Strengthening Postdoctoral Perspectives in the WissZeitVG Reform

Last Thursday (5 March 2026) marked an important step forward for the postdoctoral community. Representatives of the Max Planck PostdocNet met with Deputy Minister Dr. Silke Launert and senior officials at the BMFTR, together with colleagues from the Helmholtz Association PostDoc Network (HAPN) and the Leibniz PostDoc Network (LPN), to discuss the upcoming reform of the WissZeitVG—an issue of central importance for researchers across Germany.

The meeting provided a constructive and productive platform for dialogue. It highlighted the importance of meaningfully integrating postdoctoral perspectives into the reform process and underscored the shared commitment to strengthening Germany’s research system.

During the exchange, we emphasised three key priorities that we believe are essential for improving working conditions in academia and ensuring sustainable research careers:

• A functional and robust definition of “qualification”: A clear and operational definition is crucial to provide legal certainty and to establish transparent, structured career pathways for postdoctoral researchers.
• Predictable and adequate contract durations: Contract lengths should realistically reflect the time required to conduct high-quality research, acquire the required qualification, and enable planning security for researchers and institutions alike.
• Reliable career perspectives during and beyond the postdoc phase: Sustainable career development requires attractive academic positions, transparent opportunities, and genuine equality of opportunity. 

Beyond these priorities, we also discussed broader aspects of the postdoctoral experience, including career development pathways, international mobility, and structural conditions across different research organisations.

The discussion was guided by our Joint Statement submitted to the BMFTR.

We sincerely thank Deputy Minister Dr. Silke Launert and the BMFTR team for their openness and engagement. Special thanks also go to Dr. Petra Born for her invaluable support in organising this meeting. We greatly appreciate the strong collaboration with colleagues from the Helmholtz Association PostDoc Network (HAPN) and the Leibniz PostDoc Network (LPN), as well as the many networks and communities that have supported and endorsed our position letter.

Solidarity strengthens our collective voice.
Stay tuned for further updates!