen as failure. But together with people who have same goals and share similar challenges helped me to overcome such negative thoughts. Highly recommend!"
Brief Description: The workshop provides structured preparation for applying for junior and tenure-track professorships. Participants receive in-depth and comprehensive information on the individual elements of the hiring process, as well as the qualifications required for a successful application for a professorship. Unwritten rules and potential micro-political processes are also addressed. To help participants practice for the application process, the interview with the appointment committee is simulated in small groups so that they can learn to answer difficult questions confidently and elegantly. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Date: Monday, 23 August 2027, 13-18h and Tuesday, 24 August 2027, 9-17h
Location: in person on North Campus
Target Group: Postdoctoral scientists and late-stage PhD students who are currently applying or planning to apply for a position in industry or other areas outside academia
Brief Description: The workshop deals with how to write a professional application. Participants will learn about the requirements regarding form and content of CVs and the respective differences between academia and industry. They will reflect about how to convey their strengths and motivation in response to a job advertisement, but also how to approach speculative applications. Moreover, participants will train their self-presentation skills in the job hunting process, including self-presentation on career fairs, conferences and in interviews. The workshop will include various training sessions partly accompanied by video recording for a follow-up analysis. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "This course provides invaluable insight into the other side of the recruitment process. You'll get the chance to discuss the difficulties and insecurities that you're facing with the move to industry with like-minded early career researchers who share many of your worries. The trainer encouraged continuous discussion and addressed all our wishes for the course. This turned the 1.5 days into a great opportunity to practice self-presentation, prepare for common interview questions and ultimately better understand our worth on the job market.";
"This workshop was a great opportunity to better understand how interviews work and how to prepare for them. I especially appreciated the practical sessions, which helped me feel more confident. I learned that preparing for expected questions in advance is one of the best ways to improve my chances of success during an interview."
Brief Description: This workshop is designed to answer to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the appointment process for professorships in Germany. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the entire process, from application to negotiation. Key topics include optimizing application documents,preparing effectively for interviews and academic presentations and understanding unwritten rules and micropolitical dynamics often at play in the process. Participants will focus intensively on preparing you for the appointment committee interview and will develop communication and argumentation strategies to handle challenging questions with confidence. These strategies will be practiced in small groups with the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from peers. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials: "The workshop was an excellent and adequate introduction to the topic of professorships in Germany. It presents, in a very direct and concise way, all the necessary steps one needs to consider when embarking on such process. The instructor excels at delivering a high-quality workshop on the subject and at responding effectively to participants' questions. I strongly recommend this workshop.";
"The course from Dr. Franziska Jantzen is very informative and comprehensive. I strongly recommend that those interested in a scientific career in Germany consider joining this course."
Brief Description: This workshop intends to facilitate synergistic effects and implement basic project management culture to increase the efficient use of resources and improve teamwork. The trainer will pick up existing problems and work on solutions together with the participants in a mixture of „ex-cathedra“ teaching, jointed and group phases. For further information and more feedback please check out our GAUSS Career Blog Post.
Testimonials:"Peter has an unusual approach for giving workshops. The workshop is engaging, motivating and gives a good introduction into project management. What sets this workshop apart, is the participant-focused approach of Peter. I learnt some techniques I didn't know about and started implementing them the next day after the workshop... so, a good use of my time. I've already noticed I have become more productive."
"It is a great workshop to join if you want to learn about project management and apply it to everyday research life in just two days. The lecturer gives wonderful explanation what every step of the project management is used for and uses vivid examples to show how to do them. I am surprised how much I learnt within this short time to make a positive change in my plans."
