Early career support at LIfBi assists and accompanies doctoral candidates and postdocs in their academic qualification and career development. The target group–specific training program offers courses on scientific and personal key competencies as well as needs-based methodological training. The concept for doctoral projects funded by LIfBi’s core budget, introduced in early 2020, was complemented in 2023 by a framework for doctoral projects within third-party funded projects at LIfBi. These doctoral concepts establish transparent conditions for doctoral positions at LIfBi and provide information both on funding opportunities and on institutional requirements.

Thanks to the network character of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), which is operated by LIfBi, early career researchers can benefit during their qualification phase from nationwide collaboration and make use of excellent structures for knowledge exchange with leading scholars in their respective fields to present their own research findings. In this way, a stimulating research environment is created in which doctoral candidates and postdocs in the field of empirical educational research are optimally supported and promoted.

Activities

• Involvement of early career researchers in academic colloquia and research consultation sessions, as well as networking with the internationally renowned speakers of the LIfBi Lecture Series

• Dedicated funding line for early career researchers within the institute’s internal research funding program to support academic research stays abroad

• Networking program for doctoral candidates in cooperation with LIfBi postdocs

• Mentoring program for postdocs with LIfBi Research Affiliates serving as mentors

• Joint training and advisory services with the University of Bamberg, including the Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences (BAGSS), the Trimberg Research Academy (TRAc), the Office of the Women’s Representative, the University Library, the Language Center, and others

• Lunchtime Talks series on career pathways for early career researchers

• Networking and active participation of doctoral and postdoctoral representatives in the committees and representative bodies of the Leibniz Association