GROW Empowerment Program for female and/or first-generation postdocs

The action plan, which was approved by swissuniversities (Teilprogramm 1  «Aktionspläne zur Postdoc-Phase»), supports female and/or first-generation* researchers at postdoctoral level with one specific program. Graduate Campus has developed the Empowerment Program GROW, for which 16 applicants will be selected in the first edition.

*researchers whose parents do not have a university degree

The postdoctoral phase is a crucial stage on the path to a successful academic career. GROW Empowerment Program supports female researchers and/or first-generation researchers at this particular career level by offering a mentoring program, tailored workshops, and peer exchange.

Participants admitted to the program

• engage in mentoring relationships with experienced professors, enabling them to take the next step in their careers more strategically.
• enhance their transferable skills through targeted workshops focused on academic careers and related topics (e.g., life balance).
• benefit from sustainable peer exchange opportunities within a peer mentoring group.
• expand their professional networks and gain valuable know-how and motivation to pursue their academic careers successfully.

Mentoring
Over the course of a year, the selected participants have three one-to-one meetings with a mentor to discuss their personal and professional development. The mentors are experienced academics who have been specifically selected for this target group, and they are matched to the participants’ needs and expectations. The programme coordination team facilitates the initial contact.

Workshops
The selected participants will attend five workshops on the following topics: appointment training, third-party funding acquisition, life balance, career sponsorship, as well as speech, voice and confidence skills. The workshop series includes four half-day and two full-day sessions, taking place from October 2025 to February 2026 and is free of charge.
Participants who are accepted onto the programme commit to attending all workshops. The exact dates will be communicated upon acceptance.

Peer-Mentoring
The program provides an opportunity for informal and collaborative discussion on topics and formats that participants choose themselves. The initial meetings for these peer exchange sessions will be supported by organisational resources, as well as input from workshop leaders.

The program is aimed at female and/or first-generation academics working at the postdoctoral level at the University of Zurich who are pursuing an academic career. To qualify as a first-generation postdoc, applicants must be the first in their family to attend university, which means that neither of their parents holds a university degree. The programme is inclusive, i.e. it is open to women, men, trans individuals, intersex individuals and non-binary individuals.

Additional requirements:

• Interest and willingness to actively engage with one’s academic career path
• Commitment to participating in all program components
• Active engagement in the mentoring relationship
• Feedback, suggestions and constructive criticism are to be welcomed
• Interest in networking and exchanging with other postdocs
• Regular and reliable communication with the program coordination team

Selection criteria
Sixteen places are available for the 2025/26 programme cycle. Selection is based on applicants’ goals and motivation, academic and other career-relevant achievements as well as their engagement with academic career planning. Efforts are made to ensure a balanced representation of faculties and disciplines.

Applicants will be informed of the selection outcome by the end of July 2025.