CIVICA ESR
COURSE CATALOGUE

Have you ever failed an exam, had a paper rejected, or not been short-listed for a job? Professional setbacks are an inevitable part of academic life and learning how to navigate through them is critical. While universities excel in preparing students for success, there is considerably less advice on how to recover from perceived failures. This interactive workshop will offer a different perspective on professional setbacks while exploring techniques for moving beyond your disappointments with greater ease.

Seminar offered by Dondena Research Center (Spring 2026 seminar series) ----- May 11th 2026 12:45-2:00pm (UTC+1) ------ CIVICA ESR can attend ONLINE only. Zoom meetings link will be available upon registration. ------ SEMINAR DESCRIPTION: Prior research documents marked social disparities in births through medically assisted reproduction (MAR), which are often attributed to unequal access to treatment. However, social inequalities may also arise from processes operating after MAR treatments begin. We examine this possibility using population-level administrative register data from Finland, a context where MAR treatments are generously subsidized and access barriers are relatively low. Focusing on all childless women who initiated MAR treatments between 1995 and 2019, we analyze whether and why women with tertiary education are more likely than less-educated women to have a child through MAR. The results show that, among childless women who start MAR treatments, those with tertiary education are more likely to have a child after MAR than women with below tertiary education. ----- BIO: Alice Goisis is Professor of Demography and Acting Director of CLOSER at the Social Research Institute, University College London. Her research sits at the intersection of family demography, reproductive health, and social inequality, with a particular focus on life course processes and family wellbeing.
Teachers:

• Alice Goisis ()

This two-day workshop aims to guide doctoral students through their first teaching experiences, by providing them with the knowledge and practical tools needed to design and conduct effective courses in the social sciences. We will go over the key steps of course design – setting learning goals, designing assignments and grading criteria, planning pedagogical activities. We will talk about how to adapt course activities to the pedagogical objectives, how to diversify class activities, how to prepare for lectures, facilitate discussions, maintain student engagement, and provide constructive feedback. We will also discuss issues of accessibility (designing a course that is accessible to students with different needs and learning styles), equitable and fair grading, the management of student misconduct (plagiarism, cheating), and whether and how to integrate AI in your courses. The course is designed as a hands-on, practical workshop: through a series of in-class exercises, every student will come out of the course with a first draft of their course structure and syllabus.
Teachers:

• Magda Boutros (Sciences Po)

Entry requirements: None

We will explore some of the benefits of bringing coaching approaches to your work with students, including in assisting them in setting goals, increasing their sense of ownership and providing them with a safe and constructive space in which to develop, and practice the approaches with peers.

Completing a PhD can be an immensely rewarding yet isolating experience. The independent nature of doctoral work often results in students spending countless hours on their own. In the post-pandemic world, where a great deal of interaction continues to be virtual, persistent isolation often leads to feelings of loneliness. This is even more pronounced for students who are abroad in unfamiliar places, without the proximity of family and friends. In this workshop we will explore PhD isolation and loneliness. We will consider how to manage loneliness throughout the PhD, examine the concept of community, and discuss ways to establish meaningful connections throughout your doctoral studies.

Do you spend more time worrying about the future than working on your PhD? Are you filled with fear over what will come next and feeling compelled to have everything figured out? Come along to this workshop as we explore how to manage the anxiety surrounding your post-PhD plans. During the session we will consider how to cultivate greater presence with where you are now, explore ways to identify and manage future-oriented thoughts, and reflect on how to productively plan for the next step beyond the PhD.

Note: Only applications submitted through our official registration form will be considered for this course. Link for the registration form: https://forms.office.com/e/T04avEC2vx . Course Description: This interactive workshop explores how to balance academic responsibilities with the mental load of family life. The first session will be led by Dr. Desiree Dickerson, who brings extensive expertise on this topic, while the second session will feature Hertie School alumni sharing their experiences and practical insights. Participants will reflect on how to maintain a sustainable work-life balance when personal responsibilities require significant cognitive and emotional effort. The workshop will address how to better share planning and management tasks at home, rather than simply delegating them, and how to navigate feelings of stress, worry, and guilt. Dates & Times (Online): 5 June 2026 – 11:00 to 12:30 12 June 2026 – 11:00 to 12:30 Credits: This course does not offer ECTS credits. Learning Objectives: By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to: Understand the concept of mental load and how it manifests in daily life, Recognize signs of burnout and identify strategies to prevent it, Apply techniques for taking meaningful and restorative breaks, Improve work effectiveness to create more quality time at home, Identify and interrupt patterns of worry and self-doubt, Practice mindfulness and self-compassion in both professional and personal contexts.

