Breaking down walls?

On 17 and 18 July 2023, the Annual Meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Zukunftskolleg took place at the University of Konstanz.

As we all know, small gifts keep friendship alive. This was not the only reason why the Scientific Advisory Board of the Zukunftskolleg – after being welcomed by Malte Drescher (Vice Rector for Research, Academic Staff Development and Research Infrastructure/Member of the Executive Committee of the Zukunftskolleg) – was first presented with a handful of gifts, but also in order to demonstrate the impressiveness and diversity of the fellows’ research projects.

Ariane Bertogg (History and Sociology) unwrapped the first present and spoke about “Staying sharp by sharing equally? Societal gender norms, gendered life courses and cognitive functioning in later life”. She was followed by Anna Stöckl (Biology), who talked about “Pretty useful: How insect pollinators detect and use flower patterns”, Jacob Bloomfield (Literature), who reported on “How the Zukunftskolleg has supported my research and helped my career development”, Abena Yalley (Politics and Public Administration/Literature), whose topic was “Abuse and humiliation in the delivery room: patterns and dynamics of obstetric violence in Ghana” and Gruia Badescu (History and Sociology), who spoke about “Cities after political ruptures: From post-war urban reconstruction to spatial memory-work”.

After the presentations by the fellows, Giovanni Galizia reported on changes in the Zukunftskolleg since last year’s SAB meeting and perspectives for the future.

He emphasized that the Zukunftskolleg has so far focused on supporting people, rather than projects. The Zukunftskolleg aims to continue pursuing this strategy, however only via the 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship. The 5-year Research Fellowship will be substituted by project-based funding (mainly due to the upcoming changes in Germany’s “Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz” (Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act)). The intention is to launch the first call in October 2023. In addition, Giovanni Galizia highlighted the importance of maintaining diversity at the Zukunftskolleg and ensuring that the selection procedures are unbiased.

The budget was also discussed. The overall research budget in Germany is decreasing, and this reduction will have an impact on all research institutions nationwide. The Zukunftskolleg’s budget has also been significantly reduced compared to the previous years.

One of the SAB members underlined the need to reinvent the Zukunftskolleg, even if it remains within the Excellence Strategy and secures funding. He pointed to the importance of constantly communicating the institute’s mission, especially considering the influx of new researchers each year. Emphasizing that the Zukunftskolleg’s purpose goes beyond research alone, he stressed the need to “break down the walls”, dismantle barriers and foster collaboration between departments. In this endeavour, the fellows’ active involvement is crucial. The fellows were encouraged to leverage their connections and use their colleagues as advocates to advertise and promote the Zukunftskolleg effectively.

Another SAB member said that it is important to inquire whether the fellows feel included in the academic environment at the university. Additionally, she suggested asking the fellows about their publication practices for their scientific research, as this is essential for promoting the institute. She stressed the significance of reaching a broader audience with scientific knowledge and actively disseminating it in society. Moreover, she raised the topic already discussed last year of potentially changing the name of the institute to FutureLab. She questioned the prevailing focus on the “future” in terms of careers and suggested shifting the emphasis to the fellows’ projects. She believes that institutions like the Zukunftskolleg have the potential to create new foundations for the future, which is currently lacking in the institute’s vision.
One of the SAB members pointed out that the uniqueness of the Zukunftskolleg lies in offering early career researchers opportunities for cross-disciplinary interaction. To maximize this advantage, he proposed strengthening informal and formal collaborations among researchers from various fields. Documenting these interactions and showcasing their outcomes can then be a compelling selling point for the institute.

It was also observed that many challenges are not exclusive to the Zukunftskolleg but shared among all Institutes for Advanced Studies. While the emphasis on young researchers is uncommon, it is not entirely unique. Discussing individualized career plans with each fellow was suggested, considering that a standardized approach may not suit everyone’s needs. From the university’s perspective, the Zukunftskolleg attracts talent in the shape of promising researchers and serves as an incubator. It is important to understand and accept that these fellows will eventually leave Konstanz. Despite their departure, they will remain valuable ambassadors for the Zukunftskolleg.

After the discussion with all fellows on Monday afternoon, the SAB held an open discussion with the Executive Committee on Tuesday morning, followed by an internal meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board. Afterwards, they shared their recommendations and gave feedback to the Executive Committee:
1. As the Zukunftskolleg will continue to be one of the pillars of the Excellence Strategy – as announced by Malte Drescher when opening the meeting –, the SAB recommended that Giovanni Galizia should take an active role in shaping and defining this pillar of the Excellence Strategy. He should speak on behalf of the Zukunftskolleg and liaise between the Zukunftskolleg and the rectorate.
2. The second recommendation referred to a culture change in the Zukunftskolleg and in the university that is already taking place. It is about a commitment to improve external communication. The SAB finds that fellows should learn better communication skills, which will have a positive impact on their career as Zukunftskolleg fellows. By communication, the SAB does not mean their presentations, but a more general level of clear communication about the Zukunftskolleg’s values and why they chose the Zukunftskolleg for the next step in their early careers. The SAB discussed how the fellows can be supported in this more far-reaching change, and professional external support is highly recommended.
3. The SAB would like to be utilized in different ways and more often. It would appreciate being asked more and would like the Zukunftskolleg to prepare the ground for it to be able to provide feedback. For example, the SAB would welcome receiving a report on the Zukunftskolleg’s progress and the university’s decision regarding the Zukunftskolleg’s role in the Excellence Strategy in October 2023. The SAB is very happy to deliver feedback and discuss with the Zukunftskolleg once the Excellence Strategy process starts.

Finally, Giovanni Galizia thanked everyone for their time, their thoughts and the amazing and unusual degree of concentration they contributed to the meeting. His thanks also went to the Executive Committee, the central office, the student assistants and all the hard work they invested in this fantastic meeting.