Overview of Advising Offers for Employees

Social Counseling is a service for all Technische Universität Berlin employees. It supports and advises on a broad spectrum of personal challenges in both professional and private life. Its services include:

• Individual advising for personal and workplace-specific problems and support in crisis situations
• Advising on addiction
• Advising on over-indebtedness
• Conflict advising and conflict resolution, including for personal issues
• Information about non-University advising offices and support with requesting local help
• Support with integration into work following an extended illness
• Guidance during conversations about integration management
• Advising for managers

All employees at the University, whether those covered by staff agreements, civil servants , or apprentices, can contact the Staff Council for assistance with handling a conflict in their direct work environment. Its services include:

• Advising and support regarding problems in the workplace
• Conflict advising for conflicts among employees and between employees and managers (often individual/strategic advice)
• No mediation, no moderation, no professional conflict advising

Student assistants have their own staff council they can contact with questions and problems about their work. Its services include:

• Advising regarding employment, employment contracts, assignments, contract duration, (special) leave, illness, maternity protection and parental leave, termination/annulment contracts, etc.
• Conflict advising for problems between managers and employees, etc.
• General information about child benefit/nursing and pension insurance (no legal advising)
• Monthly meetings for recently hired staff

Staff with severe disabilities and equivalent employees who are to be assigned a disability degree can approach the Office of Staff with Disabilities with their needs and concerns. Its services include:

• Advising, guidance, and assistance with application procedures
• Advising and introduction to workplace equipment and work integration
• Advising in the case of conflict
• Promoting integration within the workplace

All women in each faculty and the central institutions as well as female applicants can contact their respective women’s representative as required. Services include:

• Advising and guidance in cases of sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence
• Advising regarding conflicts in the workplace or individual qualification steps
• Advising for female applicants during staffing procedures

All women completing their doctoral studies at Technische Universität Berlin can seek advising from proMotion. Its services include:

• Advising and guidance regarding problems arising from balancing family and work responsibilities
• Advising regarding conflicts with colleagues and managers, advisors, or evaluators
• Conflict management through mediation or individual conflict coaching
• Anonymous advising is also possible

The Main Women's Representative supports all women working or studying at Technische Universität Berlin, as well as female applicants. Her services include:

• Advising and guidance in cases of sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence
• Advising regarding conflict during appointment procedures or at individual qualification stages, such as Habilitation.

AStA represents all students at the University and offers  special advising for specific target groups. Its services include:

• BAföG and social counseling
• Legal advising for all legal questions, legal representation may be arranged

All students at the University can make use of psychological counseling for issues such as exam anxiety, the feeling of being overwhelmed, and more.  The team can help with:

• Stress and feeling overextended
• Exam anxiety
• Acute crisis situations
• Writer’s block, learning difficulties, and procrastination
• Difficulties finding your way, motivating yourself, and making decisions
• Difficulties in your contact and relationships with others
• Problems regarding self-esteem, anxiety, and  depression
• Psychosomatic complaints
• Problems specific to international students (culture shock, worrying about loved ones in crisis areas, etc.)
• Conflicts arising during group work

All students at the University can seek advising here on all topics related to studying: from their initial application, progression during studies, through to the completion of their degree. Particular consideration is always given to the topic of disability accessibility.

The faculty ombudsperson for doctoral candidates is the first point of contact for all doctoral candidates when seeking guidance on problems and conflicts.

Technische Universität Berlin doctoral candidates and postdocs can contact Center for Junior Scholars for advising regarding conflicts with their supervisor or within their work environment.

All University staff and students can contact the Family Services Office for assistance regarding family issues. Advising encompasses questions on issues such as:

• Combining career/studies and family life
• Possibilities for flexible working hours (part-time, home office, special leave)
• Support options while studying during pregnancy or parental leave
• Financial and legal possibilities regarding maternity protection, parental leave, parental allowance, and child benefit
• Searching for daycares, schools, or babysitters
• Organizing childcare during TU events
• Childcare possibilities, including for visiting scholars
• Guidance for individuals with care responsibilities
• Implementation of family-friendliness pursuant to the “audit familiengerechte hochschule”
• Application and possible use of equal opportunities funds through third-party funding
• Networking opportunities
• Technsiche Universität Berlin childcare offers: flexible childcare, holiday care
• TU Tandem: mentoring program for students with families

Academic Advising Service provides all prospective students and students of the University with essential information about studying at TU Berlin. Its services include:

• Individual advising for students and prospective students, particularly regarding decision making when choosing or transferring to another degree program
• Advising on studying as a parent, information on further relevant University and non-University offices
• Advising and guidance for students experiencing conflict with lecturers, particularly regarding studying as a parent

Pursuant to the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), the anti-discrimination officer is responsible for employees in the event of (institutional) discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic background, sex, religion or ideology, handicap, age, or sexual orientation. In such cases services include both general advising for the affected person as well as guidance during complaint procedures.

proScience provides female students at Technische Universität Berlin a series of offers to be more successful in their studies, support them with their degree, and ease their transition to the professional world:

• Individual advising (group advising also possible) on orientation during your studies, the progression of your studies, possibilities for funding your studies, and career prospects
• Advising and coaching during your final semester to help you focus on your final thesis as well as make a successful start to your career in science and industry

The University Medical Service is available to all University employees. Its services include:

• Advising in situations of conflict accompanied by or resulting in a health (psychosomatic, psychic, and/or physical) impairment

• First aid in conflict situations of all kinds

All Technische Universität Berlin employees can contact Integration Management for support with resuming work and remaining healthy after an extended absence due to illness. Measures available include re-structuring how work is organized, gradual integration using the Hamburg Model, medical rehabilitation, and modifying one’s workplace.

The services and offers of Human Resources and Continuing Education are open to all Technische Universität Berlin employees looking to gain new skills, further their knowledge, and learn about different team courses. Its services include:

• Procurement of offers for individuals (particularly managers) or teams in cases of conflict, such as coaching, mediation, and team development
• Comprehensive continuing education offers on different conflict issues