Join Us for the 11th General Assembly of the Leibniz PhD Network – Registration has Opened !

We are delighted to invite doctoral researchers from across the Leibniz Association to the 11th General Assembly of the Leibniz PhD Network, taking place on 9 and 10 November 2026 at GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Mannheim.

The General Assembly provides an opportunity to connect with fellow doctoral researchers, exchange ideas and help shape the future of the Leibniz PhD Network.

Further details, including the preliminary agenda and registration form, are available on the General Assembly webpage.

General Assembly Webpage

Registration is open until 21 October 2026.

We kindly ask all PhD representatives to share this announcement with the doctoral researchers at their institutes.

For general questions, please contact spokesperson@leibniz-phd.net. For questions about the venue, please contact lena.rembser@gesis.org.

We look forward to welcoming you to Mannheim!

Comparing the #MeToo Movement to Power Abuse in Academia

Article 1
No Incident Is Isolated
Rethinking How Academia Hears a Single Complaint 

A few years ago, the world watched an industry built on charisma, gatekeeping, and closed doors come apart in public. #MeToo did not begin as a movement. The term has existed since 2006 but was popularized after the Weinstein allegations broke in 2017, revealing over three decades of sexual crimes which led to his immediate firing and eventual conviction. Throughout the years, the list of victims grew one private settlement at a time. Treated at first the way institutions always treat these things: as unfortunate, as unusual, as an isolated incident, as a matter between two people destined to be settled quietly behind closed doors and kept out of the trade press. What eventually broke that pattern was not Continue Reading

Dataset publication: Power Abuse Survey 2025

The Leibniz PhD Network has published the dataset of the Power Abuse Survey 2025 on Zenodo.

The survey was conducted by the Working Group Contract Situation & Prevention of Power Abuse to better understand mechanisms of power abuse within the Leibniz Association and to support evidence-based discussions on how to improve working conditions for doctoral researchers. The survey was open from March 29 to June 13, 2025, and received more than 400 responses from doctoral researchers across the Leibniz Association.

With this dataset publication, we aim to make the results transparent, reusable, and citable while respecting the anonymity and privacy of participants. The dataset provides an important basis for future discussions with doctoral researchers, representatives, institutes, and administrative bodies on how to strengthen prevention structures, support those affected, and foster a fair and respectful research environment.

The dataset is available via Zenodo:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20670450

The story does not end with the dataset. A detailed report is currently in the pipeline and coming soon. Stay tuned!

We thank everyone who participated in the survey and contributed to this important work. Your responses help us raise awareness, identify structural challenges, and advocate for safer and more respectful conditions for doctoral researchers within the Leibniz Association.

For questions, feedback, or further information, please contact:
ppa.leibnizphd@outlook.com

8th Future Workshop – Registration Open!

On May 29th and 30th the 8th Future Workshop of the PhD Network will take place in Halle (Saale) at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB). This is a space where your ideas matter. Join a dynamic community of researchers ready to amplify voices, identify challenges, and create solutions together. This is your chance to engage with peers, exchange experiences, and shape the future of science in an open and collaborative environment.

Why Join?

  • Make Your Voice Heard – Discuss the challenges you face in academia and work together to find solutions.
  • Find Strength in Community – Connect with peers, seek advice and learn about other experiences.
  • Shape the Future of Science – Develop strategies that could drive change in research and academia.
  • Engage in working groups – Participate in PhD-network to develop practical ideas and actions.

Be Part of the Workshop!

This is your opportunity to connect, contribute, and create impact. Register today for the Future Workshop and be part of the conversation. Please register here until May 15th, 2026. Please share this announcement to your PhD peers.

One-Pager Released

New One-Pager on the Power Abuse Survey for DR Representatives

As presented during the General Assembly at the end of October, the Working Group “Contract Situations & Prevention of Power Abuse” is currently evaluating the results of this year’s Power Abuse Survey.

We were very pleased with the strong engagement of DR Representatives, your thoughtful feedback, and your clear interest in the outcomes. This motivates us to finalize the full report, which we will share with you as soon as it is ready.

In the meantime, to keep you updated, we are sharing a short one-pager with key information and preliminary insights from the survey.

You are warmly invited to:

  • Read through the one-pager
  • Share it with your DR colleagues
  • Use it as you see fit within your institute (e.g., in meetings, newsletters, or informal discussions)

We are very much looking forward to your feedback, comments, and thoughts on this work.
You can reach us anytime at: ppa.leibnizphd@outlook.com— The team of the Working Group
“Contract Situations & Prevention of Power Abuse”

20251204_SC-PPA_PowerAbuseSurvey_2025_OnePager_CC_

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