Postdoctoral Leadership, Management and Personal Development

As a postdoctoral researcher, you are also a leader and a manager. These are important roles but also roles that require much more than academic excellence. Whether you lead research groups, manage projects, influence strategy, or want to create impact beyond academia, understanding leadership, motivation, collaboration, and personal strengths is becoming increasingly important.

Info about event

Time

Wednesday 9 September 2026, at 17:00 - Friday 11 September 2026, at 16:30

Location

Color Hotel Skagen, Gamle Landevej 39, 9990 Skagen, Denmark

Organizer

Danish Cardiovascular Academy

Price

Free of charge DKK

This interactive two-day course is designed to prepare postdocs for leadership responsibilities and explore future career paths. Based on personal profiling tests, self-reflection, practical exercises, discussions, and evidence-based leadership perspectives, participants will gain valuable insights into their own potential, leadership styles, and much more.  

The course offers a unique opportunity to step back from everyday research activities, reflect on your ambitions, strengthen your leadership capabilities, and build a foundation for taking your next career step. 

Aim 

The aim of this course is to support postdoctoral researchers by developing their understanding of leadership and team management. Participants will gain greater self-awareness, explore different leadership approaches, and acquire practical tools that can help them navigate in their professional roles and responsibilities. 

Senior researchers will be present to share their personal experiences in creating a career within research. There will be time to dive into their experiences, reflect, and discuss present challenges in a relaxed and confident setting.  

The course includes a personal profile report based on a personality test that will give you insights into your individual leadership competencies. You will receive individual feedback on your personal report and will have the chance to reflect on this during the course.  

Topics 

The programme includes the following topics: 

  • Personal leadership 

  • Motivation 

  • Prioritize and delegate tasks 

  • Team roles 

  • Roles and responsibilities 

  • Feedback 

  • Conflict handling 

By the end of the course, participants will: 

  • Have a stronger foundation for future career decisions 

  • Better understand their own strengths, preferences, and leadership potential 

  • Have gained practical leadership and management tools 

  • Have developed greater confidence in handling collaboration, feedback, and conflict situations 

  • Understand the dynamics of effective teams and diverse workplaces 

  • Be better prepared to take on leadership responsibilities in academic and non-academic settings 

Trainer and facilitator 

Bettina Theil Warming from Aspira will be our trainer and will facilitate the majority of the course. 

Target group 

Postdocs within cardiovascular research 

When and where 

From 9 September 2026 17.00 to 11 September 2026 15.15 at Color Hotel Skagen, Gamle Landevej 39, 9990 Skagen 
 
Accommodation will be in shared rooms. 

Registration deadline 

12 August 2026 

Please note that you are not guaranteed a seat at the event if you do not meet the target group requirements. Priority is given to postdocs with a grant from Danish Cardiovascular Academy. A number of seats may be reserved for other postdocs employed at Danish research and healthcare institutions or in life science industry. If the event is overbooked, organisers reserve the right to select participants based on the defined requirements. 

Price

The course is free of charge for postdoctoral researchers and clinically employed equivalents.   

Please note that the DCAcademy will charge a no-show fee of 2000 DKK if you do not show up and have not unregistered 1 week prior to start.