How to stop the revolving door of German academia

"Although Germany has become a hub for international students and researchers, attracting a growing number of foreign scholars each year, those who remain in academia after graduation often face an intensely hierarchical system with few permanent positions. This has led many, including Goetze, to search for jobs at universities and research institutions outside the country - or, in some cases, to leave academia completely."

"Last year, the Postdoc Network of the Max Planck Society published a survey of close to 900 postdocs from 74 of the 85 Max Planck Institutes, in which only one-quarter of international respondents said that they were sure they wanted to stay in Germany after their postdoc (see go.nature.com/486jceo). A similar survey by the postdoc network of the Leibniz Association revealed that some 42% of respondents had considered moving abroad (see go.nature.com/3xesmtz)."

""There are a lot of good reasons to embark on a PhD or research career in Germany," says Shyam Krishnan, a stem-cell biologist at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology in Jena, Germany, and a spokesperson for the Leibniz PostDoc Network. These include the country's globally respected research profile and ample opportunities for funding and collaborations, according to Krishnan."

Dorothée Goetze left Germany after 13 years of temporary contracts to accept a permanent lecturing position at Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall in 2021. The permanence of the new post was rare in Germany and other factors, including intense hierarchy and scarce permanent roles, prompted her to expand her job search. Germany attracts growing numbers of international students and researchers, but many who remain after graduation face a hierarchical system with few permanent positions and often search for jobs abroad or leave academia. A Max Planck survey found only one-quarter of international postdocs were sure they wanted to stay in Germany; a Leibniz survey found about 42% had considered moving abroad. Shyam Krishnan noted Germany's respected research profile and ample funding and collaboration opportunities.

Read at Nature