PhD@Lunch: Networking for doctoral students – Register now!

PhD@Lunch: Networking for doctoral students – Register now!

On July 18, 2025, a new series of events for doctoral students will be launched: PhD@Lunch. This initiative is organized by the Pro.Doc team and is aimed at students of all disciplines. The main purpose of this format is to promote networking and personal exchange. The meetings are informal and offer a collegial and interdisciplinary atmosphere at eye level.

The first meeting will take place on July 28, 2025 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria at the park. In the future, this exchange will be offered on the last Monday of every month at the same time. Participants can look forward to a wide range of topics that revolve around experiences, challenges and questions about doctoral studies. To find the meeting point, a table is marked with balloons.

Regular exchange opportunities

At the same time, another format is offered at the University of Paderborn: the PhD Lunch. This takes place every first Tuesday of the month during the lecture period. The events are open to both German and international doctoral candidates in all phases of their doctorate and from all faculties. On May 6, 2025, the topic of “Good supervision” will be discussed, followed by a meeting on June 3, 2025, which will address the challenges of doing a doctorate in combination with care responsibilities. On July 1, 2025, the focus will be on the topic “Publishing during your doctorate”.

Each meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. with an input, followed by a community lunch at 12:00 p.m. The event language is both German and English and registration is not required. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch, although a visit to the cafeteria is possible after the input.

Welcoming space for everyone

Both formats offer doctoral candidates a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and support each other. Whether in the cafeteria at the park at PhD@Lunch or in the cafeteria of the University of Paderborn at the PhD lunch, the aim of these events is to create an open space for exchange. A platform is provided on which relevant topics can be recorded and discussed.

Given the challenges that come with doing a doctorate and the often isolating experiences that many doctoral students have, it is of great importance to establish such meetings. Through personal interaction and sharing experiences, doctoral candidates can not only expand their network, but also gain valuable insights that can advance their individual research.

Overall, it is clear that these initiatives at both universities reflect a strong commitment to supporting doctoral students and their needs. Networking, support and exchange are the focus to enrich the doctoral experience for everyone involved. It remains to be hoped that numerous doctoral students will take part in these formats and benefit from the offerings.

For more information about PhD@Lunch please visit University of Weimar and for the PhD lunch take a look at University of Paderborn.