FAUnext career program
FAU considers the education and training of staff with high potential as one of its greatest obligations and most important opportunities.
Take part in a qualification program that is particularly attractive among universities throughout Germany, and offers you a wide range of training opportunities for all important topics in your current career phase.
The FAUnext program is open to the following groups:
- W1 professors
- FAU heads of junior research groups (FAUngl)
- Qualified postdoctoral researchers
- Participants in the Emerging Talents Initiative (FAUeti)
- Principal investigators, group leaders and project coordinators of Transregios, Collaborative Research Centers and Research Training Groups (TRRs, SFBs and GRKs) at FAU
- Project coordinators of the IZKF first-time applicant program
You don’t need to apply to take part in the FAUnext program. If you are in one of the target groups, you will automatically receive an invitation and can take part at any time.
Maximum flexibility when planning which topics you would like to cover and fitting in with your time constraints.
Individual supervision and selection of the training best suited to your needs.
All training conducted by excellent innovative external trainers and internal FAU experts.
Includes a personal status review and comprehensive career coaching with certified coaches (also for careers outside the university).
No time-consuming searches for courses with external providers.
No overlaps in terms of topics.
Extensive networking within FAU due to different participants in various modules.
More cost-effective than individual courses offered by external providers.
You do not need to apply if you belong to the target group.
Small course groups where trainers can address your individual needs.
By participating in FAUnext, you accept the following conditions for participation, which apply to all FAUnext events and services.
The career program FAUnext at a glance
Benefits of the program
FAUnext provides support to participants in all aspects of the PERO fields of action at FAU (People, Education, Research, Outreach). We offer up to two modules for each of these fields of action. Additional modules on important career topics complete the program.
If you participate in the program, you are entitled to the following benefits, which you can access within two years:
- Participation in three modules of your choice
- Participation in networking events and the FAUnext4all Lunch Talks.
- A self-assessment questionnaire and feedback interview with a qualified career coach to determine which modules are most suitable for you.
- Career coaching over 4-5 sessions of around 1.5 hours each within your two years of participation, delivered by our certified coach. You can arrange the dates individually with your coach.
In addition, the program is designed so that you can also take advantage of all the benefits and complete at least three modules within one year.
After completion of the program, you receive a certificate for the entire duration of your participation.
Starting the program
If you belong to one of the target groups, you will automatically be invited to take part in the program. You can participate in FAUnext at any time after receiving an invitation.
Individual status review and feedback meeting
The program starts with a status review to allow us to match the program to your individual requirements and make it easier for you to select modules.
The status review is carried out by completing a self-reflection form, that you are sent automatically upon registration. In addition, you will have the opportunity to discuss the form in a feedback meeting and clarify any questions or raise any ideas you may have for a coaching session. Unfortunately, you cannot take part in a feedback meeting without completing the questionnaire.
We do not have any plans to provide an online version, as the completed form is not saved or used by us for any other purpose. There is no need for you to hand it in to us. The form is intended for personal use only and provides assistance with selecting modules and preparing for the feedback meeting.
Dr. Silke Schnurbusch
Contact
- Email: silke.schnurbusch@fau.de
- Phone: +49 9131 85-20699
Coaching
Career paths at university or elsewhere are individual, tailor-made solutions. It is not a case of “one size fits all”, and the best way to explore your various options is with individual coaching sessions.
In our career coaching, we take a close look at your specific skills, explore what motivates you and, if you like, we can work together to draw up different options both within the university and elsewhere. You can also use the coaching sessions to delve into individual management topics such as time management and self-management or prioritization. Another topic may be balancing family and professional life, especially with respect to the expectation that you should be flexible and prepared to move for your job.
The FAUnext program offers you the option of having up to five coaching sessions, each of which lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
Read more on our career coaching website
Dr. Silke Schnurbusch
Contact
- Email: silke.schnurbusch@fau.de
- Phone: +49 9131 85-20699
Networking
We would like to create a space for colleagues to exchange ideas and network, which is why we organize networking events at least twice a year for our program participants.
We will inform you in advance via email about the dates, location, time and type of event.
FAUnext group in the FAU Community
Participants and alumni of the FAUnext career program have the opportunity to join the FAUnext Community in the FAU Community Portal. Further information on the FAU Community is available here: https://www.fau.de/alumni/fau-community-portal/
By using the FAU Community Portal, we would like to bring together current and former members of our program and also those who have left FAU during the last few years. The members of our FAUnext Community group can contact each other directly and thus create a useful and important support network for today and tomorrow. In addition, we also use the various channels of the FAU Community Portal for group-specific posts, events and notifications, thereby enabling a direct flow of information between former and current members.
Our modules
As a rule, all modules are taught in English. However, if none of the participants speak English, the module will be taught in German.
People
- Module P1: Developing your own style of management – Cultivating self-awareness
- Module P2: Developing your own style of management – Managing yourself and others
More information on People modules
Education
- Module E1: Advanced Higher Education – Focus on your own teaching
- Module E2: Advanced Higher Education – Focus on digital education
More information on Education modules
Research
- Module R1: Developing competitive third-party projects
- Module R2: Developing successful networks
More information on Research modules
Outreach
More information on Outreach module
Professorship as a career goal
Further information on the Professorship as a career goal module
Negotiation skills
FAUnext4all: our Lunch Talks
Since 2023-2024, we have been offering our FAUnext4all Lunch Talks, in which FAU “role models” (established researchers, alumni of the FAUnext program, etc.) hold short presentations on set topics, report about their own experiences and answer questions from participants. After the event, participants and speakers can remain in touch for further questions or to provide additional support. All presentations are open to members of FAU, irrespective of whether they are participating in the FAUnext program or not.
Lunch Talks are always held online via Zoom during the lunchbreak. Each short presentation lasts approximately one hour. The presentations are generally held in English. You will receive an invitation via email beforehand.
Networking in academia: Meet the German Postdoc Network (GPN)
Judith Münch, coordinator, German Postdoc Network (GPN)
How to earn money with my scientific expertise
Bianca Niemann, start-up advisor, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
Prof. Dr. Matthias Braun: “My way from Postdoc to Professorship”
Prof. Dr. Friedrich Paulsen: “How to initiate a Collaborative Research Center (SFB)”
Dr. Johannes Fürst: “Applying for an ERC Starting Grant”
Prof. Dr. Sylvia Budday: “My way to the DFG Emmy-Noether Funding”
Dr. Sabine Eber: “Tips and tricks for a successful ERC Starting Grant application”
HAW Dresden: “Der Karriereweg HAW-Professur”
Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer: “The appointment process”
Dr. Sven Messing: “Applying for a MSCA fellowship”
Jette Petzold: “Die HAW-Professur”
Prof. Dr. Ute Klammer: “Discovering and communicating Excellence”
Contact
Please contact the project management team at faunext.de if you have any questions.
Dr. Silke Schnurbusch
Contact
- Phone: +49 9131 85-20699
Athanasia Pliakogianni
Contact
- Phone: +49 9131 85-20720