The working group Welcome Package of the Leibniz PhD Network is very pleased to present the Welcome Package to you!

Several years ago, during the General Assembly some doctoral researchers exchanged experiences on how hard it was for some of them to have a smooth start in their institutes without knowing whom to ask when they had questions and spending a lot of time looking for sources and opportunities in their institutes. Especially, German bureaucracy can be quite overwhelming for international students when first arriving.

What, back then, started as a small idea of a small group of doctoral researchers is now this great document!

This Welcome Package serves as a template for the different institutes and should and must be adapted in each case. The first part (here) is a more general introduction with a strong focus on International doctoral researchers. We hope that this will ensure new doctoral researchers a good start in Germany.
The second part, an institute-specific part is of course not only interesting for International, but also for German doctoral researchers who are starting in their institutes.

 This Welcome Package is intended to be handed over to new doctoral researchers by the supervisor, institute management or PhD coordinator. However, feel free also to share at least the general part amonst your new colleagues.

If you have any questions about it, don´t hesitate to ask your PhD representative or the Working group Welcome Package.