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Development of young scholars
Osnabrück University attaches great importance to developing young scholars. The University is committed to systematically developing young scholars by offering structured programs in addition to providing personal support and training for certain target groups. The key aspects of developing young scholars include:
• PhD programs and research training groups
• PhD/Postdoc Career Center
• Mentoring programs for young scholars
• Career guidance for young scholars
• Research funding for young scholars
• Providing training in higher education didactics
PhD programs and research training groups
PhD students at Osnabrück University can decide whether to follow a structured PhD program or to work towards a PhD in the traditional manner. Osnabrück University offers seven PhD programs that accept new students each year. Students can also gain a PhD by joining a research training group. In this case, candidates may be awarded a scholarship to participate in a structured, interdisciplinary program. Scholarships are advertised within the University and beyond the region, depending on the graduate program’s funding cycle.
The PhD/Postdoc Career Center
The PhD/Postdoc Career Center at Osnabrück University brings together doctoral candidates and postdocs from all Schools of Osnabrück University linking the entire research-oriented training for doctoral candidates. The PhD/Postdoc Career Center provides training opportunities for all doctoral candidates and postdocs specially tailored to their needs as well as individual advancement to optimize their scientific work and to enable them to acquire labor market-related skills.
Mentoring for young scholars
In addition to developing young scholars, mentoring programs aim to enhance equal opportunities, offering highly-qualified young scholars the perfect opportunity for achieving their career goals. The programs combine individual mentoring relationships between mentees and mentors with tailor-made, career-specific training focusing on networking – and the activities it involves. Osnabrück University offers a mentoring program for post-doctoral researchers, junior professors and tenure track professors and a program for female doctoral students.
Career guidance for young scholars
Individual advice is given to young scholars to help them plan their careers. The advisory services offered at Osnabrück University are grouped into target groups and themes. Research funding advisors and PhD/Postdoc Career Center staff are available for assistance.
Research funding advisors
Research funding advisors at Osnabrück University provide scholars from all Schools across the University with advice on how to fund their research. They advise young scholars, and help them to apply for PhD scholarships and post-doctoral scholarships. They also explain how funding can be acquired, enabling them to attend conferences, and how to apply for research-related travel grants and scholarships for mobility abroad. Events are held where such matters can be discussed in detail. The President’s Cabinet of Osnabrück University has set up a central research pool to support the promotion of research-related third-party funding acquisitions. Female PhD students at Osnabrück University who are in the final stage of their PhD studies can apply for a completion grant from the female promotion pool. In addition, highly talented young female scholars in the final stage of completing their habilitation (post-doctoral degree) project may apply for funding. Activities and projects that help achieve equal opportunities for men and women at Osnabrück University are also eligible for funding.
Higher education didactics
In cooperation with the University of Bremen, the University of Oldenburg and Technische Universität Braunschweig, Osnabrück University offers university staff a modularized course leading to the certificate “Qualification in Higher Education Didactics”. This qualification is recognized throughout Germany. The program is open to all academics involved in teaching at the University. Not only does participation in this course help raise the quality of teaching at Osnabrück University, it is also crucial evidence of possessing skills and competencies in higher education didactics when applying for teaching positions. The program meets the standards of advanced training in higher education didactics of other federal states, as well as international standards. Such skills are known to play a role when it comes to appointing higher education teaching staff.
