JUMP2 program – One Way to Tenure
JUMP2 is a professional development program specifically designed to address the needs of early-career research group leaders as well as junior and tenure-track professors. Its aim is to provide optimal support to scholars during a critical phase of their academic careers and to assist them in taking the next step in their professional development.
JUMP2 is coordinated by the University of Paderborn and implemented in cooperation with 13 additional universities across Germany as part of the “UA13” network. Faculty members from all partner universities are eligible to participate in the program’s activities.
Image: KI generiert| Upcoming events | |
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| Ways to Effective (Self-) Leadership | |
Academic Leadership Realities: What’s Hard, What Helps
Date: 20. Mai 2026, 12:00-14:00 Uhr
| This workshop will support you in addressing key leadership challenges in everyday academic life. The focus is on role clarification, prioritization, communication in complex structures, and managing conflicts and internationally diverse teams. You will gain an overview of concise models and concrete tools that can be directly applied to research and teaching. The goal is to strengthen your leadership confidence and address typical pitfalls early on. Registration is via email to alexandra.wiebke[at]zv.uni-paderborn[dot]de, including your name, field of study, university, and the workshop you wish to attend. Registration deadline: May 4, 2026 |
Taking the lead | Effective Leadership and Strategic Positioning in Academia Organized by: Bielefeld University
| As a newly appointed professor or research group leader, you are required to advance your academic profile while simultaneously taking on leadership and management responsibilities—within your own research unit and across the wider university context. This requires strategic direction-setting: you need a clear understanding of your role, build visibility, and balance priorities across research, teaching, and leadership. To meet these multifaceted demands, it is essential to lead yourself and your team effectively. This seminar provides foundational knowledge and evidence-informed methods for effective and efficient leadership and management in academic environments. Please register by emailing advanced-researchers[at]uni-bielefeld[dot]de with your name, university, faculty, your career stage, gender (voluntary information for statistical purposes only) and the workshop you wish to register for. |
Shaping Leadership in Academia: Effectively Utilizing Personal Strengths and Resources Organized by: University of Potsdam Date: 14.07.2026 9:00 am - 1:30 pm | Leadership in academia is diverse and enriching – whether guiding students in research projects or leading a team. Every leader brings unique strengths and experiences that should be recognized and utilized. This workshop provides inspiration and a space to consciously develop and strengthen your own leadership style. The focus is on a) clarity regarding your personal understanding of leadership, b) visions and values as a compass for your actions, and c) practical leadership tools such as delegation and the constructive use of power. Link to registration: https://pogs.ws.uni-potsdam.de/termin/detail?tid=177 Registration deadline: July 7, 2026 |
| Ways trough Everyday University Life | |
Presenting Research Convincingly – With Structure, Story, and Impact Organized by: University of Trier
| As a junior research group leader or junior or tenure-track professor, you need to present your research clearly, concisely, and effectively—for example, in grant applications, conference presentations, or in interdisciplinary committees. In this practice-oriented workshop, you will develop your own pitch, learn a proven structure, and practice communicating content in a target-group-oriented and persuasive manner. You will strengthen your presentation skills, language, and presence, practice presentation techniques in the digital space, and receive constructive feedback from colleagues. By the end, you will have a pitch that you can use for science communication or grant applications. Please register by email to gut[at]uni-trier[dot]de, stating your name, field of study, university, and the workshop you wish to attend. Registration deadline: April 30, 2026 |
JUMP2 Peer Coaching The JUMP2 Peer Coaching offers you the opportunity to connect with junior research group leaders, junior professors, and tenure-track professors from other disciplines and universities, to exchange views on current challenges, and to support one another. | |
Successfully Navigating the (Interim) Evaluation Organized by: Saarland University Speaker: Svenja Burmann Kick-off session: 17.05.2026, 10:00–11:30 am, online | Please register by email to svenja.burmann[at]uni-saarland[dot]de, including your name, your field of study, your university, and the peer consultation group you would like to join. |
Settling In and Building Your Foundation: A Successful Start in a Leadership Role
Speaker: Dr. Stephanie Lukat
| The regular dates for peer consultation will be agreed upon at the initial meeting. Registration via email to lukat[at]uni-wuppertal[dot]de Registration deadline: August 27, 2026
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| Ways to Tenure | |
Strategic Positioning for Junior Professors & Research Group Leaders Organized by: Bergische Universität Wuppertal Date: 19.06.2026, 10:00 am - 2:30 pm, online
| Especially at the beginning of your professorship or research group leadership position, you will be inundated with a multitude of tasks and receive offers or requests for collaboration that require diplomatic and strategic decisions. In this workshop, you will reflect on the professional and personal priorities you want to set for the coming years and how you can operate in a resource-efficient manner in your leadership role, despite all the demands. They sharpen your focus on what you and your professorship/research group stand for – and help you develop a clear, independent academic positioning that provides orientation: both in selecting collaborations and grant proposals, and in deciding where to focus your energy in the future. Registration link: https://sape.uni-wuppertal.de/de/jun-prof-1/anmeldung/ Registration deadline: May 29, 2026
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First Audition? Applying for Professorships Organized by: University of Paderborn Date: 27.10. und 28.10.2026 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, online | This workshop begins with an overview of the appointment process and its formal aspects. Following this, all key application documents (especially CV, cover letter, and proposals) will be discussed in detail and illustrated with sample materials. The workshop will then cover the expectations and requirements of the hearing before the appointment committee, as well as important preparatory steps. Participants will receive guidance and brief demonstrations on structuring academic presentations and teaching demonstrations. Furthermore, the most frequently asked questions and topics encountered in the committee interview will be presented. The seminar includes ongoing support throughout the application process. Participants have the opportunity to submit their application materials to the instructor upon entering the application phase and receive written feedback on potential improvements.
