Opportunities for Doctoral Students and Postdocs

TU Dresden offers a wide range of information and support services for doctoral students and postdocs. We have compiled a list of the main Central Units, programs, and contact persons for you.

Graduate Academy

The Graduate Academy is the central point of contact and service center for all questions related to the doctoral and postdoctoral phases. In addition, the Graduate Academy aims to create optimal framework conditions across the university during the doctoral and postdoctoral phases.

Through high standards of supervision and quality, the Graduate Academy aims to prepare early-career researchers at TU Dresden for outstanding positions in academia, industry, and society.

The Graduate Academy offers its members

a range of professional development opportunities specifically designed for early-career researchers,
individual counseling before, during, and after the doctoral program,
funding programs for doctoral candidates and postdocs,
such as travel grants for conferences or stays abroad,
regular events offering opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange
and networking

Academia Mentoring Program

Through the Academia Mentoring Program, the Graduate Academy supports postdocs in their personal and professional development and academic career planning. We offer them the opportunity to successfully take the next step in their academic careers through reflection, feedback, networking, and further training.

At the heart of the Academia Mentoring Program is the one-on-one mentoring relationship between mentee and mentor (also known as a “tandem”). Mentors provide their mentees with insights into the structures, processes, and rules of the academic system and open up access to important networks. Mentees thus receive personalized guidance in their future career planning and gain constructive feedback. At the same time, mentors benefit by strengthening their advisory and leadership skills and gain important insights into the situation of early-career researchers.

Unit 9.3 Diversity Management

In an increasingly complex work, research, and academic environment, TU Dresden aims to offer all students and employees a wide range of opportunities and to make the most of everyone’s potential. This guiding principle encompasses far more than measures designed to prevent discrimination based on ethnic origin, gender, religion, worldview, disability, age, or sexual identity. The Unit 9.3 Diversity Management at TU Dresden aims to develop a comprehensive strategic concept for recognizing and valuing the diversity of the university community and thereby contribute to the removal of structural barriers.

Support Services for a Family-Friendly University

Our goal is to support students and employees in balancing their careers, studies, and family life. That is why TU Dresden already offers its students and employees a wide range of support services, which are continually being expanded. All of TU Dresden’s family-friendly services are summarized for you in our flyer “Family-Friendly University.” In addition to existing measures, TU Dresden has set even higher goals for family-friendliness and has incorporated them into its action plan. TUD as a family-friendly university

Measures for Gender Equality

TU Dresden is committed to the goal of becoming a gender-equitable university and has enshrined this goal in its mission statement and Fundamental Principles. In recent years, TU Dresden has intensified its efforts to move closer to the goals of a gender-equitable and family-friendly university.

Support measures include, among others, the Maria Reiche Postdoctoral Fellowships, postdoctoral career training for women in science, and doctoral support programs through scholarships.

WHAT’S NEXT? Develop your postdoc career!

With the Charlotte Bühler Program —developed specifically for female postdocs and habilitation candidates—TU Dresden invites all female researchers at TU Dresden and all DRESDEN-concept institutions to actively plan and advance their postdoc careers. What’s my next career step? How do I prepare for the challenges in research, teaching, and management? Can I lead a team? How do I negotiate my next job? These and many other questions are addressed in the 12-month professional development and networking program. It supports female researchers across disciplines, particularly in acquiring interdisciplinary skills through a variety of workshops, keynote presentations, networking events, and coaching sessions.

Center for Continuing Education (ZfW)

The Center for Continuing Education (ZfW) is your first point of contact for all matters related to continuing education. The programs are aimed in particular at employees of TU Dresden—that is, academic and support staff as well as managers at TU Dresden. In addition to personalized continuing education counseling tailored to your needs, a wide range of training and advisory services is offered, along with networking opportunities. You can find information, among other things, on continuing education opportunities for TU Dresden employees as well as the certificate program in university didactics in cooperation with the Saxon Center for University Didactics (HDS).

Leadership Program and Certificate: “Successful Leadership at TU Dresden”

Through the leadership program “Successful Leadership at TU Dresden,” the Center for Continuing Education supports you, as a leader at TU Dresden, in meeting your daily challenges. The program’s goal is to strengthen and further develop your leadership skills through specific continuing education and counseling services, as well as networking opportunities. The program is aimed at all managers at TU Dresden in the fields of science, technology, and administration. It consists of the “Leadership Skills” foundation module, the “Leadership” crash course, in-depth workshops, and consulting services, and is offered annually. Additionally, you have the opportunity to earn the corresponding leadership certificate.