This post was written by Dr. Katarzyna Hnida-Gut and Dr. Lisa Belkacemi, coordinators of the Working Group Working conditions and Mental Health.

UPDATE (2024-04-11): there is a new version of the Welcome Package available. Please also check the new blog post to learn more about the updates!

We are happy to share with you the Welcome Package For PostDocs!

Do you feel a little bit confused or overwhelmed as a PostDoc in Germany? Do you need help with navigating into the German visa, health and insurance landscape? Or maybe you want to understand what the E13 on your payment slip means. We have good news for you – you are not alone!

Having in mind that moving to a foreign country can be both exciting and stressful at the same time, we prepared a Welcome package for PostDocs – an all-in-one document from which you can learn what documents are needed to register your stay in Germany, how to search for medical help in your own language, where you can find favourite sports activities, and many, many more. The Welcome package document was prepared by PostDocs for PostDocs, because who better knows your troubles than your peers?

Although we made a Welcome package available to you at the beginning of 2023, the idea of a document was born several years ago and many PostDocs contributed to its creation. However, we would like to improve this document and make it more useful and relevant to you. For that, we need your help! If you have an idea and would like to contribute, please contact the Working conditions and mental health WG coordinators. Every idea is welcome! 😊

Welcome to the vibrant Leibniz PostDoc Network!

PS: To stay up to date on our activities and events, sign up for our listserv and follow us on Twitter (@LeibnizPostDocs) as well as on LinkedIn!