Postdocs
The PhD/Postdoc Career Center (ZePrOs) at Osnabrück University offers mentoring programs for doctoral candidates and postdocs on an alternating basis. The next round will start in mid-2026. Applications are being accepted from October 15, 2025 until January 14, 2026. All information about the program and the application process can be found on this page.
Mentoring Program "Together on the Path to a Professorship"
The twelve-month program is aimed at qualified postdocs from all schools of Osnabrück University who are aiming for a professorship or a responsible position in academia. The program is also aimed at postdocs who are still in the orientation phase with regard to their professional career within or outside academia. Women and first-time academics, i.e. people whose parents have not studied, are particularly invited to apply.
The program includes the components One-to-One Mentoring, Peer Mentoring & Networking, Workshops & Discussion Events and an accompanying program & a group supervision.
Apply now until January 14, 2026!
The postdoctoral mentoring program is
entering its next phase in May 2026.
How to Apply for the Program Cycle 2026/27
Program overview and participation requirements:
The information about the postdoctoral mentoring program is summarized in our leaflet (PDF, 201 kB). In addition, our program overview (PDF, 171 kB) provides a list of the planned events for the 2026/27 program cycle, including a brief description of the events as well as the date and location, if already known. During the course of the program, additional dates for discussion events may be added in consultation with the mentee group and as needed. In addition to the events listed in the overview, self-organized meetings will take place in the mentoring tandems (one-to-one mentoring) and among the mentees (peer mentoring).
In the interest of the entire mentee group, we encourage you to participate in as many program activities as possible. Mandatory participation in the preparatory workshop on April 17, 2026, and the kickoff workshop on May 28 and 29, 2026, is a prerequisite for admission to the program.
Postdocs with institutional affiliation with Osnabrück University are eligible to apply. The program language for the 2026/27 program cycle is English. Therefore, sufficient English language skills are required for participation.
A fee of 175 EUR is charged for participation in the mentoring program.
Application process:
Admission to the mentoring program for postdocs is based on a two-stage application process. This includes a written application and a subsequent interview with the program committee in English.
The deadline for the written application is January 14, 2026. Please send the following documents in a single PDF file via email to ment.postdoc@uni-osnabrueck.de:
- completed application form (PDF, 1.08 MB)
- your CV (including publication list and information on teaching)
- a separate letter of motivation of min. 2000 and max. 3500 characters addressing your motivation for participating in the mentoring program, reasons for application, support you hope to receive, expectations, and goals you aim to achieve by participating.
This information will serve as the basis for the selection process by the program committee. The interviews with the members of the committee will take place between mid-February and mid-March 2026.
Consultation:
The program managemers are offering a digital information event on the new postdoctoral program via BigBlueButton on November 10, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. The link to the conference room is as follows: https://webconf.uni-osnabrueck.de/rooms/drm-zai-my1-czn
Are you unable to attend the information session or do you have any further questions? Please do not hesitate to arrange an individual meeting with the mentoring team ( ment.postdoc@uni-osnabrueck.de).
Further Information
Postdocs are high performers in research and teaching, but at the same time they are confronted with a variety of demands, high competition, insecure employment and unclear career prospects. In addition, they often find themselves in a phase of life characterized by fundamental private decisions and changes. Women and first-time academics in particular question their future in academia during this time, despite their great potential.
The Mentoring Program for Postdocs aims to accompany and support qualified scientists in this phase after their Doctorate on their career path and in their personal development. With this in mind, the Mentoring Program offers individual support in defining career prospects, opportunities for skills development and spaces for networking, collegial support and confidential exchange of experiences with both more experienced professionals and people at the same qualification level.
In the long term, the program is intended to contribute to strengthening equal opportunities in the academic system, particularly with regard to the diversity dimensions of gender and educational background. This is to happen on two levels: Firstly, by supporting people who are structurally disadvantaged in the science system and secondly, by raising diversity awareness and knowledge of structural inequalities among future leaders.
One-to-One Mentoring
Based on the wishes of the mentees, experienced professionals from universities and other institutions in Germany and abroad are recruited as mentors by the university management and the project management. The tandems themselves determine the content and framework conditions of the collaboration. Possible topics include career planning, informal rules of the game in academia and work-life balance.
In the preparatory workshop, the participants discuss the search for and selection of mentors, among other things. The acquisition of mentors and bringing together of the tandems follows. In an initial meeting, the tandems can get to know each other and clarify mutual expectations. The matching process is completed as soon as the mentee and mentor have decided to work together as a mentoring tandem for the duration of the program after the initial meeting.
Peer Mentoring & Networking
Peer Mentoring is a regular, self-organized exchange within the mentee group. Mutual support with current questions and challenges during the postdoc phase is made possible by the method of collegial counselling. The program includes an introduction to this method. In addition, an informal exchange can also take place, e.g. in the form of a regulars' table.
The topic-related "networking events" co-designed by the group enable all mentees to talk to each other as well as to the mentors and, if necessary, to other invited guests. The topics for the networking events are chosen by the mentees according to the needs and interests of the group.
Workshops & Discussion Events
The workshops with qualified trainers and discussion events with internal experts support career planning, provide impetus for skills development and open up insights into career-relevant topics. This includes critical reflection on inequalities and structural barriers in the academic system.
Accompanying Program & Supervision
The Accompanying Program includes preparation for the One-to-One Mentoring and reflection on the associated individual goals at the beginning, halfway through and at the end of the program.
In addition, the Peer Mentoring is accompanied and supported by a group supervision. The focus of group supervision is on reflection and needs-oriented design of collaboration in a diverse group. Participants strengthen their ability to understand and constructively shape group processes in heterogeneous teams. The group supervision is carried out by the coach and supervisor (DGSv / DGSF) Dr. Nadyne Stritze.
Nadyne Stritzke, Dr. phil., is Central Women's and Social Equity Officer and Head of the Office for Social Equity at Justus Liebig University Giessen, literary and cultural scientist, consultant (DGSF), supervisor/coach (DGSv), editorial member of the journal Supervision. Human. Work. Organization, board member and head of training at the Institute for Analytical Supervision Düsseldorf (ASv).
- Institutional affiliation with Osnabrück University
- Interest in interdisciplinary exchange, networking and collegial support among postdocs of different levels of experience
- Willingness to actively participate in the design of the mentoring program and the collaboration in the group and to invest approx. 1-2 days per month in the program
A key factor for the effectiveness of the programs is the personal responsibility and commitment of the participating mentees. In the interests of the group as a whole, we attach great importance to participation in as many program events as possible.