The program is aimed at WU pre-doc employees who would like to continue their academic career after completing their doctorate or are at least considering that option. The program is designed to support you in building a successful career in the national and international academic job market.

The WU PPP is a 15-month program that includes a combination of elements: peer coaching, workshops, Career Talk, and individual coaching sessions. The first 3 of these elements are mandatory, and the individual coaching is an optional service for people who need it. The elements and contents are designed and developed in English. Depending on what’s needed, the program is available both in English and in German.

Attention: Please note that the program is not intended to provide coaching for the thesis writing process, assistance in deciding between an academic or a non-academic career, or help in finding a job. The goal of the program is to assist you in planning your academic career and to prepare you for the academic job market. The program is therefore meant as a multidisciplinary addition to the support provided by the researchers’ academic units and by their supervisors, who are of course the pre-docs’ main mentors and contact persons.

For a visual overview of the project elements, please click this Link>>.

Here>> you can find a project schedule with all relevant dates. The next round of the program will start in spring of 2025.

Info-Coffee or personal meeting with the Personnel Development team (mandatory)

To participate in the program, you have to complete a personal meeting. This meeting can take place in the form of what we call Info-Coffee, where you will also have the opportunity to get to know and network with other pre-doc employees interested in the program.

During the Info-Coffee or at your interview you will be introduced to the WU PPP in detail and receive information on the format and structure of the program. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have regarding the program and share your expectations. Of course, you are also more than welcome to join us for the Info-Coffee if you just want to find out more about the program without signing up just yet.

Peer coaching (mandatory)

The peer coaching sessions are moderated by an external coach. They give you the opportunity to discuss questions regarding challenges specific to your individual qualifications with your peers in a confidential atmosphere and on a regular basis and to develop useful strategies and solutions together. The sessions are always centered around the group. Initially, the coach will suggest the first topics for discussion. As the peer coaching progresses, you and your peers will also have the opportunity to put your own topics on the agenda.

For information about the coach of the peer coaching sessions, please click this Link>>.

Workshops (mandatory)

The workshops are scheduled in advance that are intended to help you get off to a good start in the academic job market after the end of your pre-doc employment and to equip you with the skills you need for an academic career.

Workshop selection:
Workshop 1.1 (two halfdays): “Project Management in Science and Research”
OR two of the following half-day workshops:
Workshop 1.2a: „Networking for Early Career Researchers: Strategies for Establishing and Maintaining Your Professional Contacts"
Workshop 1.2b: „Science Communication - Promote Your Research!"

The workshop selection is made by voting within the group of participants according to the majority principle.

Workshop 2 (fix, 2-day event): „Career Planning, Application Writing and Interviews in Academia”

For detailed workshop descriptions and information on the trainers, please click the embedded links.

Individual Career Talk session (self-organized, mandatory)

The Career Talk session give you an opportunity to discuss and resolve any topics and issues that you have come across with regard to your individual career with WU and non-WU colleagues and experts of your choice (post-docs, WU professors, alumni, etc.) in a one-on-one setting. You can use the Career Talk session to develop ideas on how to best position yourself in the job market, gain insights into the structures of academia and the scientific community, receive support and advice on your thesis defense and job applications, establish new contacts, network, receive new ideas and impulses, etc.

Individual coaching sessions (voluntary and on demand)

To round out the program, you can arrange one-on-one coaching sessions with a coach from the Personnel Development Office’s pool of coaches. In individual coaching sessions, you receive guidance and support from an external coach to help you reflect upon issues in a safe setting, gain a clearer perspective, and develop your own solutions and strategies. Individual coaching allows you to address personal questions and goals that had no place in the peer coaching sessions or that require a more confidential setting. Please note that you need to contact us first before arranging individual coaching sessions.

In October, we will start inviting pre-doc employees to participate in the program, based on the time they have remaining in their pre-doc employment. We recommend the program to employees in the second half of their pre-doc employment. In the invitation, you will find all details and documents for signing up. You can sign up as soon as you have received your invitation. In any case, please coordinate your participation with your supervisor in advance.

Registrations will be considered in the order in which we receive them. Please note that the number of program participants is limited to 10. All pre-doc employees eligible to participate will be notified by email in good time.

Terms and conditions, required commitment

As part of the sign-up procedure, you have to complete a personal meeting, either by participating in our Info-Coffee or by making an individual appointment with program coordinator Claudia Angel (ext. 5528; Claudia.Angel@wu.ac.at).

By signing up, you commit yourself to completing all the mandatory components of the WU PPP and to participating actively in the program (except in the event of illness, of course). To ensure that the group is able to work continuously and with confidence, all participants are required to be present for the full duration of all program elements. Please make sure to block all the relevant times and dates in your calendar by the time the program starts.

Deductible

Participation in the mandatory program elements is free of charge. If you would like to arrange individual coaching sessions, you will be charged a deductible of € 20 per session.

Visual overview of program elements

Program schedule with all dates.2025/26

Form to request WU coaching sessions

Documentation sheet for your WU coaching sessions

Questionnaire for evaluating your WU coaching experience