Open science is now an inescapable feature of all research project proposal. Would it be for national, international or private funding, all require engaging in an open science perspective. However, applying this practice that comes from the so called ‘hard’ science disciplines to humanities ask many questions. The goal of this online course is to introduce the open science framework that has developed in recent years and to discuss how these elements can be applied to the humanities in general and to the students' specific research project. The pedagogical format aims to be as interactive as possible by mixing the formal presentation of the challenges that the open science framework aims to address, the practical tools that have been developed within this framework with exercises on their application to students' PhD and Master's research projects.
Teachers:

• Lou Safra (Sciences Po)

Entry requirements: None

Open science and data management have become major issues for ensuring the quality, transparency, and long‐term preservation of research. This short course (9 hours) offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of data management in a scientific context, with a particular focus on the needs of students preparing a thesis or dissertation. • Understand what research data are and why they matter. • Identify and apply good practices for managing, organizing, and preserving data. • Grasp the central role of metadata in describing, understanding, and reusing data. • Develop practical skills, notably through the creation of a Data Management Plan (DMP). • Support students in managing the data related to their future dissertation and/or thesis, whether the data are produced by themselves or by others.
Teachers:

• Alina Danciu (Sciences Po)

Only applications submitted through our official registration form will be considered for this course. Link for the registration form: https://forms.office.com/e/EZsGGXmL1t . This skills-based course introduces participants to the theory and practice of teaching in higher education. It combines conceptual foundations with practical application, allowing participants to engage in hands-on exercises such as individual teaching sessions. The course covers key strategies for effective teaching and learning, including inclusive classroom practices, and provides guidance on course design. Participants will develop their own course proposal, which together with the certificate, can be included in their academic teaching portfolio when applying for teaching positions. Course Dates and Times Online -  we will share the link close to date: 15 June 2026: 09:00–17:00 16 June 2026: 09:00–17:00 17 June 2026: 13:30–17:30 Micro teaching: 19 June 2026: 09:00–17:00 The course is open to those with no teaching experience, as well as those who would like to improve and reflect on their teaching practice. You will receive a teaching certificate upon successful completion of the course. To earn ECTS credits, participants are required to attend at least 80% of the course sessions. Please note that this registration is binding, meaning that participation may be cancelled up to 10 days in advance without giving any reason. We ask you to cancel early to give people on the waiting list the chance to participate. If the participation is cancelled after that, or if the doctoral candidate does not attend without notifying, the Hertie School PhD Team reserves the right to exclude their applications from attending other trainings. In case of any questions, please write to phd-team@hertie-school.org.
Entry requirements: PhD researchers from their 2nd year onwards Little or no prior teaching experience Commitment to attend all sessions and actively participate in exercises

Note: Only applications submitted through our official registration form will be considered for this course. Link for the registration form: https://forms.office.com/e/nYiLpKy9XK . Course Description: This hands-on workshop introduces the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in research and academia, with a focus on generative AI. It combines practical exercises with conceptual input to help participants understand how to integrate AI tools into academic workflows responsibly and effectively. Key topics include ethical considerations (such as bias and data privacy), institutional guidelines, prompt engineering, and a range of academic applications including literature review, data analysis, writing support, and research design. The workshop also addresses limitations of AI tools and future developments in the field. Dates & Times (Online): - 17 June 2026 – 09:00 to 13:00 - 18 June 2026 – 09:00 to 13:00 Credits: 1 ECTS Learning Objectives: By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to: -Understand the role, benefits, and risks of AI use in research and academia -Apply effective prompt engineering for academic tasks -Integrate AI tools into their research workflows responsibly and efficiently -Critically evaluate ethical considerations, including bias and data privacy -Stay informed about emerging developments in AI applications

Do you have a viva or an upgrade coming up that you are anxious about? Does the prospect of defending your work fill you with fear and dread? This workshop will consider some common concerns that arise during the viva and upgrade process. We will discuss what to expect during your viva, practical ways to prepare, and tips for managing your fears surrounding the process.