The next program cycle will start in November 2025
It was a great experience to meet and interact with other women at the TU, both in my role as a mentee and in my role as a mentor in the following cycle. Careers are, in general, not linear and there are many hurdles to overcome. For me, this was much easier to do when knowing that I am not the only one facing this problem and it was a pleasure to see how other young women developed and succeeded during the mentoring program.

© FWF/Luiza Puiu

Info-Session on the third cycle 2025-26:
- Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025, 10.30 - 11.30 am
- ZOOM: https://tuwien.zoom.us/j/68760964432?pwd=0FGammmD8NBljlBqzp0L6XmgKgykvm.1 Meeting-ID: 687 6096 4432 Passwort: X93emAwj
- With Program Facilitator Dr. Martina Friedl and Program Organizer Stefanie Madsen
Why Career Mentoring?
You are a Female Postdoc at TU Wien and strive for the next step within your scientific career? You seek for a second opinion regarding your career development and goals and would like to gain insight in personal journeys of an experienced scientist in your field or outside your field? You wish to expand your network and connections within the scientific community?
Then we invite you to reflect on who could be a perfect mentor (f/m/d) for you and afterwards apply as a mentee within our Career Mentoring for Female Postdocs. The next cycle will start in November 2025.
In this program we define mentoring as a one-to-one relationship between one person (mentor) who accompanies the individual career path and personal development of the other person (mentee). The mentor provides feedback and career-related advice and a second opinion to that of the mentee's supervisor. Therefore your mentor cannot be the same person as your supervisor.
Mentoring involves:
- tailored, personalized support
- concrete formulation of professional goals
- support in achieving these professional goals
- strengthening professional self-confidence
- gaining insight into the structures of the scientific community
But, mentoring is not a one-way street. Your mentor should also benefit from the process, for example, through the following aspects:
- Opportunity to reflect on her/his own leadership behavior
- Acquiring skills in the area of communication and conversational skills that can also be used in other areas
- Expanding her/his own network by meeting other mentors
Eligibale to apply:
- Female postdocs with an employment contract at TU Wien until at least 01.07.2026
- Applicants whose TU Wien contract expires between 01.07.2026 - 12.11.2026 (end of the program), must agree to complete the program
Key facts about the program:
- Program duration 13 months (November 2025 - November 2026), detailed timetable
- 4-6 individual meetings (duration of 1–1.5 hours) desirably in-person, or virtual are suggested for a succesful mentoring relationship
- workshops, networking events, self-organized workshops and peer councelling events
Framework program:
Mentees and Mentors:
- 21.11.2025, 11.30 am - 12.30 pm │ Joint Kick-Off │ Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │ compulsory
- 28.05.2026, 12 pm - 1.30 pm │ Networking Lunch │ tba │ voluntary
- 22.9.2026, 9 am - 12 pm │ Brunch Conference │Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │recommended
- 12.11.2026, 2 - 4 pm │ Joint Closing │ Arnold Schmidt-Raum │ compulsory
Mentees only:
- 17.11.2025, 9 am - 3 pm │ Introductory Workshop for Mentees│Arnold Schmidt-Raum │compulsory
- 17.11.2025 - 21.1.2026 │Individual Potential Analysis │online, individually executed │ recommended
- 12.+13.01.2026, 9 am - 5 pm │Workshop „Appointment training for prospective professors“ with Ute Riedler │Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │recommended
- 10.02.2026, 9 am - 12 pm │Group Evaluation of Potential Analysis │Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │ recommended
- 08.04.2026, 9 am - 5 pm │Workshop „Leadership“ with Dr. Martina Friedl │Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │recommended
- 20.10.2026, 10 am - 4 pm │Workshop “First audition? Applying for Professorships” with Dr. Dieta Kuchenbrandt │online │recommended
Mentors only:
- 21.11.2025, 10 am - 11.30 am │Introductory Workshop for Mentors │Seminarraum PE, DDEGL04 │ compulsory
For further questions and support (coaching or supervision inquiries) please contact Stefanie Madsen (stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at, +43 664 605884108)
How to apply
For a succesful application please send the following documents to stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at by 31.07.2025:
- Academic CV
- Completed application form
- Proactive proposal of 1-2 favoured mentors (to be announced within the application form)
- (additional self-reflection tool fo find your perfect mentor, not necessary to add to your application)
Selection criteria in case of more applications than available mentee places:
- Preference will be given to Female Postdocs in advanced stages of Postdoc tenure.
