The Dual Career Service works with you to achieve your career goals and get you settled in Münster
© Uni MS - Julia Schwekendiek

Dual Career Service

As an international institution of higher education, the University of Münster attracts leading scholars and researchers from around the world. Because the decision to accept an appointment often involves moving one’s entire family to Münster, the University is committed to supporting the career ambitions of the accompanying partners.

This is a service for partners of staff members of the University of Münster

Perhaps your spouse or partner has applied for a job as a professor, academic staff member or for a top-level position at the University of Münster. And now you are faced with finding a new professional challenge for yourself. The University offers you personal assistance to help you identify your career prospects.

The Dual Career Service would like to hear about your career goals and help you get settled in Münster. Each step of the way, we take your personal wishes into account.

Of course, we cannot guarantee you a job, but we can provide you with a realistic assessment of your career prospects in and around Münster. Our goal is to ensure that you are satisfied with your career choices in the long term. All that you need is commitment, patience, perseverance, self-confidence, a strong network and a little bit of luck. By discussing your specific situation and wishes, we can help you restrict or broaden your job search. You may find your dream job in an area you hadn’t even thought of before! Let us work together to find where your opportunities lie in an open-minded, creative and confident manner.

We look forward to working with you!

Please find our flyer here.

  • Goals

    The goals of the Dual Career Service are:

    • to recruit professors, first-rate academics, and employees in higher-level administrative positions
    • to help reconcile career, partnership and familial obligations and ambitions
    • to tap the potential of two bright minds working in Münster
    • to counteract the shortage of trained professionals
  • Our services

    The services of the Dual Career Service are targeted at life partners/spouses of

    • newly appointed professors
    • professors negotiating permanent contracts
    • other leading researchers and academics
    • junior researchers
    • staff in other top-level posts

    Our services are available to dual career couples in all groups mentioned above regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation.

    We see ourselves first and foremost as a counselling office. Our aim is not to merely help you look for current job openings, but to offer you professional consultation. Our many years of experience with personnel departments and applicant selection procedures allow us to offer you expert consultation when it comes to drafting your applications. Furthermore, we are happy to help you prepare for upcoming interviews.

    We offer the following services:

    • developing a professional profile
    • assistance finding suitable job openings
    • contacts to potential employers
    • application portfolio check-up
    • interview coaching and application counselling

    Support and counselling services in career development:

    • information on language courses
    • free participation in first German course at the University Language Centre, organised by the Dual Career Service
    • information on suitable continuing education programmes
    • useful contacts
  • Our partners

    At the University of Münster

    The Dual Career Service works closely with other offices and institutes of the University of Münster. The most important collaboration takes place with:

    Family Service Office [de]

    Equal Opportunity Office

    Careers Service (for students and graduates)

    Innovation Office (AFO) [de]

    International Office

    International Centre "Die Brücke"

    SAFIR application advice service office

    Personnel Department

    Personnel Development (and continuing education measures) [de]

    Münster Centre for Emerging Researchers (CERes)

    External partners

    We maintain numerous contacts with companies, organisations and public agencies in Münster and the Münsterland region. We regularly take advantage of this extensive network to help you gain professional orientation in your job search.

    Dual Career Services in Germany

    As a member of the DCND, the Dual Career Service of the University of Münster is part of a German-wide network and complies with its Dual Career Service Quality Criteria [de].

  • Other details...

    With a population of about 300,000 inhabitants, including some 60,000 students, Münster is the largest city in the Münsterland region. As an academic and cultural centre, Münster offers you a wide range of museums, theatres and cultural events.

    Living in Münster

    More information for interested readers:

    Article in the "Gender Newsletter" by the Equal Opportunity Office of the University of Münster [de]

    Article in Zeit Online about dual career services at German universities