The doctoral and early academic career phase often involves complex and far-reaching decisions related not only to research and career development, but also to family, partnerships, geographic mobility, and long-term life planning. These decisions are frequently made under conditions of uncertainty, institutional pressure, and competing expectations, while simultaneously being experienced as highly personal and individualized.

This course provides a structured and reflective space to explore decision-making at the intersection of academic careers and personal life trajectories. Drawing on research from decision science, bioethics, and the study of complex systems, participants will engage with evidence-based frameworks for navigating uncertainty, clarifying values, and making context-sensitive and sustainable decisions.

Particular attention will be given to how institutional structures, academic norms, and implicit expectations shape life-course decisions during the doctoral and early-career phase. Participants will be encouraged to critically reflect on normative or standardized models of academic success and to develop individualized approaches to decision-making that align with their own values, priorities, and long-term goals.

The course is designed as an interactive workshop and combines scientific input, structured reflection, small-group discussion, and practice-oriented exercises. Participants will work with concrete decision-making situations and apply decision frameworks to their own real-life questions. The course is evidence-based, interactive, and practice-oriented.

• Introduction to research on decision-making under uncertainty and in complex systems
• Introduction to key concepts from decision science, bioethics, and behavioral research
• Understanding how institutional structures, social norms, and implicit expectations shape personal decisions
• Exploration of common decision contexts during the doctoral and early-career phase (e.g., family planning, career trajectories, dual-career dynamics, geographic mobility, long-term life planning)
• Introduction to value-based and life-course-oriented decision-making frameworks
• Reflection on individual values, priorities, and constraints in relation to life and career decisions
• Identification of internal and external sources of uncertainty, pressure, and conflict
• Development of structured approaches to navigating complex decisions
• Exchange with other doctoral and early-career researchers on shared challenges and diverse approaches to decision-making
• Application of decision frameworks to participants’ own real-life questions
• Development of concrete next steps for individual decision processes

Prerequisites/ Materials

Between the first and second workshop session, participants will have the opportunity to apply selected reflection and decision-making approaches to their own questions and to experiment with integrating these approaches into their ongoing decision processes.

Teaching method

Combination of theoretical input, moderated interactive workshop formats, structured reflection exercises, small-group discussions, and practice-oriented collaborative activities (e.g., sticky notes, mapping exercises, peer exchange).

Second part of the course takes place:
23 November 2026, 08:30 - 12:30