Opportunities for young scientists: TU Chemnitz starts series!

Opportunities for young scientists: TU Chemnitz starts series!

The Chemnitz University of Technology (TUC) has launched a comprehensive series of events for the summer semester of 2025 to promote young scientists. The focus here is on supporting prospective professors, both with regard to their applications and the subsequent appointment negotiations. This initiative is organized by the Center for Young Scientists (ZfwN) to specifically build skills and increase the participants' chances of success. A workshop entitled “Successful conduct of appointment negotiations” will take place on May 8, 2025 between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., led by Rector Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier. Participants learn how to create an effective position paper and appear professionally in negotiations. Online registration is necessary and recommended.

Another part of the series of events are two subject-specific events that focus on the application process for a (junior) professorship. The first will take place on May 19, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is aimed at participants from the humanities and social sciences. Speakers include Prof. Dr. Tanja Carstensen and Jun.-Prof. Arndt Leininger, Ph.D. Registration takes place via the platform www.mytuc.org/wlbc. About a month later, on June 17, 2025, engineering and natural sciences are invited to take part in the second event from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Those interested can register at www.mytuc.org/mkks.

TUC lunch break for networking

A regular event, the TUC Lunch Break, offers postdocs and junior professors the opportunity to informally exchange ideas and network. These meetings, which take place in the cafeteria on Reichenhainer Straße and are led by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Charlotte Förster and Dr. Laura Weyh, promote the exchange of knowledge and strengthen the community in the academic environment.

In order to best prepare young scientists for their career entry and the associated challenges, it is important to understand the specific requirements for application documents. According to the university association, it is crucial that applicants clearly explain why they are interested in the position on offer. A concise, appealing cover letter that establishes a connection to the university and the respective department is essential. Appointment committees often use comparative analyzes to create applicant profiles. Therefore, the application documents must be designed in such a way that all necessary information can be recorded quickly. Digital submission of documents via email or upload has become increasingly the norm in recent years.

Important aspects of the appeal negotiations

Negotiating for a professorship is not just a formality, but a crucial step in a scientist's professional career. The university association emphasizes that the attractiveness of an appointment offer depends on both objective and subjective factors. A call holder is deemed desirable by the university once the call is issued. A successful negotiation strategy requires comprehensive information about the position, the profile of the university and the specific framework conditions of the professorship.

It is particularly important to develop a forward-looking concept for research and teaching that corresponds to the interests of the university. Aspects such as third-party funding potential, the visibility of research results and international networking play an important role. Empathy towards negotiating partners is seen as crucial to increasing one's likelihood of success in the appeal.

For further information and offers from the ZfwN, please contact Dr. Nadia Lois is available at +49 (0)371 531-38486 or by email at nadia.lois@rektor.tu-chemnitz.de. With this series of events, the TUC shows how important it is to actively support young academics and prepare them for future challenges in science.