Doctoral course - Career skills for scientists
Learn more about career options for PhDs and increase your awareness about all the transferable skills you obtain during your doctoral education.
The course includes reflections over what career options that exist and sessions where academic and non-academic careers paths and entrepreneurial options are presented and discussed. In addition, the course includes the process and steps in a job application procedure, networking practice and gives you the possibility to use your communication skills in various contexts.
Course at a Glance
- Next course occasion: Spring 2027
- Application window: 15 October – 5 November 2026
- Format: In‑person
- Time: From 10.00-12.00 every Tuesday and Thursday, including private study (total +- 6h/week).
- Course duration: 8 weeks total, equivalent to 1 week full‑time (40h)
- Credits: 1.5 ECTS
- Course language: English
Schedule
| Date | Overview |
|---|---|
| January 19th – February 18th | 5 weeks in total (10 sessions in-person) |
| February 23rd – March 4th | 2 weeks of individual exam preparation (total +- 4h/week). |
| March 9th – March 11th | 1 week of exam presentations in smaller groups (+- 2h) |
A more detailed schedule will be available to course participants on the course web (Canvas).
Informational Interviews & Career Portraits
Explore diverse research careers through real stories and conversations with researchers working in academia, industry, healthcare, public agencies, NGOs, and entrepreneurial ventures. Through informational interviews, doctoral students gain first-hand insights into diverse research careers, strengthen their professional networks, and practise their communication skills. As part of the course, participants may turn these conversations into career portraits for the KI Researcher Blog. Here are some examples from previous course participants.
Contact
Y. Vladimir Pabón-Martínez
CoordinatorCareer support and guidance on research careers for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers – coordinating career development initiatives aligned with institutional, national and European policies.