Kick Off Your Doctorate
Bildquelle: Jana Kreisl, Kick-Off-Retreat 2022
Kick Off & Onboarding
It is a long way from the decision to do the doctorate to the moment when the doctoral certificate is handed over. In the Kick Off & Onboarding section, we offer workshops on getting started and on organizing your doctoral research. The core event is a two-day retreat where you can meet other doctoral researchers from all disciplines.
For a full list of all workshops in the section Kick Off & Onboarding go here.
Core Event: "Kick Off Your Doctorate!" Event
To ease the transition into doctoral studies, the Graduate Studies Support Program offers two-day events in English and in German twice a year.
"Kick Off Your Doctorate!" in Fall 2026: October 27 to 28
Registration software: To register, click on the event you want to book. Please note that you must create an account in the booking software.
Languages: The event will take place simultaneously in German and English. Please register for either the English or the German group.
Venue: Beach Mitte
Contact: The Event "Kick Off Your Doctorate" in October 2026 is organized by Dahlem Research School and Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation (ZEWK). Contact persons: Aleksandra Skoric, Bettina Bluhm.
Participants
The Kick Off Event is designed for researchers who are pursuing a doctorate at a member university of the Berlin University Alliance (Freie Universität, Humboldt-Universität, Technische Universität, Charité), and who are in an early phase of their doctorate. If you are more advanced, this event is not suitable for you.
Objectives
The onboarding event offers an opportunity to network with other doctoral researchers from the Berlin University Alliance and make initial connections. The event is facilitated by professional trainers who provide practical insights designed to offer valuable guidance for a successful start to the doctoral program. Interactive sessions will offer suggestions for boosting motivation, self-management, and project management, as well as for confidently navigating the challenges of your doctorate. In addition, participants will receive a concise overview of the wide range of support services and resources available at the four member institutions.
Highlights
• The German research system
• Motivation and goal clarification
• Supervisory relationship
• Science communication: Pitch your project
• Project management & self-organization
• Future Me: personal action plan
• Group coaching and networking
• Networking evening
Costs
Participation is free of charge. However, you will have to pay for any additional drinks.
Dates and Languages
We offer Kick-Off Events in spring and in fall. Both in spring and in fall, there is one group in English and one in German.
Kick-Off Event in the Media
The online magazine of Freie Universität has published a long report about our Kick-Off Events. To read the report (in German), go to campus.leben: "Kick-Off Your Doctorate – Kostenloses Angebot der Berlin University Alliance". Please note the article refers to an earlier version of the event which was held in a hotel.
Kick-Off Retreat 2022 Graphic Recordings (Jana Kreisl)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Retreat
Registration and participation requirements
You can participate if you can prove that you are already pursuing a doctorate at a university or institute of the Berlin University Alliance. Register with your official university email address and make sure to provide the name and address of your institute. If you do not have an official email address yet, please contact us after registration to provide an individual proof. This can be, i.e., a letter from the doctoral office to confirm you have submitted your application for admission, or a confirmation letter from your supervisor.
The event is an additional training course according to Berliner BIldungszeitgesetz. Thus it can be counted as working hours. Inform your supervisor in advance that you will not be able to work or take part in (online) meetings during the event. You can use the form “Notification about absence from work” provided for this purpose.
Cancelling
If you get ill and can’t attend the event, you can cancel free of charge.
Please cancel your registration in the same booking system you used for registration. In addition, send a doctor's certificate to the contact person stated above.
Make sure to notify us as soon as you know that you won't be able to attend, to give persons from the waiting list the chance to participate.
If you unable to attend the event for any other reason, please cancel your registration in the same booking system you used for registration. In addition, send an email to the contact person stated above. Make sure to notify us as soon as you know that you won't be able to attend. If we can give your spot to a person from the waiting list, your cancellation is free of charge. If we can’t allocate your spot to someone else, we reserve the right to charge you proportionally for the cost of accommodation in the hotel.
PEP
Image Credit: Julia Ullrich
Doctorate Decision Platform
(Promotions-Entscheidungs-Plattform, PEP)
We believe it is important that the decision for or against a doctorate is well-informed and carefully considered. This platform is a detailed online self-assessment tool that highlights various aspects of doctoral studies, such as motivation, working style, resilience, personal circumstances, and career goals.
It is free of charge and open to everyone who feels unsure about doing a doctorate.