Participation at the GAIN 2025 Annual Conference
by Dr. Neele Meyer (Co-Founder GPN) and Dr. Roman Pauli (Spokesperson WG Survey)
This year, the German Postdoc Network joined the Annual Conference of the German Academic International Network (GAIN) for the first time!
GAIN2025 edition took place in Boston, and it was the first time that GAIN included more international researchers and English-language sessions, making it more accessible to a wider audience. With more than 60 universities, research institutions, and funding agencies participating, GAIN is definitely a great place to gather information about funding and career opportunities in Germany. The GAIN Conference includes workshops and networking events for postdocs as well as a talent fair for R2/R3 researchers to learn about career and funding opportunities in Germany. It also provided researchers with the opportunity to showcase their work in a fantastic science slam!
You can check out the full program here!
The GAIN Conference also brings together university leaders, funding organizations, and politicians. In light of the challenges that research institutions and scholars in the US are facing, their participations signaled both a strong commitment to the importance of academic collaboration and a clear expression of support for academic freedom. The panel discussions highlighted the new Global Minds Initiative Germany by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), which aims to offer international researchers prospects within the German research system. They also emphasized the importance of global connectivity among researchers, the bureaucratic challenges faced in Germany, and the situation of early-career researchers in Germany – such as the still-pending WissZeitVG revision.
What is GAIN?
The German Academic International Network (GAIN) is the network of scientists and researchers from all disciplines in Germany who are currently working at research institutions in the United States and Canada. Its largest annual event, the GAIN Conference, takes place either in Boston or San Francisco at the end of August each year and is a joint initiative of the DAAD, AvH, and DFG. It brings together German research and funding organizations, political stakeholders, and researchers who are either currently in the US or considering returning to Germany.
For the German Postdoc Network, Dr. Neele Meyer, one of the founders of the GPN, and Dr. Roman Pauli, member of the WG Survey, joined the GAIN conference to spread the word about the network and our activities at the Talent Fair. Here’s what they took away from GAIN:
One of the highlights for me was attending a high-level discussion on careers at the interface of research and society, organized by the Volkswagen Foundation. We often organize career talks on how to become a professor, but rarely get the chance to hear first-hand insights into how to become a president, a chancellor, or assume executive positions in other organizations supporting researchers. I found it very interesting to learn more about the career paths, activities, and challenges of these positions. Another key moment was talking to heads of organizations and political representatives. We could introduce the GPN’s goals and activities. It was a good opportunity to be part of a larger conversation on how the academic system in Germany can improve for postdocs – and I returned home with lots of ideas for the German Postdoc Network to get actively involved and to fill the blanks in supporting R2 researchers.
For me, the most valuable part of GAIN was the chance to meet other postdocs and hear about their experiences. It was super interesting to learn about their academic journeys, what challenges they’ve faced, and how they see their careers evolving in the future. It really highlighted how diverse the postdoc experience is, but also how many of us share common issues like career uncertainty and a lack of clear career paths. As a postdoc myself, I also participated in some workshops focused on navigating the German academic system. Sessions such as The Path to Group Leader or Professorship Appointments: Dos and Don’ts gave me useful insights into what to expect from the application process. It helped me get a clearer picture of what the German academic job market looks like for postdocs and what I can do to make the most of available opportunities.
Key Takeaways for the GPN and the Postdoc Community
For us, attending GAIN made it clear that there is still a lot of work to do when it comes to the political voice of postdocs in Germany. Representing the GPN at the GAIN Talent Fair and joining discussions at the conference was an important step in that direction, showing that – among the universities and research institutions present – our community is a relevant stakeholder in the academic landscape. The presence of high-level stakeholders provides a great opportunity without parallel in Germany. The high quality of the organization, discussions, and participants might also leave you wondering: Why isn’t there a comparable event in Germany to advocate for researchers who are already based in Germany and seeking career perspectives?
And while university representatives often highlight their open positions and funding opportunities at the fair, we also had discussions with various postdocs who were unsure about how to stay informed about open positions in Germany. Since R2 and R3 positions are often not advertised on job-seeking websites and it is extremely cumbersome to keep track of the job sites of dozens of research institutions, this remains a significant challenge. Given that EURAXESS Jobs is not widely used, that there is no defined hiring season, and that joint calls like the Max-Planck Postdoc Program remain the exception, there is certainly much to be done to provide better recruitment support and to attract the best researchers.
Looking Ahead
We would like to thank the GAIN team for supporting our participation in this year’s annual conference and are already looking forward to next year! The conference provided us with valuable insights and inspired new ideas on how the GPN can help improve conditions for postdocs, both in Germany and internationally.
For both of us, it was an exciting and insightful experience that offered a closer look at the German academic landscape and the role of postdocs within it, while also providing the perfect opportunity to showcase what we have built together over the past year!
We are already thinking about how we can contribute in 2026 and how we can help shape the discussions around postdoc careers, better recruitment, and stronger career support.