Registration deadline: October 5, 2026 |
Sharpening Your Research Profile – Strategically Utilizing Research Funding for a Professorial Career Organized by: University of Kassel Date: 24.11.2026, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm, online, followed by individual coaching sessions | In this workshop, you will discover how to strategically utilize national and international funding opportunities to develop your research profile and actively shape your path to a tenured professorship. The presenter will provide practical insights into which programs best suit your goals and offer individual coaching based on your CVs. This will enable you to highlight your research strengths, strategically promote them, and effectively advance your career planning. Please register by email to Sekretariat-EPEO[at]uni-kassel[dot]de , stating your name, field of study, university, and the workshop you wish to attend. Registration deadline: November 2, 2026 |
| Sharpening the research profile - using research funding strategically for the career path to a professorship | |
JUMP2 compact workshop with individual coaching Venue: Online Organizer: University of Kassel, Department of Strategic Personnel and Organizational Development Target groups: Junior research group leaders, tenure-track professors Date: -Workshop: 24.11.2026, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm -Individual Coaching: 24.11.2026 in the afternoon and 25.11.2026 all day | Increasing competitive pressure within the national and international academic system has led to researchers and the institutions at which they work (having to) apply for funding with projects and programs in ever shorter time periods. However, not every program is equally useful for realizing the goals of individual researchers or the plans of working groups or Institutes. In addition, selection or appointment committees increasingly expect applicants to present strategic concepts for the development of their own research and the acquisition of third-party funding. This workshop therefore aims to support participants in acting strategically with a view to their own further career goals and academic ambitions or to focus on institutional objectives.
First and last name, subject area, university and official e-mail address Registration link for members of the University of Kassel: veranstaltungen.uni-kassel.de/event/das-forschungsprofil-scharfen-forschungsforderung-strategisch-nutzen-fur-den-karriereweg-zur-professur |
The program is open to all early-career research group leaders as well as junior and tenure-track professors at the University of Kassel.
In addition to the University of Kassel, the following universities within the University Alliance (UA11) are involved in JUMP2:
University of Bielefeld
University of Greifswald
Otto von Guericke-University Magdeburg
Saarland University
University of Wuppertal
The Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern-Landau
Leuphana University Lüneburg
University of Paderborn
University of Potsdam
University of Siegen
University of Trier
All activities are generally held online. There are no mandatory workshops or sessions; participants select the activities that best match their individual needs. There is no minimum or maximum number of activities that participants are required to attend.
JUMP2 peer coaching offers participants the opportunity to connect with early-career research group leaders as well as junior and tenure-track professors from different disciplines and universities. In small groups meetings, participants discuss current challenges, exchange experiences, and support one another on the path toward a tenured professorship.
Sessions are facilitated by JUMP2 coordinators and are typically held online.
In the coming months, participants will have the opportunity to exchange with colleagues who either
(a) have taken up their position within the past two years, or
(b) are expecting an (interim) evaluation within the next year.
Future JUMP2 announcements on the website may also include peer coaching formats with different thematic foci. Participants are welcome to contact us in advance with suggestions for topics.
As part of the JUMP2 program, we offer Future Leader Mentoring, which connects participants with established professors from one of our 11 partner universities. The goal of JUMP2 Future Leader Mentoring is to support the further development of participants’ academic profiles, provide targeted guidance for appointment to a tenured professorship, and expand their professional networks.
The JUMP2 qualification program offers professional development workshops designed to support participants at their current career stage. The workshops are explicitly and exclusively targeted at early-career research group leaders as well as junior and tenure-track professors at the participating universities. They are generally held online and are organized around three thematic areas: pathways to a tenured professorship, navigating everyday academic life, and pathways to effective (self-)leadership.
Detailed registration information on the individual modules and events can be found under "Upcoming events".
Participation is free of charge for members of the University of Kassel and the other partner universities.