- We pay attention to a balanced ratio of mentees across all faculties of the TU Wien
Mentors act as role models, advisors, and are available to reflect on issues affecting your career. Depending on your interests and current needs, very different forms of support may be relevant in the mentoring process.
The tasks of mentors often include the following:
- Sharing experiences on their own career path, dealing with difficult organizational cultures, etc.
- Supporting networking (e.g., establishing concrete contacts)
- Providing feedback (e.g., on the mentee's development over the course of the program)
- Imparting concrete knowledge (e.g. on an appointment procedure, on acquiring third-party funding)
Both sides contribute to the success of the process. As a mentee, you are responsible for the following points:
- Making appointments with sufficient lead time, binding nature of agreements (e.g. dates)
- Preparation of content for each meeting
- Respectful handling of the mentors' resources and the effort to contribute something for the mentors as well
- Sole responsibility for all decisions and results in the process
In addition, regular, two-way feedback on the process is recommended.
The following topics are frequently dealt with in mentoring programs:
- Reflection on career planning
- Discussion of specific job opportunities
- Improving self-presentation skills
- Gaining insights into the everyday life/culture of other organizations
- Concrete support in building networks
- Tips for further education and personality development
- Dealing with family and career (keyword family work-life balance)
- Exchange on different career paths, dealing with detours, defeats and setbacks
- Personal problems that do not directly relate to career development
- Personal and professional problems with your supervisor or team
- Issues of discrimination and harassment, in these cases please contact our Committee on Equal Treatment at TU Wien (AKG)
- Administrative problems and complaints
1. Selection and recruitment of mentors
Please consider for yourself, depending on your personal goal/question, which person could be your mentor. If you need further guidance in this regard, please use the specially prepared self-reflecting tool for finding your perfect mentor. You do not have to know your mentor personally. The program coordination of the TU Wien HR development (Dipl. Päd. Stefanie Madsen, opens an external URL in a new window) will take over the contacting and clarify the readiness and availability for the mentoring program. We invite you to write a personal letter to your mentor explaining why you have chosen her or him. Of course, you are also free to contact your chosen mentor yourself. It would be desirable if you could suggest a second person in case your preferred candidate cannot take on the role.
2. Getting to know the mentors
During a kick-off event, all mentoring tandems get to know each other personally, agree on the goals for the mentoring and plan the first meetings.
3. Mentoring tandem meetings
The duration of the mentoring program is 13 months. Over the course, four to six meetings (approximately 1.5 hours) are desirable. You will arrange the meetings directly with your mentor. You are free to schedule more meetings or decide whether you want to hold the meetings virtually or in-person.
4. Framework program
In addition, a comprehensive framework program is available to you throughout the year:
- Initial Interview with Program Coordinator Stefanie Madsen
- Joint Kick-off Event: getting to know the program and the mentoring tandems, first target agreements
- Introductory workshop to meet the other mentees and for an optimal start to the program
- Workshop on the topic of application and appointment procedures with Ute Riedler or with Dr.in Dieta Kuchenbrandt
- Potential Analysis (individually conducted) and Joint Group Evaluation of Potential Analysis
- Workshop on leadership in science with Dr.in Martina A. Friedl
- Brunch Conference some mentees get the possibility to present their research in front of the group of mentees and mentors to get collegial feedback
- Networking Lunches to meet and greet in an relaxed atmosphere over lunch
- Joint Final Event to celebrate and reflect the outcome of the mentoring program
- Further workshops, seminars and expert talks can be arranged on demand
In addition, the program management supports the networking of the mentees in peer groups. This topic is discussed during the introductory workshop.
All dates and a schedule for the program can be found here (Mentees' Program, opens in new window, Mentors' Program, opens in new window).
Contact person at TU Wien HR development:
For questions in the context of registration, application and contact with the mentors, please contact Dipl. Päd. Stefanie Madsen, she is happy to help you with any questions and concerns.
- Stefanie Madsen
- stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at
- +43 664 605884108
Moderation and workshops:
Dr.in Martina Friedl, opens an external URL in a new window
Workshop on the topic of application and appointment procedures:
Ute Riedler or Dr.in Dieta Kuchenbrandt, opens an external URL in a new window