Throughout the various activities we’ve organised for Postdoc colleagues at Amsterdam UMC, we have consistently encountered shared challenges related to developing and growing as leaders within the competitive landscape of academia. Recognising the need for action, we organised yesterday the workshop “Developing and Growing as a Leader,” in collaboration with The Recess College.
A diverse group of Postdocs from Amsterdam UMC came together to co-create an agenda by Postdocs, for Postdocs, aimed at addressing the challenges and opportunities we face. We are immensely proud of the interest this initiative sparked within our network, and even more so of the generosity shown by Postdocs in sharing their experiences, mapping concerns, prioritising them, and committing to take action towards meaningful solutions.
Several key themes emerged, and the Board of the Postdoc Network Amsterdam UMC will now support a community-led approach to address these topics through the establishment of Special Working Groups. The ultimate goal is to create a policy-oriented document that can be discussed with relevant stakeholders across the organisation, creating opportunities to enhance the Postdoc experience at Amsterdam UMC and helping us thrive both personally and professionally in academia. This is crucial, as Postdocs are a vital driving force within the research environment of Amsterdam UMC.
A heartfelt thank you to The Recess College for their outstanding facilitation throughout the day, and special thanks to all the Postdocs who dedicated their time and energy to this initiative – Thank you!
For those Postdocs at Amsterdam UMC who were unable to participate in this foundational step, there will be future opportunities to get involved and contribute to this shared agenda. We look forward to your engagement as we move forward.
More updates to come – we’re excited about the path ahead!
Would you like to be updated about the follow-up of this activity, or would you like to be updated on our upcoming activities? Sign up for our newsletter, or check out our upcoming events.