A career boost for young female researchers
09/29/2026The university’s SCIENTIA programme aims to increase the proportion of women at all levels of academia. The application round for 2027 is now open.
The SCIENTIA programme is a one-year career development programme for early-career female researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. It focuses on individual career planning, mentoring, skills development and networking. Over a period of twelve months, participants are given the opportunity, amongst other things, to establish a mentoring relationship, take part in workshops on key career-related skills and network across disciplines both within and outside JMU.
The mentoring phase lasts nine months and is preceded by a three-month matching phase. Regular networking meetings, peer groups and personalised career guidance round off the programme. Kick-off, mid-programme and final reviews provide further impetus for individual goal-setting and career planning. The workshops are run by external trainers and are predominantly held in person; they are flexibly organised in both German and English.
The SCIENTIA programme runs for one year. Successful participation requires continuous involvement in the programme activities, as well as the independent arrangement and coordination of meetings with mentors. Upon successful completion, participants receive a certificate from the Gender Equality Academy.
Application
Interested early-career female researchers may apply by 15 November 2026. The application comprises the application form, a CV and a short cover letter outlining their motivation, career goals and expectations of the programme.
Application documents should be sent by email to scientia@uni-wuerzburg.de . Personal interviews are expected to take place in December 2026.
New: SCIENTIA Next for FLINTA* students
SCIENTIA Next also marks the launch of a new strand of the career programme for FLINTA* students across all disciplines. It offers the opportunity to engage with one’s own professional future at an early stage, gain guidance and plan the next steps in one’s career with confidence. It is particularly aimed at students considering an academic career or a PhD, including, in particular, student research assistants and Master’s students. The programme is aimed at FLINTA* students – women, lesbians, inter*, non-binary, trans* and agender people.
Contact
Sophie Renninger and Eva Enders, Office of the University Women’s Representative, scientia@uni-wuerzburg.de
