Offers and services for staff
1. Staff development, vocational training, health initiative "Gesunde Uni"
The health and well-being of our staff members is important to us at the University of Konstanz. The health initiative "Gesunde Uni" promotes a health-conscious organizational development and offers staff members a variety of services, e.g. for integrating exercise in everyday life at the university and fostering good mental health in the workplace. In addition to this, the corresponding team in the Human Resources Division offers the following services primarily for academic support staff:
- WillkommenskulTOUR – events to help new and established staff better navigate the university
- Internal continuing education opportunities
- Offers for managers (e.g. continuing education and advanced training, coaching, team development)
- Offers for apprentices and trainees (e.g. welcome event, continuing education opportunities)
- Administration tour for professors
- Individualized workplace-specific continuing education and advanced training
Subscribing to our newsletter Gemeinsam wachsen (in German) will automatically keep you up to date with the latest staff development opportunities and "Gesunde Uni" activities.
Contact and information:
Kerstin Melzer
Team leader staff development, vocational training, health initiative "Gesunde Uni"
+49 7531 88-2430
kerstin.melzer@uni-konstanz.de
2. University Sports Service
Whether you’re looking for for recreational sports, mountaineering, water sports or sports to help you get or stay healthy: The University Sports Service offers over 100 courses every semester and operates the “uniMotion” fitness centre on campus. University of Konstanz staff can take advantage of this extensive programme outside of their working hours.
Contact and information:
Petra Borchert
Director of University Sports Service
+49 7531 88-2759
hsp@uni-konstanz.de
3. Academic Staff Development
The Academic Staff Development team offers measures and programmes in the areas of academic staff development, promotion of early career researchers and university didactics:
- Information on career paths in research and teaching
- Coaching and advising for early career researchers, lecturers and professors
- Workshops and events for doctoral researchers, postdocs and professors
- Support programme "Professur am See" specifically for newly appointed professors
- Information and advice on alternative career paths
Contact and information:
Academic Staff Development
+49 7531 88-3506
asd@uni-konstanz.de
A special offer for newly appointed professors is the administration tour. As part of a short tour, contact is established between the professor and the various central administration departments.
4. External advisory services for staff
Having trouble with supervisors or colleagues, dreading upcoming difficult conversations with staff members, not feeling like going to work or feeling burned out? There can always be hurdles or setbacks in working life. The University of Konstanz doesn’t leave its staff members alone when it comes to either of these and supports them to find ways out of difficult situations and feel comfortable at work again.
In cooperation with the Psychological Counselling Centre of the Diakonisches Werk, the university offers competent and confidential counselling, where you can explore your options, find possible solutions, and make decisions that you might not have thought of on your own, all in a safe setting.
More information from the health initiative "Gesunde Uni": Advice and support for problems and conflicts at work → Additional contact points
5. Family support: services for parents, dual-career couples and people caring for relatives
The University of Konstanz is characterized by a high level of family friendliness and has received several awards in this area. The following services are available to staff members:
- Information and advice on childcare options and schools
- Regular childcare at the Knirps & Co Kinderhaus on campus
- Flexible childcare services (e.g. emergency childcare)
- Support for dual career couples
- Information and advice for staff members responsible for caring for relatives
More information at -uni.kn/familie.
6. Welcome Centre
The Welcome Centre offers newly appointed professors and international researchers at the University of Konstanz a point of contact for any non-academic questions about everyday life in their new environment (e.g. visa issues, finding accommodations, life in Konstanz). The Welcome Centre networks existing university services and competencies and connects you with the ones that fit your needs.
More information at -uni.kn/welcome-centre.
7. Social Security Advisors
Especially international researchers can profit from our Social Security Advisors, who can help with questions regarding employment documents, social security obligations, income tax deductions, the VBL supplementary pension scheme, applications for Kindergeld (child benefit) and Elterngeld (parental leave allowance) as well as working abroad (secondments and multiple jobs).
Contact and information:
Carmen Vajda
Social Security Advisors
+49 7531 88-5025
carmen.vajda@uni-konstanz.de
8. Corporate Benefits for staff and trainees
All university staff and apprentices/trainees now have access to two new programmes:
1. Corporate Benefits – platform
On the Corporate Benefits platform, you can access codes for discounts at a variety of different shops. The discounts can be used in online shops or local stores.
2. Hansefit – fitness network
After purchasing a Hansefit membership, staff and trainees can use thousands of sports and health facilities around Germany (in person and online).
For more information about both programmes and how to sign up for them, log in to the page - uni.kn/corporate-benefits, using the "My University" icon at the top right.