Postdoc Survey

In the fall of 2026, a Swiss-wide survey on the career paths of postdoctoral researchers will be conducted at the University of Bern.

The study aims to better understand the diversity of career paths followed by postdoctoral researchers in Switzerland. The results will contribute to informing the support measures offered to early-career researchers at the University of Bern and at the partner universities.

Target group

All postdoctoral researchers affiliated with the University of Bern are invited to take part in this survey. Postdocs hold a doctoral degree, are employed by a university on a fixed-term contract, and primarily engage in research and teaching. Employees in positions that meet these criteria will receive a personalised survey link at the beginning of October 2026 to the email address of their respective institution. Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary.

On the project team

The study is conducted jointly by the Graduate Campus of the University of Lausanne, the University of Zurich, the University of Fribourg, the University of Bern, the Università della Svizzera italiana and participating ETH institutes.

The survey is carried out by FORS, the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences, on behalf of the partner universities. The survey is funded under the swissuniversities program for the support of early-career researchers (2025-2028).

Confidentiality

Your data will be treated as strictly confidential, in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act (FADP).

More information

Have you received an invitation to participate in the survey, or would you like to learn more about the project? More information will follow soon.