
The options for pursuing a successful academic career at Technische Universität Berlin, including pre-university programs for inquiring young minds, degree programs, doctoral programs and postdoc work, provide an effective incentive for attracting new talent. Maximizing diversity has an important role to play in this process. With regard to doctoral studies, this includes the option to complete a dissertation within an academic chair, cooperative forms of supervision as well as the opportunity to complete external dissertations in collaboration with commercial organizations. For the postdoc phase, the focus is on projects, junior research groups, and junior professorships.
The advancement of outstanding junior scholars is also aided by a targeted flexibilization of the professorial system. Our goal by 2020 is to offer 10% of current W3 professorships (the highest paid category of professorships established in the University's budget) for an initial restricted period of six years as W1 or W2 professorships, thus enabling these positions to also be offered as junior professorships. A new Tenure Track procedure will then allow select junior professors to advance to the next level at Technische Universität Berlin. This concept is intended to enable the University to advance outstanding junior scholars and strengthen their commitment to a future at Technische Universität Berlin, while at the same time developing promising new areas of research.
Dear Junior Scholars of Technische Universität Berlin,
The COVID-19 crisis has presented us with many challenges. At our university, this is particularly true for you, as you are currently completing your doctorate or postdoc. It is our aim to provide you with the best possible support during this time.
The Center for Junior Scholars (CJS), until November 2020 TU-DOC – Office for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Services, is currently working from home just like all other TU Berlin staff. However, we will of course continue to offer you advising and support. In addition, TU Berlin as a whole is making every effort to offer simple and flexible solutions to the difficulties you now face in your work.
If you are experiencing specific difficulties, please contact the CJS by phone or email. Such difficulties may include questions about deadlines (for example submission deadlines, deadlines for thesis defenses or Habilitations, postponement of appointments); financing; canceled official trips; difficulties accessing research, literature and resources; or physical or mental health challenges. The team will do its best to provide you with direct support or direct you to the relevant University institution for further assistance.
We hope that despite the COVID-19 crisis you will find the opportunity to concentrate on your doctoral or postdoctoral work. The CJS is also happy to arrange exchange partners for the formation of virtual working and writing groups with whom you can network digitally or by phone from home, regardless of subject or topic.
All questions and issues can be addressed directly to your supervisor or to the ombudspeople for doctoral researchers of your faculty. Of course, you can also contact the CJS at any time. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info(at)cjs.tu-berlin.de or call (030) 314-29622 if you have any questions or comments.
Stay healthy – and best wishes from the Center for Junior Scholars (CJS) team
Am I classified correctly? Am I allowed to do a doctorate during working hours? Can my employment be extended again? How much leave am I allowed to take? Answers to these and many other questions can be found in the new GEW guidebook Arbeitsplatz Hochschule und Forschung (Workplace Higher Education and Research).
The Finnish doctoral students Jakub Kubečka, Vitus Besel and Ivo Neefjes (University of Helsinki) won the video competition "Dance your PhD", which is organised annually by the science magazine Science, with a rap on the roof of their university (Tagesspiegel). The prize is 2000 euros. The winning video can be viewed here.
In this course, participants will learn to reflect and re-align their own research practices according to their personal set of values as well as according to Good Scientific Practices and Open Science Principles.
The course is designed to help doctoral researchers develop a plan to shape the final phase of their doctorate and bring it to a successful conclusion. Individual blockages and solutions for moving forward will be identified. Initial outlooks on publication as well as the time after the doctorate will be made.
Especially in times of increasing digitalisation and working in a home office, one's own motivation becomes all the more important. How can self-management succeed in harmony with one's own person and one's own situation? What scientifically tested models and tools are there that have proven themselves in practice? And which ones are individually...