LeaderShift: Unconscious Bias and How It Shapes Academia

Time:	October 7 – 8, 2025
	October 7, 2025, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. October 8, 2025, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lecturer:	Dr. phil. Iris Wangermann (A German-Austrian professional with a degree in Psychology and Intercultural Business Communication. Since 2003, she has been a trainer in intercultural competence and diversity, working in HR and organizational development for international companies and universities. She has eight years of experience in Italy, Austria, and the USA. Additionally, she is a moderator, speaker, coach, and consultant. From 2012 to 2014, she served as an interim professor for Intercultural Business Communication at Hamburg University).
Event language:	English
This continuing education course is aimed at :	Doctoral researchers
CreditPoints:	1 credit point
Meeting mode:	online
Venue:	Universität Stuttgart The participants will receive the access-link and all necessary infomation one day before the seminar.
Download as iCal:

Promotion of inclusivity and improved decision-making in academic and professional environments.

In academia, decision-making and collaboration are crucial, yet often influenced by unconscious biases—hidden prejudices that arise as our brain simplifies complex information. These biases can lead to undervaluing talent, team conflicts, and suboptimal research outcomes. For graduate students navigating the pressures of academia, understanding and addressing unconscious biases is a critical step toward becoming fair and effective leaders.
This interactive workshop equips participants with the awareness, tools, and strategies to identify and minimize unconscious bias, fostering inclusivity and better decision-making in their academic and professional environments.

Key Benefits for Doctoral Researchers:

1. Raise Awareness: Recognize how unconscious biases shape decisions in academic settings, from collaborations to research evaluations.
2. Improve Decision-Making: Learn to make objective, performance-based decisions by identifying and mitigating hidden biases.
3. Enhance Teamwork: Develop inclusivity skills to foster better collaboration in diverse academic teams, ensuring all talents are valued.
4. Strengthen Leadership Abilities: Equip yourself with the mindset and tools to create a fair and unbiased environment as a future academic leader.
5. Foster Self-Reflection: Gain insights into personal blind spots and implement strategies for ongoing self-improvement and professional growth.

Learning results:

• The cognitive and psychological processes behind unconscious bias.
• How biases influence decisions and team dynamics in academia.
• Personal biases without blame or shame.
• Difference between valid observations from biased assumptions.
• Develop strategies to respond constructively to biases, whether directed at themselves or others.
• Actionable practices to minimize bias and promote inclusivity.

Methodology:

• Research-Based Insights: In-depth analysis and connection to academic realities.
• Psychological Approach: Focus on communication and behavioral patterns.
• Practical Implementation: Interactive exercises, case studies, and actionable tools.
• Personal Reflection: Tailored activities using participants’ experiences.
• Constructive Environment: Awareness without guilt or blame, fostering open dialogue.

Registration