Enhancing Career Paths through International Collaboration

24 October 2024

Photo: HRA/Helm

From 23 to 27 September, the Hamburg Research Academy co-organized the event "Making an Impact! Skills for Career Paths in and beyond Academia". Twenty-three doctoral researchers from ten partner universities had the opportunity to engage in a week of career planning, focusing on public engagement and sciencepreneurship. In this article, three of the participants tell us what they took away from the program and what benefit they see in international collaborations.

The event enabled participants to look beyond their academic research, encouraging them to consider various career paths available post-doctorate. They were challenged to think creatively about their own career planning and make new international connections. We spoke with three doctoral researchers from the program who shared their insights on how international encounters and collaborations can boost career trajectories.

Waranya Wataniyakun, UiT The Arctic University, Norway

Waranya Wataniyakun from the Arctic University emphasized that this program opened her eyes to the impact her work could have, and allowed her to connect with others facing similar uncertainties in their academic journeys. These international connections made during the program, professionally and personally, would be of help for future decisions like moving to other countries. She is now more at ease with the uncertainty of the future: "I see myself being ok with not knowing where I will be or what I want to do yet, that it will all be fine in the end."

Louise Fourie, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Louise Fourie from Stellenbosch University was motivated to join the program to explore new perspectives on global research challenges. She remarked how fellow participants helped her view her research from different angles: "They provided the problem and helped me find a solution." Her experience allowed her to form meaningful connections with peers from various countries: "These interactions have expanded my professional network and contributed to my personal growth." Talking to an entrepreneur with experience in her field, she gained valuable insights into bridging academic research with real-world applications. This even impacted her career plans: "I initially thought I wanted to stay in academia, but after this workshop, I’m excited to enter the public sector to explore the world of bioinformatics."

Maria-Christine Mautner, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Maria-Christine Mautner, from the Medical University of Vienna, sought to build international networks in both academic and non-academic fields. Learning from researchers from diverse cultural backgrounds, she highlighted, "I had the opportunity to talk to young scientists not only from Europe but also from Africa and Asia." From the program, she has made personal as well as professional contacts: With a fellow psychologist, she will meet up again in Hamburg,  Vienna or Haifa for a writing retreat to support each other. She also plans a research collaboration with the University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, developing new perspectives about mental health treatment opportunities for psychiatric patients in Austria and Germany. And in the future? "I would like to use the knowledge and skills developed during this unique experience in Hamburg convincing stakeholders around the world to implement state of the art solutions tackling the United Nations Global Sustainable Development goal number 3, good health and well-being."

Through their experiences in this program, these three doctoral researchers demonstrated the power of international collaboration in shaping their academic paths and fostering impactful connections.