fempower
© Unsplash

September 2023 - (f)empower.

On September 4th, we again held our event introducing coaching and collegial guidance as part of the programme "(f)empower. Coaching and Collegial Counselling" programme. This programme is aimed at women and was launched during the corona pandemic to support women.

It should be noted that so far only people in leadership positions have benefited from coaching at Münster University. But now we are going one step further - a great opportunity for all women to find their way. Because honestly, every one of us occasionally finds ourselves caught between two stools and needs external support, be it in making decisions, dealing with stress, conflicts and more.

What is special about this event is that two support methods from the field of human resource development will be compared with each other, allowing interested women not only to get to know and better understand the two methods, but ultimately to choose the most suitable solution for their concerns.

Why do we recommend coaching and collegial guidance?

  •     Personal growth: Coaching and peer counselling help to realise one's full potential and promote personal growth.
  •     Self-reflection: Both options enable self-reflection and help to understand one's own needs and goals.
  •     Solution orientation: Coaching and counselling offer practical tools for overcoming challenges and problems.
  •     Self-confidence and self-efficacy expectation: Both options strengthen self-confidence as well as self-efficacy expectation and support in concern-just decision-making.

The programme is funded by the Equity Office of the University of Münster. Find out more about the programme here!

WOL
© WOL_John Stepper

August 2023 - WOL - Working out loud

On 29th August 2023 Katharina Krentz presented "WOL - Working out loud" in an inspiring way. This method does not stand for working out loud, but for working outwards. Learning works best through voluntariness and enthusiasm and so the participants had the opportunity to get an insight into the WOL programme, the so-called "Circle", in two short breakout sessions.

The success of this method is particularly due to the shared attitude of the participants, who ideally are not active in the immediate (work) environment and come together with ideas, curiosity and the willingness to share. This was also the case in this event. The participants from the departments and the administration were very enthusiastic about the results achieved in the tightly scheduled and clearly structured exercises. In a very short time, relationships were built, the network expanded, one's own work made visible, and in turn, added value was created for the network.

© pixabay

Summer semester 2023 - New course series for non-professorial academic staff

On behalf of the Prorector for Strategic Human Resources Development, the Department for Human Resources Development conducted a training needs analysis among the holders of permanent positions in the non-professorial academic staff for the first time. Training needs as well as other concerns regarding leadership and cooperation between non-professorial academic staff and professors were recorded.

The results of the survey show how diverse the tasks and challenges of the position holders are. Among other things, they are responsible for organising and coordinating teaching and research, advising students, conducting their own research projects and teaching courses. In doing so, they shape many change processes in a very dynamic and complex environment.

Based on the needs analysis conducted, a new course series was created, which started in the summer semester of 2023 and includes a wide range of continuing education events in different teaching and learning formats. It serves to build up and expand the competences necessary to cope with numerous tasks and contributes to increasing the professionalisation of university processes and thus to university development.

© Adobestock

March 2023 - Food for thought for leaders on leadership in the digital era

On 28 March 2023, we welcomed an expert on leadership in the digital era - Sebastian Pflügler. In the scientifically based and interactive lecture "Leading employees in the digital era", the expert explored many questions, such as: How do leaders manage the balancing act between performance control and trust? How do leaders ensure that a team feeling and identification with the university is maintained?

All these questions have great relevance for every team and department at Münster University, as many areas work in hybrid settings after the pandemic and it has implications for leadership and teamwork. The relevance of the topic is shown by the response to the event, in which a total of 53 leaders took part. The participants found the exchange of best practice examples from their own areas in the breakout rooms of the online event particularly enriching.

All in all, it can be said that external thought-provoking impulses enrich our internal perspectives and give us impulses for new actions. Nevertheless, we still need to get down to concrete action (among other things, to dare and experiment even more) and to expand our repertoire of actions as leaders or team members in the "new normal". At the moment, we are all shapers of a new working world and a new working culture. We are all learners, dealing with new challenges and seizing the opportunities. The times demand a great willingness to change from us.

For those who missed the lecture, we recommend his book "Mitarbeiter führen in der digitalen Ära (de)" - an exciting read!

© Birga Jelinek

October 2022 - Graduation and start in university management

On Thursday, 20.10.2022, 13 graduates* celebrated their successful completion in the personnel development program "Hochschulmanagement@WWU", which ran since April 2021. The Vice Rector for Academic Personnel Development and Diversity, Professor Maike Tietjens, ceremoniously presented the certificates to the participants. The participants were recommended for the program by their leaders due to their special commitment. They were selected from a large number of applications and received a scholarship from the WWU to participate in the program.

After three cohorts of "Women in University Management", this was the first cohort of the program that was open to all genders. Both equivalent programs, offered by the Department of Human Resources Development and the Office of Equal Opportunity, serve to professionalize and network in higher education management at WWU. They help participants further familiarize themselves with core topics in university management - from research and personnel management to finance, quality assurance, internationalization, and public relations. In addition, there is an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues.

On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, the next cohort Women in University Management will launch its 1.5-year professional development program. The next cohort Hochschulmanagement@WWU is planned for 2024.

© designservice@wwu

September 2022 - Network meeting of lab staff in search of clues using fluorescence

Madeleine Supper, coordinator of the laboratory staff network (lab-x-change), invited the laboratory staff to a special network meeting. In addition to professional and personal exchange, a lecture on fluorescence microscopy by Dr. Thomas Zobel (Coordinator Microscopy at CiM) was on the agenda.

© designservice@wwu

August 2022 - Themed day "Leadership at a glance"

This themed day was aimed specifically at leaders in science, in the faculties and central operating units. In a compact format and in small groups, the participants were given new impulses, interactive exchange and advice on topics such as onboarding, job references and annual dialogs.

© Uni MS - Peter Leßmann

May 2022 - Young Professors Programm (YPP)

Achieving outstanding research results while keeping actively engaged in teaching, student supervision and administrative responsibilities requires a broad range of knowledge and skills. The Young Professors Programme (YPP) offers assistant professors and junior research group leaders at the WWU a number of tools to help them meet the diverse challenges they face and prepare them for the next step in their career. In addition to various training formats, YPP offers participants an official one-year mentoring programme and sees itself as a networking platform for fostering contacts at and outside the WWU.

The first cohort of nine mentees commenced their mentoring year on 11 May 2022. The goal is to develop individual topics in collaboration with a mentor from another faculty. The activities of the mentoring tandems are accompanied by a programme consisting of three supplementary events . These serve to promote exchange between the participants and intensify their collaborative efforts.

The YPP mentoring programme starts in May of every year. In November 2022, we will be accepting applications for participation in the second cohort, set to commence in May 2023. For current information, visit: go.wwu.de/ypp

Personnel Week
© designservice@wwu

April 2022 - Personnel Week

Over 400 participants, 26 online and in-person courses, internal and external trainers, and numerous positive responses. This was the result of Personnel Week, held for the first time in April 2022. “Personnel” is as diverse a topic as the courses offered. A measure of how important this subject is to employees personally, to their departments and the University of Münster was evident by how quickly most of the courses filled up shortly following the announcement of the theme-based week. The maximum number of course participants was increased wherever possible, and otherwise additional course dates were arranged. In view of the resoundingly positive response, we plan on offering further personnel-themed course formats in the future. Stay tuned for more fascinating and informative courses by WWU Fortbildung!