Attention! This event consists of 2 sessions, both 4 hours long: 05.08.26 & 12.08.26

Self-Defense

Content
Many people experience various forms of violence or boundary violations in their daily lives - whether physical, psychological, or verbal. In our hands-on course, you’ll learn how to stand your ground and effectively protect yourself in threatening situations.

Topics include:
• Recognizing dangerous situations early on
• Confident demeanor & clear body language
• Practical techniques for breaking free from holds and grips
• Tips for managing fear and stress
• Effective self-defense moves - simple, direct, and effective

No prior experience or special fitness level required! We train in comfortable clothing (sportswear or casual cloth); please bring sneakers with light-colored soles or non-slippering socks.

Start: 9:30    Duration: 2x 4h      Room: NETZ 2.42

Trainer: Sebastian Spicker 

Max. 15 participants

Date: 19.08.26

Not Perfectly Perfect is Good Enough - Dealing with Mistakes Constructively 

Content
Many people associate mistakes with uncertainty, criticism, or the feeling of not being good enough. At the same time, mistakes are a natural and essential part of learning, personal development, and collaboration.
Throughout the workshop, participants will reflect on their own expectations and thought patterns regarding perfection and mistakes. The workshop explores how perfectionism develops, when it can be beneficial, and when it becomes counterproductive. It also focuses on fostering a positive approach to mistakes in both academic and professional settings and on understanding the difference between striving for excellence and the pressure to be perfect.
The aim of the workshop is to help participants develop a more open and courageous attitude towards mistakes, enabling growth and learning rather than striving for unattainable perfection.

Topics include:
• What is perfectionism, and when does it become counterproductive?
• The costs of perfectionism (time, stress, creativity, and well-being).
• The difference between excellence and perfection.
• Where do our high expectations of ourselves come from? (Identifying personal beliefs and thought patterns)
• What characterizes a positive error culture?
• How do I deal with my own mistakes – and with the mistakes of others?
• Giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Make “good enough” decisions.

Start: 9:30    Duration: 7,5h      Room: NETZ 2.42

Trainer: Simone Freitag 

Max. 15 participants

Date: 25.08.2026

Job Hunt

Content
Hunting for jobs in 2026 feels like a completely different challenge from the pre-AI era. Applicants can generate an almost limitless number of high-quality applications with little effort, while employers can use ever more powerful AI tools at little cost to sift through these mountains of applications. What makes this situation harder is that Germany, along with other Western economies, has gone through difficult economic times, significantly tightening the labour market. How can you position yourself in this labour market to be recognised by relevant employers?

Topics include:
• Analyse yourself: don’t follow others’ dreams but find out which are yours.
• Find your niches on the labour market.
• Network! Human connections get ever more relevant in the maelstrom of AI generated information.
• Match your personal preferences with employer profiles: Does it fit well enough?
• How to describe the match between you and the employer in your application documents and in the job interview.
• AI as a cross-sectional topic: How can you use AI as a coach for your self-analysis, finding career options, writing applications and to prepare you for job interviews? 

Start: 9:30    Duration: 7,5h      Room: NETZ 2.42

Trainer: Philipp Gramlich

Max. 15 participants

Date: 01.09.2026

Thriving Under Pressure: Evidence-Based Strategies for Time and Stress Management 

Content
This interactive workshop (Individual reflection exercises, small-group discussions, practical worksheets, guided mindfulness and relaxation exercises, case examples from academic life, action planning for long-term implementation) equips early career researchers with practical, evidence-based strategies to manage competing academic and personal demands while maintaining wellbeing and productivity. Drawing on research from psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and behavioural science, participants will learn sustainable approaches to manage time, stress and workload throughout their doctoral journey.

Topics include:
• Understand how stress influences cognitive performance, productivity, and wellbeing.
• Recognize their own stress patterns, procrastination habits, and perfectionistic tendencies.
• Start to apply evidence-based time management techniques tailored to research work.
• Prioritize tasks more effectively while balancing research, career development, and personal life.
• Develop healthier responses to uncertainty, setbacks, and academic pressure.
• Practice mindfulness and cognitive techniques for managing stress.
• Create an individualized action plan for sustainable productivity and wellbeing. 

Start: 9:30     Duration:  7,5h    Room: NETZ 2.42

Trainer: Rengin Isik Akin 

Max. 15 participants