Career Day 2026 | All Directions

This years »Career Day« on June 25th is about all directions your PhD can take you: Doctoral candidates, postdocs, and academic staff are invited to explore their career options both within and outside of academia. Through interactive workshops, inspiring alumni talks and practical Q&A sessions, you gain valuable insights into your career options. You might also gain a deeper understanding of your personal strengths and motivations.  Perhaps your perspective on potential next career steps changes?

Professor of Practice and Theory in the Fine Arts, HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen

The journey from being a freelance artist to teaching at a university was long and filled with doubts, detours, surprises, and disappointments.

Making this transition required significant sacrifices in my own artistic practice. However, teaching has opened up new opportunities that allow me to explore different fields and work in a transdisciplinary way. My ongoing passion for art, its ability to provide insight and facilitate communication, combined with my readiness to embrace new experiences, served as essential support throughout this process. I reflect on this journey with gratitude.

Assistant Professor of Process Architecture, Alanus Hochschule für Kunst und Gesellschaft

I learned at an early age that our actions can have a significant impact. They can open up spaces, bring people together, and collectively shape the future.

I want to share this experience and encourage young people to believe in their own ability to effect change and empower themselves. I see artistic research as a valuable tool for this purpose. It allows us to ask utopian questions, explore new ideas, overcome boundaries, and actively shape the future.

Professor of Project Development and Construction Economics, Bauhaus University Weimar

My experience at the intersection of architecture and management, combined with my practical background in real estate development and my interest in analytical and economic methods, has motivated me to apply for a professorship.

I now understand that teaching skills and the ability to effectively bridge the gap between research and practice are also vital aspects of this role.

Research Professor of Technology Communication, Nuremberg Tech

I am interested in making complex technical and social issues understandable, tangible, and actionable through teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. As a professor, I have learned that analytical thinking, curiosity, and the ability to maintain a clear overview in complex situations are crucial. Enthusiasm, perseverance, and the courage to overcome rejection are equally important. My journey has not been a straight path, but it is precisely these diverse experiences that have shaped who I am today.

Freelance book designer, funeral director and funeral speaker

I left academia in 2022 and found a whole new calling.

Managing Director Heritage Centre, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

In my job, it's essential for me to think analytically and identify connections. I make it a point to ask questions when I encounter something I'm unsure about, and I track complex situations carefully. Additionally, I strive to maintain my enthusiasm and not let a 'no' discourage me.

Director of the municipal cinema mon ami Weimar

What surprised me were the important soft skills I developed during my time at the university, as well as how self-sustaining the university environment and the world of academia appear when viewed from a distance.

Research and Transfer Department at Erfurt University of Applied Sciences

I wish I’d known beforehand that finding evidence is less of a challenge than getting the board’s approval.

Office of the President, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences

At a University of Applied Sciences, theory and practice are closely intertwined. This direct connection between research, teaching, and practice makes a professorship at a University of Applied Sciences particularly unique.