12-13 November 2026

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Dr. Philippa Cook

7 to 12

to be announced

English

International Doctoral Candidates at the University of Rostock

Free of charge

It can be a real challenge to plan your career strategically in Germany but especially if you have an international background and are not yet sure if you want to stay on track in Germany’s academic world or are considering other options. The entry routes into the jobmarket – both academic and non-academic – are not always transparent, international candidates are often not well-informed about what to expect in the application process, how to articulate their competencies, and how or where to build up a professional network and ensure they are visible. Even if (or especially if) you are unsure of your path, it is better to start planning early! In this workshop, we will start career planning at the most important place – with you! It is important to take time to reflect on what it is you really want to do, what are your core values, what motivates you, when/where do you thrive? 

Participants will receive a preparatory exercise by email to complete approx. one week before the workshop.

The workshop has four main components:

1. Developing a personal profile: What can I do and where do I want to work with that? What are my core values and current priorities in life and which career path fits best with that? What competencies do I bring beyond my research expertise and how can I evidence these.
2. Information about the structure of German academia: which posts exist for me, what are the next career steps for me in academia? What do I need to offer at which stage? Who could assist me and how can I become/stay visible?
3. What is different if looking outside academia, how can I make connections and get to know my options? What works differently in the non-academic sector? How can I begin to build my network in Germany and test out different ideas?
4. Planning the next steps: Which factors do I need to consider in planning my next steps? What is a realistic time-scale and action plan?

Methods

• Short inputs from the trainer
• Discussion and presenting in small groups and with partners
• Peer feedback, trainer feedback
• Discussion in plenary with opportunity to ask questions in a “safer space”
• Self-reflective exercises with worksheets to complete and take away

Dr. Philippa Cook is a specialist careers coach who works intensively with international researchers throughout Germany, supporting them in navigating the academic system and finding career (re)orientation. She has an international background herself – born and raised in England – and worked in research and teaching in German academia for several years before she founded her own consulting practice. She is now recognized as an expert in advising international researchers. Intercultural communication and competence are a particular focus of her work, shaped by her outsider's perspective on the academic system and her own multicultural background. For this workshop she has conducted numerous interviews with international PhD-holders who have built careers inside and outside German academia and draws on these real-life experiences to inform and to empower the participants. All workshops are conducted with sensitivity to issues of inclusion and diversity.