IRTG: Workshop | "Navigating Doctoral Research in a Diverse Academic Environment: Work Culture, Collaboration, Careers, and Balance"

On 9 February, from 11:00 to 16:00, an internal online (Zoom) workshop for the doctoral researchers of CRC 1636 will take place. The workshop will be conducted by PD Dr Mareike Menne. Detailed information on the workshop content, provided by the facilitator, can be found below.

Doctoral research in an international Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) comes with exciting opportunities – and with specific structural, cultural, and personal challenges. This workshop day is designed to support doctoral researchers in navigating academic work in Germany, understanding collaboration and hierarchies, reflecting on career perspectives, and developing strategies for self-organisation and balance.

The workshop brings together four thematic sessions that address key questions many doctoral researchers encounter during the course of their PhD – especially in an international and interdisciplinary environment. It does not require prior preparation.

The focus is not on “best practices” or individual optimization, but on orientation, shared understanding, and making implicit expectations explicit. The workshop also serves as a preparation for a larger CRC workshop taking place on 4 March.

Topics include:

• Academic work culture in Germany: formal and informal structures, expectations, and support systems
• Working together in academia: roles, hierarchies, collaboration, and communication
• Career planning and career opportunities inside and outside academia, nationally and internationally
• Self-organization and work–life balance in an international PhD context