1. Advanced Training @ EMBL
Dr. Helke Hillebrand
Dean of Graduate Studies
European Molecular Biology Laboratory

2. Training at all Levels: EICAT @ EMBL
EMBL International Center for Advanced Training
EIPOD
EMBL Postdoc ELLS (European
EMBL International Programme Learning Lab for
PhD Programme & the Life Sciences)
EMBL Collaborative
Training Programme
EMBO EMBL
Symposia
EMBL Visitors' & Scholars' Programme
2 Helke Hillebrand 08/2010 EMBL Courses &
Conferences

3. Predocs
EMBL International PhD Programme
EIPP
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4. What can Predocs do at EMBL?
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Mathematics
Informatics
Engineering
Molecular Medicine
www.embl.org/phdprogramme
www.embl.org/postdocs
www.embl.org.jobs
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5. Life of a Predoc at EMBL in a nutshell
 Highly competitive entry for >50 students per year; recruiting globally
 Expected to complete PhD studies within 3.5 – 4 years
 Tailor-made mentoring
– Individual thesis advisory committee (TAC) to meet with annually
– Complemetary skills training curriculum for individual choices
 Maintaining scientific links back home while joining EMBL
– External TAC member from home university
– Students ambassador programme
 Training all along
– Core course (1st year)
– Bioinformatics course (2nd year)
– Scientific lectures and seminar series
– Science & Society seminars and conferences
 Fostering early independence
– Predoc symposium
– Predoc retreat
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6. Key performance indicators of a PhD at EMBL
Graduation ceremony at EMBL in December, 2008
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7. Key performance indicators of a PhD at EMBL
 Application rate is at about 20:1
 Predoc to supervisor ratio is on average 2:1
 It takes about 3.5 – 4 years to finish a PhD
 Thesis submission rate of > 95% (predoc data since 1993)
 Majority of EIPP predocs obtains a doctoral degree with
distinction (>75%)
 Broad network of partner universities for joint degrees
 Excellent publication record
– 90% of predocs of a given class get (a) publication(s) from their PhD
– Predocs publish on average 2 papers on their PhD thesis topic
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8. What do EIPP students do after their PhD?
(Data from students who defended since 01/2004)
Scientific careers
outside research (13%)
18
9
Private sector
Academic
research (7%)
research (80%)
108
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9. Postdocs
EMBL Interdisciplinary Postdocs EIPOD
Classical Postdoctoral Stream
Spanish Postdoctoral Programme
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10. The Postdoc community at EMBL
 About 220 Postdocs steady state; about 25% annual turnover
 Maximum duration of stay is 5 years; average duration is 4 years
 Entry routes – recruiting globally:
– Classical Postdoctoral Stream (intake of 25-30 p.a.)
– EMBL Interdisciplinary Postdocs (EIPOD ; intake of 20 p.a.)
– EBI-Sanger Postdoctoral Programme (ESPOD (intake of 2 p.a.)
– Spanish Postdoctoral Programme (intake of ~2 p.a.)
 Individual mentoring; 2nd mentor scheme
 Offering individual career development
 Postdocs account for about 30% of the EMBL alumni
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11. EMBL Interdisciplinary Postdocs (EIPOD)
Features
 Interdisciplinary research project
 Full three years of funding
 Open to all nationalities
 Hosted in two different labs at the five
EMBL sites
 Postdocs to develop own project proposals
 Marie Curie CO-FUNDing in 2009-2013
and 2012-2016
 Next call opens in June 2012
 www.embl.de/postdocs
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12. What do Postdocs do after EMBL?
(Data from 921 postdocs whose whereabouts are known)
Scientific careers
outside research
(1%)
32
Non-scientific careers (3%)
90
Private sector
research (10%) 13
786 Academic
research (85%)
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13. Complementary skills training
How to balance between ‚too much vs. not enough‘ ?
The right thing at the right time...
-
And what to do after PhD and Postdoc?
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14. Participating in non-scientific training activities
 Language training (German, English, French)
 IT courses (Microsoft Office and more)
 General training and development programme
– Personal skills
(time management, personal effectiveness, ...)
– Communication skills
(presentation skills, scientific writing, ...)
– Project management
– Grant applications & interviewing skills
– Team building & conflict management
– ...
 Career day – insight into alternative careers
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15. ... how to avoid the Cecilia phenotype?
Complementary skills training
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16. Thank you!