navigare - Career Coaching 2025

Promoting Gender Equity in International Research Careers

The hands of two researchers hold Petri dishes.

What is navigare about?

navigare – Career Coaching is designed for women, trans, inter, and non-binary researchers considering a career in science.

Within the program, our main objective is to support you formulate your own career goals and to help you prepare and position yourself for a career in an international academic context.

Throughout the program, you will develop key career management skills and reflect on the science system itself and the gender and diversity specific demands it places on you as a researcher.

In an international and interdisciplinary group of participants, you will have the opportunity to learn with and from each other as well as:

  • develop your own skills profile and shape your career more strategically

  • reflect on (in)formal barriers you might face in the academic system

  • formulate your needs in terms of your work-life balance – develop your own networking strategies

  • explore your understanding of leadership and develop leadership skills

  • learn how to establish constructive communication and conflict resolution

  • earn how to foster collaboration in international team constellations

 

Registration is closed

The next navigare program is offered in 2025 starting with a half-day online workshop for "Information & Orientation" on November 7, 2024. Please register for the workshop until October 18, 2024.

All further workshops will be held on site in barrier free seminar rooms at the House of Science (Haus der Wissenschaft) in the city center.

Registration

Navigare flyer

Program schedule

Two smiling researchers in a lab.
A person at work in a greenhouse.
Seven young researchers around a screen.
Two researchers looking concentrated on an object.

Planning a scientific career in an international context

Intensive research and teaching, collaborating with international partners from different disciplines, as well as a vivid, flexible, and cross-cultural working environment are important motivations for a rewarding career in science.

At the same time, you have probably experienced that working in an (foreign) academic system leads to many challenges. These include different (gender) role-expectations, intercultural relations, the understanding of career perspectives, and structural differences in the higher education system. In the context of high mobility requirements, an academic career places special demands on scientists with family responsibilities or with special needs.

Furthermore, outstanding scientific qualifications alone are often not sufficient to pursue a career in academia successfully. Networks and informal support still play a crucial role, yet they are not available for everyone in the same way.

Throughout the navigare program, you will learn strategies for actively developing your academic career together with a group of peers from different faculties and research groups, and you will have the opportunity to build a strong network for mutual exchange and support with your fellow participants.

Participation

Participation commitment

To participate in the navigare program, we ask you to engage with:

  • the commitment to develop your career in academia
  • high motivation to learn within a group of peers
  • serious willingness to reflect on gender & diversity biases in science
  • sufficient time resources for a binding participation

To receive a navigare certificate, you need to attend at least 75% of the workshops.

Entrance requirements

navigare is open to women, trans, inter and non-binary researchers who are in the PhD or Post Doc-phase and who are a member of one of the supporting institutes, research groups or networks at the University of Bremen.

Application procedure

The next navigare program will take place in 2025 starting with a half-day online workshop for "Information & Orientation" in November 2024. To take part in the "Information & Orientation" workshop and the program follow this procedure:

1. Check with the coordinator of your research network, training group or center: For MAPEX this is Dr. Hanna Lührs, mapex@uni-bremen.de. If you don't belong to one of the institutions, or are not sure about it contact Dr. Lisa Spanka.

2. Complete the application form to attend the ?Information & Orientation Workshop? and send it to your   program coordinator until October 18th, 2024.

3. Attend the ?Information & Orientation Workshop? to learn more about the goals and content of navigare and to meet the trainer, Dr. Christine Kohistani.

4. For a binding commitment to participate in the program, please register by contacting Dr. Lisa Spanka within one week after attending the ?Information & Orientation Workshop?.

Program overview

〉 Information & Orientation Workshop
〉 Module 1: Exploring Career Paths
〉 Module 2: Aligning Self Awareness
〉 Module 3: Leading by Engaging & Empowering
〉 Module 4: Building Conflict Resilience
〉 Module 5: Networking & Tea Time
〉 Module 6: Collaborating in International Teams
〉 Module 7: Reflecting on Professional Growth
〉 Final Evaluation Workshop

Each module consists of a workshop part and peer group sessions.

 

    Contact navigare

    Dr. Lisa Spanka

    Program coordinator navigare

    University of Bremen

    +49 421 218–60186

    lisa.spankaprotect me ?!vw.uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

    www.uni-bremen.de/navigare-career-coaching

     

    Contact MAPEX

    Dr. Hanna Lührs

    Science Manager

    MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes

    University of Bremen

    +49 421 218-64580

    mapexprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

    Trainer

    Dr. Christine Kohistani is a consultant, trainer, senior coach (DGfC) and partner of SAMIN.WORLD in Duesseldorf, Germany. She has extensive international experience working in academia and industry, and is dedicated to supporting change-makers in sustainable skills development.

    Supporting institutions

    The Equal Opportunities Office offers the navigare career coaching program as a joint initiative of the following institutions:

     

    Updated by: MAPEX