"TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online"

The series "TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online - PostDocs from various universities share their experience of changing into careers outside academia" is a joint offer of the graduate institutions of the universities of Clausthal, Lüneburg, Münster, Jena, Magdeburg and Leipzig. The series is offered for the second time at the start of wintersemester 25/26 and postdocs from Clausthal University of Technology are once again hosting the opening event.

Post-doctoral careers largely take place outside academia and universities. According to the Federal Report on Early Career Researchers (2021: 202), "only around one in five or one in six doctoral graduates (...) work in the academic system in the long term" and "a large proportion of doctoral graduates work in the private sector ten years after completing their PhD".

"I only know university...!" is what many PhD holders at universities think and have great respect for changing into a non-academic field of work. During these sessions here, scientists from a wide range of disciplines, whether from engineering, natural sciences, humanities or social sciences, share their experiences on how their own transition was successful. In this format, colleagues talk about how the transition can succeed, which "DOs and DON'Ts" can be given to the younger generation and which obstacles and hurdles can and cannot be expected.

The kicked off session of this series "TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online" will be held by two female engineers whose start could not have been more different from each other, but read more below…

"TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online" Kick-Off TU Clausthal
Date: Monday, 10.11.2025 | 13:30 - 15:00 | via Zoom (link after registration)

There could not be a more different start to a non-academic career than the two female scientists who will report on their experiences of changing jobs from university to the private sector at this event. And both are representative of typical and frequently occurring changes from university to practice.

Julita Emersleben remained a research assistant at Clausthal University of Technology for a long time, relying on so-called "chain contracts" and the completion of her doctorate, until one day she was suddenly told she was "out" and the move to industry was inevitable. Without having completed her doctorate, this change was successful after a few hurdles and ultimately led to a very high level of satisfaction for many years. Dr. Eva Prumbohm , on the other hand, describes her start in a medium-sized company as an exciting and instructive time in which she was able to gain valuable experience and apply her knowledge in practice.

As so often those cases, both women are accompanied by the topic of compatibility of family and career, which is familiar to many women. In this opening session the ladies will let participants know how the upheavals were managed and how they succeeded in mastering the transition despite hurdles and obstacles.
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"TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online" meets "Let's talk career" (Leuphana Graduate School, University of Lüneburg)
Date: Wednesday, 21.01.2026 | 16.00 - 17.30 | Registration page (link follows)

Entering the cultural sector with a PhD Degree

What doors open for PhD holders outside university? Many!
PhD holders acquire not only specialist expertise through their research activities, but also many interdisciplinary skills that enable them to enter numerous different fields of work and take on responsibility. This ability to connect to a wide range of activities makes two questions particularly relevant: Which field of activity is right for me? Which paths will lead me to my goals? 
The online networking event "Let's talk careers" is entering its next round and offers an insight into the professional biographies of alumni/alumnae from the humanities who have completed their doctorates. We talk about their career entry outside the university, about areas of work and fields of activity, about the expected and the surprising in their professional (re)orientation and what was particularly helpful in the process.

"TUC-PostDoc PRAXIS online" meets "Spill the tea!" (Center for Emerging Researchers, University of Münster)
Date: Tuesday, 03.03.2026 | 09.00 - 10.30 a.m. | via Zoom (link below)

From science to science management?

"The professional field of science management emerged in the 1990s and has grown rapidly since then." - Müller, M., Grewe, O. (2020). Science management as a profession. Strategien für den Einstieg, Frankfurt/New York: Campus, p.10.
But how do you make the transition from science to science management? In this panel discussion, experienced science managers talk about their personal careers, the challenges and opportunities of entering science management and provide valuable insights into their day-to-day work. They will explain how they discovered the career field for themselves, what skills are required and what interested parties should consider when deciding on this career field. Come along for a cup of tea and ask the panel your questions!

Organizer: Centre for Emerging Researchers (University of Münster), contact person: Rebecca Meier
Zoomlink: uni-ms.zoom-x.de/j/62485221584;
Meeting ID: 624 8522 1584, ID code: 426583

Further dates in SoSe2026:

Tuesday, May 05 or Thu, May 07 or Tue, May 12, 2026, 13:00h to 14:30h, online via Zoom (link after registration)
Alumni Talk: From Academia to Industry (Friedrich Schiller University Jena)
Are you thinking about leaving academia after completing your PhD or postdoc? You are not alone. The majority of PhD candidates do not stay in academia for their entire career. In this talk, three STEM alumni, who have successfully transitioned from academia to a career in industry, will share their experiences. They will give valuable advice on job hunting and application processes, career development and working outside of academia.
Language: English; Organizer: Graduate Academy Jena, contact person: Gabi Schopf (gabi.schopf@uni-jena.de)

Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 14:00h to 15:00h, online via Zoom (see link below)
From postdoc to innovation: science meets entrepreneurship - a male and female founder report
How do you make the transition from science to entrepreneurship? In this "coffee conversation", two founders talk about their personal journeys between research, funding and start-up development - authentically, approachably and with plenty of room for questions.
To kick things off, Dr. Christian Sonnendecker, co-founder of ESTER Biotech, will talk about his current transitional phase: still employed at Leipzig university and funded by EXIST Research Transfer, his team is already working intensively on the spin-off. He will provide insights into how a scientific idea becomes a company - and what opportunities and challenges this transition holds.
A female founder (to be announced) will add to the perspective and show how one example for how female scientists are shaping their path to self-employment.
The event offers scientists considering to leave academia, interested in founding or just in general the opportunity to talk directly to these two role models and ask their own questions.
Organizer: Akademische Personalentwicklung, Universität Leipzig; Contact person: Dr. Nicole Koburger
Meeting link: uni-leipzig.zoom-x.de/j/69202951761