Postdocs and the Research Ecosystem: Shaping Sustainable Career Paths
Themed week supported and organized with the Volkswagen Foundation
The theme week focuses on the future of academic careers in Germany, with special attention to the postdoctoral phase – a crucial yet structurally undefined stage in scientific career paths. It aims to unite perspectives from academia, politics, funding bodies, and research management to analyze current challenges and develop practical solutions for more reliable and diverse career trajectories.
Based on recommendations from the German Science and Humanities Council, three symposia will explore the definition of the postdoc phase, staffing structure models, and intersectoral mobility. A supporting program with plenary sessions, a world café, and a public panel discussion will foster exchange, networking, and international dialogue.
Program Highlights:
- Keynote by Dr. Nicholas Russell on the current data landscape of the postdoctoral phase
- Public Panel Discussion: The Future of Postdocs in the German Research Ecosystem – Where Do We Stand One Year After the German Council’s Position Paper? - Moderation by Dr. Jan-Martin Wiarda
- Focused symposia and discussions on:
- Symposium I: "A Shared Definition of the Postdoc Phase: Analysis, Stakeholders, and Vision
for Germany“ (in German) - Symposium II: "Implementing Personnel Structure Development in Science – Challenges and Solutions" (in German)
- Symposium III: "Intersectoral Mobility (ISM) for Researchers – Balancing Opportunities and Challenges"
- Symposium I: "A Shared Definition of the Postdoc Phase: Analysis, Stakeholders, and Vision
- World Café peer exchange
- Networking opportunities with high-ranking figures in the German academic and European research landscape
We are excited to welcome you to this event!
Date: Wed, August 26 – Fri, August 28, 2026
Location: Tagungszentrum Schloss Herrenhausen, Herrenhäuser Straße 5, 30419 Hannover
Language: Please be aware that even though the framework program (incl. keynote and panel discussion) will be in English two of the symposia will be held in German.
How can you register/take part?
All participants have been carefully selected based on their expertise, deep interest in the topic, and proven ability to drive meaningful change in the research ecosystem. Invitations and registration details were sent directly via email. We appreciate your engagement and look forward to a dynamic exchange of ideas and solutions.
Agenda
August 26, 2026 - Day 1
August 27, 2026 - Day 2
August 28, 2026 - Day 3
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Nicholas Russell
Symposium Topics
Symposium I: A Shared Definition of the Postdoc Phase: Analysis, Stakeholders, and Vision for Germany (in German)
The overarching goal of the symposium is to conceptually clarify the postdoctoral phase as an independent career stage, identify relevant stakeholders for implementation, and develop pathways toward a nationally consistent and internationally comparable definition. The symposium is structured into three modules:
- Systematically capturing definition elements such as duration, roles, responsibilities, qualification objectives, and international compatibility;
- Analyzing relevant stakeholders, governance structures, barriers, and implementation opportunities;
- Developing a roadmap with concrete short-, medium-, and long-term action steps.
Symposium I Team
Dr. Alex Franzke
Dr. Britta Hoyer
Dr. Yves Klinger
Dr. Stefan Pieczonka
Dr. Tina Scheibe
Symposium II: Implementing Personnel Structure Development in Science – Challenges and Solutions (in German)
This symposium aims to discuss sustainable personnel development at universities, clarify academic career paths, use resources efficiently, and create intergenerationally fair conditions for research and teaching. Current debates – triggered by initiatives such as #ichbinHanna, the revision of the Temporary Employment in Science Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz), and position papers from scientific organizations and associations – demonstrate that the German research system requires reform. While personnel development has gained significance since the introduction of the Tenure-Track Program, systematic solutions that also address the development of personnel structures are still lacking. This symposium aims to close this gap by bringing together experts from science, administration, and policy.
Key Themes
- Strategic Planning: Designing future-ready personnel structures that support research and teaching.
- Tenure-Track Frameworks: Harmonizing qualification and tenure-track roles across federal states.
- New Career Paths: Developing standardized personnel categories beyond professorships.
- Teaching Integration: Aligning teaching obligations with research roles.
- Organizational Design: Defining optimal placement of tenure-track positions.
- Sustainable Funding: Balancing long-term stability with financial responsibility.
The symposium will generate actionable recommendations for universities, funding bodies, and policymakers, with the goal of fostering institutional coherence and intergenerational equity in academic careers.
Symposium II Team
Dr. Roland Bloch
Dr. Silvana Burke
Dr. Camila Hernández Frederick
Dr. Linda Jauch
Dr. Christian Kny
Ellen Laurer
Dr. André Stiegler
Symposium III: Intersectoral Mobility (ISM) for Researchers – Balancing Opportunities and Challenges
The symposium focuses on intersectoral mobility (ISM) for researchers, meaning movement between universities, industry, public research institutions, and NGOs. ISM increases the permeability of the scientific system and advances knowledge. Non-academic work experience has long been central for professorships at Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS), and new programs supported by the German FH-Personal initiative respond to a growing shortage of suitable applicants and aim to strengthen professorial preparation. The German Council for Science and Humanities has emphasized that transparent staffing structures are key to enabling ISM. Although its value is widely recognized in Europe, only a few targeted support programs exist in Germany. Transitions to non-academic sectors are still perceived as one-way moves with limited paths back. Structural barriers persist: Entrenched institutional mindsets, weak assessment frameworks for diverse careers, legal constraints, and insufficient policy incentives for flexible transitions. This symposium will bring together researchers, program managers, stakeholders, and policy advisers to gather perspectives from academia, politics, and industry, identify needs, and explore support measures for transitioning between sectors. It will examine barriers in Germany, highlight best practice examples and map challenges at individual, institutional, and policy levels. The aim is to develop a roadmap for more flexible mobility and strengthen the recognition of non-academic experience as an equally valuable career path. The event encourages long-term collaboration and knowledge exchange to boost innovation and societal impact. Key participants from academic and non-academic sectors, industry, and the European level will provide broad perspectives. Ultimately, the symposium aims to lay the groundwork for a mobility culture in which talent moves freely, qualifications travel with it, and the research system gains strength from both.
Symposium III Team
Dr. Barbara Janssens
Dr. Andre Lindörfer
Dr. Neele Meyer
Dr. Mariana Schulte-Sasse
