RAR Autumn Academy: Tailor-made workshops for doctoral students!

RAR Autumn Academy: Tailor-made workshops for doctoral students!

The Research Academy Ruhr (RAR) invites doctoral candidates from the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Ruhr University of Bochum and the Technical University of Dortmund to this year's virtual autumn academy. This event will take place from September 30th to October 1st, 2025 and offers a variety of workshops. The aim is to optimally prepare participants for the final phase of their doctoral theses and the period after the dissertation. Registration is now open and runs until September 17th.

An extensive program is offered to participants in a total of 15 workshops. Thematic focuses include presenting, project management, networking and resilience. What is particularly noteworthy is that four of the workshops are held in English in order to make access easier for international students. How uni-due.de reports, the event will also provide information on career paths and job searches both within and outside of academia.

Main focuses of the fall academy

The RAR Autumn Academy is aimed specifically at advanced doctoral students and aims to support them in the final phase of their doctorate. In addition to the short workshops on writing, presenting and networking, the academy also offers assistance in preparing for the disputation. The workshops, which are held partly in English and partly in German, are a valuable opportunity for participants to expand their skills and work specifically on their careers research-academy-ruhr.de supplemented.

A group of experts consisting of experienced scientists and practitioners will lead the events. This means that participants can benefit from practice-oriented training and gain insights into current challenges and opportunities in academic careers. The topics are made transparent in the title and description texts of the individual workshops in order to enable an informed selection.

Career paths in science

The transition from the doctorate to the postdoc phase should be carefully planned, with close coordination with academic supervision being of great importance. The Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) emphasizes that conscious planning of one's own career is essential. Support services such as group counseling and career coaching are available to help doctoral students and postdocs plan their next steps. The Individual Development Plan (IDP), which was developed by the MIN faculty at the University of Hamburg and serves as a planning tool for reflection, is also a valuable resource.

In an increasingly competitive scientific landscape, appropriate support measures are essential. As described in Mirjam Müller's book "PhD - Postdoc - Professorship. Career Planning in Science", prospective scientists must proactively shape their career paths. In addition, additional information offerings, such as the free download of the ZEIT doctoral guide, are beneficial for anyone who wants to prepare for their academic career.