Postdocs with disabilities

People with disabilities or chronic illnesses who wish to pursue a postdoc are confronted with special challenges. This concerns especially the financing of the additional needs caused by disability.

In principle, support for people with disabilities differs according to the form of postdocs:

1. In the case of a postdoc within the framework of an employment contract, it is possible to claim benefits for participation in working life, e.g. workplace adjustments or assistantships. The financing of these disability-related additional needs is provided by the employer.
2. In the case of a postdoc within the framework of a scholarship, disability-related additional requirements are not usually financed by the scholarship provider. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) is the only exception to this rule and covers the costs if no other support is available.
3. In the case of a postdoc without an employment contract or a scholarship, disability-related additional requirements are normally not financed.

Within the framework of the Federal Participation Law, a free advisory service on rehabilitation and participation services was also created: the "Supplementary Independent Participation Advisory Service". This is offered by the regional association "Interessenvertretung Selbstbestimmt Leben in Thüringen". You can find further information hereExternal link (in German).

The Welcome and Service Desk for Doctoral Candidates and Postdocs is not wheelchair-accessible and not barrier-free. That's why we also offer you consultation meetings outside the office. Feel encouraged to contact us for an appointment.

The Graduate Academy makes every effort to ensure that all postdocs can take part in its qualification programmeExternal link. Unfortunately, not all venues at Jena University are accessible to people with disabilities. If you wish to participate in the Graduate Academy's qualification programme, please contact us to check whether the room in question allows wheelchair access.

Unfortunately, not all rooms of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena are barrier-free. A list of the barrier-free accessible rooms can be found herepdf, 126 kb · de (in German, as of November 2020).

If you want to attend an event in a room that is not accessible without barriers, there is the possibility to book a stair lift for the access to the event. Please contact the room administration (raumverwaltung@uni-jena.de).

• Information of the German Research Foundation (DFG)External link: Researchers with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses
• Projekt "PROMI Promotion inklusive"External link: Within the framework of the project, the prerequisites for carrying out a doctorate with a disability were investigated and academic qualification positions were created at 21 universities
• Detailed information from the StudentenwerkeExternal link: "Eingliederungshilfe für behinderte Menschen" (Integration assistance for disabled people) (Explanation in German for students)
• MyAbility – Inclusive career portalExternal link: website offering various information on career tips, further training and counselling opportunities (in German)

Virtual regular's table

The PROMI - Doctorate InclusiveExternal link project has established a virtual regulars' table for doctoral researchers and postdocs with disabilities, chronic physical or mental illnesses. The regulars' table offers a space for exchange about working in academia, the challenges of doctoral research, funding opportunities, life at the university, job prospects and other questions and topics that concern you. The regulars' table takes place every two months via Zoom. The language of the regulars' table is German. For more information and the exact dates, click hereExternal link.

Virtual network of experts

The "Inclusive Expert Network (iXNet)" is a digital service for severely disabled academics provided by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). It supports disabled academics with network knowledge, information events and a team of advisors for career planning. The network also offers various networking and exchange formatsExternal link. Unfortunately, all offers are only available in German. 

The contact person for postdocs with a disability varies according to the circumstance whether they are employed:

For university staff members:
Susanne Schoele
Schwerbehindertenvertretung der Universität Jena de
Tel.: 03641 9-400910
sbv.mail@uni-jena.de

For postdocs in Jena who are not employed
Marcus Barth
Diversity ombudsman of Jena City
Tel.: 03641 494303
marcus.barth@jena.de

You can also address all questions and concerns to the Inclusion Officer de or the Diversity Office of Jena University.