Contact
Anett Piller
Teamassistentin
Career Center for Doctoral Researchers & Postdocs
a.piller
hzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 4732
Dr. Veronika Körösi
Head Career Center for Doctoral Researchers & Postdocs
v.koeroesihzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2306
Future Career Program: Innovation
The entire workshop is in English.
Program description and target audience
From thinking innovatively to being innovative. Innovative thinking is the ability to come up with new ideas and novel approaches to problems. Innovation is about being creative and adapting to change. It is a crucial future skill along with innovation management. You can learn both of these skills and implement them in your everyday life as a scientist or in your future role as an employee, leader in industry, or as an entrepreneur. You might even learn these skills now with the help of AI!
In cooperation with the HZDR Innovators School and dresden | exists, the Future Career Program: Innovation offers you the opportunity to internalize innovation as personal development in a small, interdisciplinary group.
The program is aimed at postdocs and PhD students of HZDR and TU Dresden who want to be innovative, be it in research, in business, or even as a founder.
MODULE 1 | Innovative Thinking & Mindset | April 23-24, 2026
The latest innovation is you!
April 23 – 24, 2026 | 9 am – 4 pm | online
Trainer: Sarah Remmel
Content:
- How to get to Out-of-the-Box-ideas
- Disruptive Thinking
- Structuring Creativity
- The 5 most important methods
MODULE 2 | AI meets Design Thinking | May 4-5, 2026
Bring your ideas to life! ...with the help of AI
May 4 – 5, 2026 | 9 am – 4 pm | Graduate Academy, room 4 (UG04)
Trainer: Semih Aridogan
Content:
- Generation and Evaluation of Ideas
- Design Thinking Mini Sprint
- Prototyping
- User Feedback
- User Perspective
- AI Tools
MODULE 3 | Innovation Management | May 28, 2026
Manage your ideas!
May 28, 2026 | 9 am – 4 pm | HZDR 114/203
Trainer: Dorit Teichmann
Content:
- Profitability of innovation projects
- Information on funding programs
- Addressing potential companies/customers
- Unique Selling Proposition
- Business Model Canvas
- Funding of ideas and projects
- Intellectual Property
- Freedom to Operate
MODULE 4 | Innovation Career Design Lab | June 10-11, 2026
Become a Futuremaker!
June 10-11, 2026 | 9 am – 4 pm | HZDR 613/157
Trainer: Katja Radlgruber
Source: Katja Radlgruber
Content:
- Self Assessment
- Future Identity
- Career Composing Framework
- 12-Week-Year Concept
- Work Smart, Not Hard
- Tracking & Accountability
MODULE 5 | Innovation Networking | June 17, 2026
Networking your way to innovation!
June 17, 2026 | 12 pm – 4:30 pm | Sächsische Innovationskonferenz
Trainer: Dr. Veronika Körösi
Content:
We are invited to the Saxony Innovation Conference, where Saxony's doers come together with their forward-looking ideas, projects and innovations. Here we will play an active part and receive our certificates.
Goals:
- See Saxony's innovative power
- Experience innovation culture
- Celebrating #InnovationmadeinSaxony together
- Networking
Important Information
As this is a comprehensive, structured program, attending individual sessions is not possible. Participants are expected to attend the entire program. Upon completion of the Future Career Program: Innovation, you will receive a certificate of participation, documenting your attendance at all sessions.
Application
To design a program that is optimally tailored to participants, both the composition and motivation of the participants are essential. Therefore, we kindly ask you to submit a written application including the following documents:
- fully completed Application Form FCP Innovation
- curriculum vitae (CV)
- letter of support from your supervisor or mentor
Please submit your complete application documents as a PDF to careercenter@hzdr.de.
Application deadline: April 9, 2026
