On February 2nd 2024 the new N2 Survey 2023–2024 went live. All doctoral researchers of the 96 institutes and research museums of the Leibniz Association have the opportunity to participate. The survey will be conducted until March 1st and subsequently evaluated by the working group Survey of the PhD Network.
This year the survey covers the topics of Demographics, Working Conditions, Satisfaction, Supervison, Integration & Inclusion, Career Development, Family, Power Abuse, Mental Health and Crisis management. In the past years about 950 doctoral researchers within the Leibniz Association have participated in the survey.
Why participate? Data from this survey is used by the PhD Network and our academic institutions to identify systemic strengths and weaknesses and direct resources toward initiatives that will improve outcomes and experiences of doctoral researchers.
Looking for something more than just another meeting? Well, you have found it! The 6th Future Workshop of the Leibniz PhD Network is tailor-made for you – a chance to connect, collaborate, and tackle challenges alongside your fellow researchers. Enjoy two days full of inspiration in an environment filled with ideas, innovations and where new contacts are made.
What to Expect:
Networking Opportunities: Connect with researchers from diverse backgrounds – It could be the connection that changes everything!
Interactive Discussions: Gain fresh perspectives and leave with practical tips for navigating academia.
Insightful Workshops: Get active! Be part of one of the PhD-network Working groups and develop new strategies and content.
Showcase of Projects: Explore the Gene Bank and Phenosphere guided tour at IPK.
Cultural Exploration: After the workshop, discover the beauty of Gatersleben and its surroundings.
Registration Details:
Ready to dive in? Secure your spot at the Future Workshop today! Head over to our website here for registration and program details, venue, and accommodation: https://meetings.ipk-gatersleben.de/future-workshop/
Registrations will be open until March 31st.
Do not let this opportunity pass you by. Come join us in Gatersleben for an experience that’s equal parts enriching and unforgettable!
The WG Survey recently made public the results of the “Being a Doctoral Researcher in the Leibniz Association: 2021 Leibniz PhD Network Survey Report”, conducted by X. Delgado-Osorio, M. Gierke, J. Jaen, J. Kansiime, D. Lonken, E. Pérez-Bosch Quesada, K. Ramachandran, T. Rizzi and P. Saxena.
This report presents the results of the 3rd Leibniz PhD Survey, developed and conducted by the Leibniz PhD Network in collaboration with members of the Helmholtz Juniors and the Max Planck PhDnet.
From September until December 2021, all doctoral researchers (DRs) working at Leibniz Institutes were invited to take part in the online, anonymised survey. 829 DRs working at 81 out of 97 institutes participated in this survey. This corresponds to approximately a third of all Leibniz DRs and 85 % of Leibniz institutes. Instead of a single institute, the survey reports on the overall situation of Leibniz DRs and whether this situation differs among the five Leibniz Sections. Key variables like gender, age, affiliation to Leibniz Sections, nationality, and types of payment are in line with other Leibniz data sources, not showing any implausible distortions.
The report includes the main findings and conclusions in an Executive Summary in addition to a chapter dedicated to the method followed to conduct the anonymous survey. The subsequent chapters of the report integrate the main topics defined during the survey design process: demographics, working conditions, satisfaction, supervision, integration, career development, family, power abuse, and mental health. In addition to the main topics, this survey especially addresses how and to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic affected the DRs. In particular, the surveys focused on the effects on the mental health of the DRs, their perception of how much the security measures impacted their projects, and the effectiveness of the institutional efforts to support them.
This report will spark interest among various reader groups, like current and prospective DRs, as it provides an overview of how it is to be a doctoral researcher in the Leibniz Association. Members of the Leibniz Association, specifically the Leibniz Head Office and the management and administration of all Leibniz Institutes are another important target group, giving them insight into areas for improvement. This report, as well as reports published by partner networks working in the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association, are highly relevant for the broader political sphere concerned with science policies in Germany, where efforts are being made to make Germany a lucrative destination for scientists from around the globe. The Executive Summary identifies possible interventions and we hope some of these suggestions will be actualised.
We want to discuss our current situation regarding the power structures and working conditions in academia with you to improve our situation as PhDs!
We would like to invite you to our “Current Challenges in Academia – The PhD student perspective” workshop on the 25th – 26th of November initiated by the working group prevention of power abuse and contract situations. The workshop will be held at Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum (Am Bergbaumuseum 28, 44791 Bochum)
On the 25th at 10:00 we would like to initiate the workshop with a panel discussion regarding the current power structure within academia, followed by a contact situation workshop with a focus on time tracking and a second workshop regarding the situation of stipends finishing at 18:00. Followed by a dinner (self-pay).
On the 26th we will hold a workshop focusing on power abuse in academia (starting at 10:00) and work on a position paper stating our ideas to improve the situation for doctoral researchers. The official program will end at 14:30 and an additional visit of the “Bergbau-Museum” is possible afterwards.
On Saturday, April 1st, doctoral researchers of various Leibniz Institutes from across Germany gathered in Mainz for the Leibniz PhD Network’s 5th Future Workshop. The evening before the event an informal dinner was arranged, which allowed attendees to get to know each other and exchange about diverse topics including life as a doctoral researcher.
The hybrid event, with around 30 in-person attendees, kindly hosted by the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), started with a workshop by Kate Utzschneider on “Resilience: Concepts and Practical Dimensions”. The nearly two-hours’ workshop included brainstorming, group discussions and exercises on the meaning of resilience, stress, mental health, values, self-efficacy, and much more. It was much appreciated by all attendees that actively participated in the workshop.
The workshop was followed by a presentation by network spokesperson Eframir Franco-Díaz introducing the steering committee and the role of the Leibniz PhD Network as well as the different working groups and their members. After a short coffee break working groups Mental Health, Sustainability and Survey presented their current tasks, motivations, and recent outcomes, such as their latest reports and survey results. For example, the recently published sustainability position paper, as well as raising awareness on global on-going issues (mental health, power abuse in academia, etc.).
After a convivial lunch break, on-site and online participants were split into working groups and discussed about ongoing tasks, opportunities, future projects, and key issues.
At the end of the afternoon, each working group presented different ideas and results from their brainstorming sessions. It was a fruitful time which allowed all attendees to participate in the progress of individual working groups and form connections with each other.
Finally, an informal dinner concluded this successful meeting in a familiar atmosphere.
To sum up, the Leibniz PhD Network’s 5th Future Workshop allowed exchange among fellow doctoral researchers, for each working group to gain new members, for current members to meet in real life and to learn about oneself. The Steering Committee also reassured that each member of the PhD Network can turn to the steering committee if any issue affects them and stressed on the solidarity of the doctoral researchers of the different Leibniz Association institutes and museums.
