On March 28th and 29th, 2025, the 7th Leibniz PhD Future Workshop took place at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) in Magdeburg. Around 20 PhD students from various cities across Germany, including Dresden, Leipzig, Bochum, Frankfurt (Oder), Jena, and Hamburg, gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities within doctoral studies and shape the future of the Leibniz PhD Network.

A Diverse Program with Engaging Discussions

A highlight of the workshop was the panel talk titled “Future is NOW: Past, Present, and Future of PhD Experiences”, which featured experts such as Timm Schönfelder (Ombudsperson at GWZO), Ulrike Papajewski (press and public relations, LIN), Eleni Sachs (former spokesperson for Section D and member of the Working Group on Prevention of Power Abuse and Contract Situation) and, Julius Petrausch (Leibniz PhD Network spokesperson and PhD at the IPF). The panel talk was moderated by Johanna Richter (PhD at the Max Born Institute). The discussion covered a range of topics, including the evolution of PhD experiences over time, mental health challenges, and the issue of power abuse. The panel was held in a hybrid format, allowing PhD students who could not attend in person to participate remotely.

After a short coffee break, participants broke into working group sessions to dive deeper into specific topics and collaborate on solutions. The day concluded with an optional city tour and a self-paid dinner, offering a relaxed atmosphere for further networking and conversation.

Key Milestone: Survey on Power Abuse and Contract Situations

One of the major milestones of the workshop was the release of a survey by the Working Group on Prevention of Power Abuse and Contract Situations. After two years of work, the group published the survey on Sunday, which focuses on power abuse and contract conditions—issues that have become the subject of intense discussion. Despite the growing importance of these topics, there has been limited data available until now. The survey, open to all Leibniz PhDs, aims to gather crucial information and insights on these pressing matters, helping to address the gaps in knowledge and promote positive change across the Leibniz Institutes.

Forward-Thinking Working Groups and Continued Discussions

The second day began with a working group session, where participants further developed their ideas and discussed concrete roadmaps for the future of the Leibniz PhD Network. A group photo and another coffee break followed, marking the halfway point of the day.

Conclusion: A Successful Exchange

The 7th Leibniz PhD Future Workshop in Magdeburg was a resounding success, providing a valuable platform for PhD students to exchange ideas, collaborate, and push forward important topics such as mental health, diversity, and improving working conditions for doctoral candidates. The hybrid format was especially noteworthy, allowing for broader participation and fostering interdisciplinary exchanges, which will be the foundation for future initiatives and projects within the Leibniz PhD Network. The release of the new survey on power abuse and contract situations marks a significant step forward in addressing some of the most debated issues currently facing PhD students, and it is expected to contribute to much-needed change within the community.

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 March 15th, 2025. Please share this announcement to your PhD peers.

More info on the Workshop

On November 15th and 16th, we visited the FLI in Jena to meet for the 9th Leibniz Ph.D. Network General Assembly. The discussions focussed on our network’s progress, challenges, and future initiatives aimed at improving the experiences of doctoral researchers across disciplines.

As a result of the assembly, we welcome the new Steering Committee 2024/25. Please find more information on your representatives here:

• Julius Petrausch (Spokesperson)
• Stefanos Somatakis (Spokesperson)
• Alexa Sanchez Mejia (Treasurer)
• Sophie Lindemann (Section A Spokesperson)
• Md Imtiaz Uddin (Section B Spokesperson)
• Advitiya Khandelwal (Section C Spokesperson)
• Johanna Richter (Section D Spokesperson)
• Melanie Hanser (Section E Spokesperson)

(The new and old steering committee on the left, the steering committee 2024/25 on the right.)

One focus of the PhD General Assembly was the reports from the working groups on the various ongoing projects:

• Mental Health: The network’s surveys indicate prevalent issues of anxiety and depression among Ph.D. students. Therefore, counseling resources are available on the this website, and a Mental Health Day is being planned, they look for volunteers to help.
• Sustainability: There was a paper on sustainability in Leibniz in 2023; there will be a comprehensive sustainability strategy of Leibniz association unveiled in November 2024. The group looks for new members.
• Power Abuse Prevention: A formal letter was send to the Leibniz association urgen them to strengthen its commitment to fostering a respectful culture. You can seek help here: ppa.leibniz@outlook.com
• Diversity and Inclusion: A significant event under the N2 banner is scheduled for Berlin in 2025, focusing on diversity. There will be a panel with the presidents of Leibniz, Max-Planck and Helmholtz Institutes.
• Communication: The PhD assembly is enhancing its visibility through social media initiatives and mailing lists. Please follow the PhD assembly in the socials. Representatives should write spokesperson@leibniz-phd.net to be part of the email list.
• Survey: Two major surveys are underway: one addressing mental health, with results soon to be analyzed, and another focusing on power abuse, planned for 2025. The latter survey invites individuals to anonymously share experiences of power abuse; responses remain confidential within the Ph.D. community and are not shared with the Leibniz association. Volunteers are welcome to assist with these survey projects: https://leibniz-phd.net/survey/

To summarize more items on the itentenary: The Leibniz Institute on Aging showed us their laboratories and research areas. Followed by, a panel discussion on mental health, featuring Prof. Sebastian Lentz, Selma Yagoub, and a representative of the FLI, highlighted the psychological challenges faced by many Ph.D. candidates. The Ph.D. Network General Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to addressing critical issues affecting doctoral researchers while fostering an inclusive and supportive academic community. The last item on the agenda was an exchange of experiences with other network speakers from N2. Elisabeth Bobkova at Max-Planck and Hanin Alkhamis at Helmholtz reported in detail how they had spoken to the official heads of the institutes about the concerns of PhDs.

On April 11^th and 12^th, the 6^th Future Workshop, hosted by the Leibniz PhD Network, was held at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben. 

Twenty-seven doctoral researchers convened, coming from various Leibniz Institutes across Germany including cities like Freising, Kiel, Dresden, Berlin, Bochum, Hannover, and Jena.

The opening session featured a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Nicolaus von Wirén, the Managing Director of IPK. This was followed by an introduction to the Leibniz PhD Network, the steering comitee and its various Working Groups, which include Communication, Contract Situation and Prevention of Power Abuse, Diversity, Mental Health, Survey, and Sustainability.

During the second session, round table discussions were organized to allow all participants to engage deeply in conversations on the topics covered by each working group. These round tables provided an interactive platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and insights related to various themes. Participants had the chance to delve into subjects like Communication, Contract Situation and Prevention of Power Abuse, Diversity, Mental Health, Survey, and Sustainability.

Following these dynamic discussions, a collective brainstorming session was held. This segment of the session was designed to harness the diverse perspectives and expertise of the attendees, aiming to collaboratively define the main objectives and projects for the year ahead. Through combined efforts, clear goals and actionable plans for each topic were outlined, ensuring a focused and cohesive strategy moving forward.

Attendees were also given a guided tour of IPK’s PhenoSphere, a sophisticated plant phenotyping platform that allows for the strict control of environmental conditions to simulate field conditions and various climate scenarios. Additionally, they visited the GenBank, which is one of the largest seed collections globally, notable for its extensive botanical diversity and collection size.

In conclusion, the 6^th Future Workshop of the Leibniz PhD Network facilitated valuable exchanges among doctoral researchers, enabling each working group to attract new members and allowing current members to meet in person and engage in self-reflection.

Author: Francesca Lanterna (Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum)

Photos: Julie-Sophie Himpe (Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research) and Johnson Kansiime (Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies)