With its Leipzig Researcher Development Programme (LRDP), Leipzig University offers tailored support for postdoctoral researchers. The programme is aimed at postdocs directly after completing their doctorate (up to about three years; known as Recognised Researchers or R2) as well as at researchers with extensive experience and a high degree of independence (four to eight years after completing their doctorate; known as Established Researchers or R3).
The Leipzig Researcher Development Programme:
Promoting Academic Qualification
The LRDP comprises a series of measures to integrate, develop and support postdoctoral researchers, taking into account the special requirements of the two qualification phases R2 and R3 (descriped in the European Framework for Research Careers). The programme also offers services to prepare postdocs for career paths outside of academia – such as self-employment and managerial roles in business, culture and society.
The LRDP combines measures aimed at:
- developing specialist skills at faculties, in research networks and at institutions
- interdisciplinary skills development and guidance
- career guidance
- internationalisation, networking, interdisciplinarity and equality.
Promoting Interdisciplinary Skills
- Individual advice and workshops on research funding from the Research Service
- Interview training for Emmy Noether and ERC candidates at the Research Service
- Workshops of the Competence School of the Research Academy Leipzig on topics such as writing a proposal, knowledge transfer and research data management
- Financial support (Flexible Fund, support for participation in conferences, re-entry scholarships for women planning their habilitation)
- Open Access Publishing Fund and Open Science Office of the University Library
- Grants for research stays and network building under the Research Academy Leipzig’s Leibniz Programme
- Workshops and other events in the iDiv Postdoc Carrer Support programme, e.g. writing of third-party funding applications (only for Postdocs who a affiliated to the iDiv-consortium of the University Leipzig, for more details about the eligibility requirements see the iDiv-programm website)
- Workshops on transferable skills at the Competence School: leadership, management and much more
- Individual support for aspiring entrepreneurs through the SMILE start-up initiative
- Internal staff development courses at Leipzig University
- Workshops and other events in the iDiv Postdoc Carrer Support programme, e.g. for communication, carrer development, leading teams (only for Postdocs who a affiliated to the iDiv-consortium of the University Leipzig, for more details about the eligibility requirements see the iDiv-programm website)
- Pre-Doc Award for the supervision of doctoral candidates
- Acquisition of higher education teaching certificates and other qualifications at the Saxon Centre for Higher Education Teaching and Learning
- Workshops of the Competence School of the Research Academy Leipzig (e.g. “Teaching and Supervising”)
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Workshops of the iDiv Postdoc Carrer Support programme, e.g. writing of third-party funding applications (only for Postdocs who a affiliated to the iDiv-consortium of the University Leipzig, for more details about the eligibility requirements see the iDiv-programm website)
Career Guidance
- Career planning interviews
- Annual status meetings
- Mentoring
- Career advice
- Individual career coaching in the iDiv Postdoc Carrer Support programme (only for Postdocs who a affiliated to the iDiv-consortium of the University Leipzig, for more details about the eligibility requirements see the iDiv-programm website)
Network Building and Partnerships
- Networking with international academics through the Leibniz INVITATIONS programme
- Workshops and events of the Research Academy Leipzig
- Mentoring programme for female postdocs in the Halle-Jena-Leipzig Central German University Alliance
- Mentoring in the iDiv Postdoc Carrer Support programme (only for Postdocs who a affiliated to the iDiv-consortium of the University Leipzig, for more details about the eligibility requirements see the iDiv-programm website)
- Postdoc Club
- Facebook group: Postdocs in Leipzig
- Welcome day for postdocs
Internationalisation
- Welcome Centre to support international researchers
- Individual guidance from the Research Service on international funding programmes
- Guidance – on stays abroad, on the Erasmus+ mobility programme and on DAAD funding – from the International Centre
- Language and German courses
- Funding for international networking in the Leibniz Programme