Career Support for Female Researchers

The Human Ressource Department of the University of Cologne offers a number of Mentoring Programmes for female scientists at different career levels.

The following website provides an overview on all Mentoring Programmes currently installed at the University:
https://pe.uni-koeln.de/karriere/mentoring/index_eng.html and furthermore informs about measures for female career advancement.

Cornelia Harte Mentoring Programes (CHM)

To support career planning of female scientists interested in persueing a non-academic career, the University of Cologne has launched a mentoring program in cooperation with industrial partners.

Information about the mentoring program and the application process for mentees is provided here.
Please note that although English speeking mentors can be available, the framework program (network meetings and workshops) is in German only.
 

International Female Scholars (IFS) Mentoring

International female scholars are offered a workshop and mentoring program including one-to-one mentoring, cross-cultural competence training, seminars and workshops, networking-meetings and individual coaching sessions.
Please follow this link for further information.

Female graduate students who do not wish to participate in a structured mentoring programme are encouraged to choose an additional female mentor who is not part of their thesis committee. Female professors and junior research group leaders are available for this role.

Databases for female career support can be found here: FemConsult, Femdat, FemTech, AcademiaNet, WES

Female Career support

The graduate school recommends to attend career workshops and special training offered by organizations specialised in careers of women in science, such as the Female Career Program (FCP) of the University of Cologne. The FCP offers a wide range of training courses and workshops to female members of the University of Cologne and the University Clinics of Cologne to enhance their professional and personal profiles. Training offers are tailored to female researchers and other personnel at different career stages.

External organizations such as the Center of Excellence Women in Science CEWS and European Platform for Women Scientists EPWS furthermore inform about various activities and initiatives, interview renown (inter)national women scientists organise training and information events and provide support as well as (career) advice for women scientists.

The Foundation for the promotion of science and research, initiated in 2004, supports talented young women with children. It aims to enable them to create the freedom and mobility required to further their scientific careers. The Foundation wishes to help prevent science from loosing excellent talent. It is aimed specifically at graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the fields of experimental natural sciences and medicine.
Women are, measured by their scientific potential, underrepresented in leading scientific or research positions. Our foundation targets specifically the problem that makes life so difficult for many female scientists, namely balancing family obligations with the duties of an independent researcher. A monthly financial grant to pay for assistance in household chores and for additional childcare is aimed to relieve these young female scientists from household tasks.