The well-structured checklist should help international PhD students, researchers and other academics efficiently navigate through the administrative duties and procedures right after arrival in a host country /institution. It may include a roadmap of the necessary steps. It should be precise, efficient, easy to use, and straight to the point.
Improved access to information Improved quality of service
Categories | Social Integration & Daily Life Language Support, Language Policy Administrative & Legal Support Accommodation Social security, Health Insurance, Taxation Visa, Residence & Work Permit Family Matters Institutional Processes |
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Mobility stages | During mobility phase |
Delivery schedule | Continuous |
Importance | Essential to have |
Scale of organizational change | ![]() |
Target groups | PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) |
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Types of contracts of researchers | Full degree student Permanent employee Visiting scholar Employee in training (interns, research fellows, postdocs) Fixed term employee Exchange student |
Career stages of researchers | Less than 6 months 6-12-months of experience 1-3-years of experience 3-10 years of experience 10-15 years of experience More than 15 years of experience |
Lengths of stays of researchers | 0-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months More than 12 months |
When creating the checklist for international PhD students, visiting or hired academics/researchers, and their family members regarding their after-arrival duties you can consider the following steps:
Phase 1: Planning
Phase 2: Designing the checklist
Phase 3: Validation
Validate the designed checklist with your colleagues and several representatives of the respective target groups.
Challenges to consider: since the checklist contains contacts to various external institutions you may consider including a disclaimer that some contacts may be outdated and if so, invite the target group to send you corrections to the dedicated email address.
Cost of practice setup | ![]() |
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Time required for practice setup | ![]() |
Personnel effort required for practice setup | ![]() |
Actors involved in practice setup |
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Partners involved in practice setup |
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Indicators for evaluating progress/quality of practice setup |
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Internal Actors:
@IRO/welcome centre - this centre can be responsible for preparing a checklist for international visiting PhD students, researchers and other academics, and their families on topics such as entry regulations, housing and health insurance (for non-EU incomings/ EU incomings)/public health insurance (international PhDs/academics pursuing their study/research/teaching within an international programme), family members, opening a bank account, local/city/regional issues
@Study department - in cooperation with IRO/welcome centre can prepare a checklist for full-degree PhD students focusing on documents on diploma/education recognition procedure, PhD studies enrolling
@HR department - in cooperation with the legal department can prepare a checklist for international academics hired on the basis of an employment contract, practical steps regarding social security, if applicable, health insurance, taxation
@Language department - terms for enrolling for local language classes
@IT support department - preparation of the access to the institutional systems
@Library - terms for enrolling for institutional Library services
@Leisure activities centre. Campus health center, Day-care centre - terms for enrolling for their services
External collaborators:
@EURAXESS centre can serve as a peer reviewer of the described steps covering typical EURAXESS topics (residence permit procedure, registration of stay, health insurance, etc.)
@Municipality can offer various city discounts upon registration (public transport, city card for discounts to museums, galleries, events), providing subscription opportunities for newsletters about activities in the city, brochures in English on various spots of interest within the city/regular cultural events, can take over the coordination role in checklists related living in the city/region
@Language centre can offer local language classes if the host institution runs out of their capacity.
@Eures office, Employers and their associations - can be referred to in case of spouses looking for job
@Local school/pre-school facility - can contribute to practical issues for registration of new pupils/children
@Medical centre/Local health care professional - can contribute to practical issues for registration of new patients
Cost of practice delivery | ![]() |
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Time required for practice delivery | ![]() |
Personnel effort required for practice delivery | ![]() |
Actors involved in practice delivery |
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Partners involved in practice delivery |
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Indicators for evaluating progress/quality of practice delivery |
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@EURAXESS centre - if it is not part of the organisation, they could share experience, good/bad practice and provide advice and support in delivery.
@Municipality - can pomote the relevant institutional pages.
Overview of the most important steps for international PhD students and academics to undertake after arrival to Humboldt University Berlin.