• 4/18/2013

Orientation help during a course of studies:

Coaching for female students

I'm new and in my first semester, how do I find my way around? What will I do after my bachelor thesis? How do I find the right job? There a many questions that arise during a course of studies. Coaching can help. TUM offers a special group coaching for female TUM students, lead by Anja Quindeau. Verena Meinecke spoke to her.

Portrait Anja Quindeau
Leads a special group coaching for female TUM students: Anja Quindeau. (photo: Astrid Eckert, Andreas Heddergott)

You offer a so-called "Open coaching" for female students – what is that exactly?

Anja Quindeau: "Open coaching" is a special form of counseling. The coaching takes place in a group – not just a coach and a coachee, as in individual coaching. The solutions are developed together.

What kinds of questions are addressed?

Anja Quindeau: At the beginning, we agree on the topics for the four coaching sessions together with all the participants. Thus, we only cover issues the participants would like to discuss.

What are the most popular topics?

Anja Quindeau: For our female students, there are a lot of issues that arise during their study courses. For example, there may be conflicts in working groups. Or self-marketing, the question of how to present oneself and what you’re doing. The participants also want to know how to find orientation during their studies and – for later on – how to find the right career for themselves.

Studying involves a lot of work and being well-organized. Surely, coaching is also all about how a woman can fit all of her tasks in perfectly?

Anja Quindeau: Exactly. Self management is an issue we always deal with during the coaching, the question of how to schedule time and how to pace oneself optimally. Then, the so-called "work-life balance": How do I balance my studies, possibly a job to earn money and my personal interests? Some have a child or children, their own family – making it important for them to find out how to best manage both a family and the sciences.

What is the advantage of coaching within a group?

Anja Quindeau: As a coach, I give the participants some input to start off with – a lot of specific expertise as a theoretical basis. I explain things by giving examples. After that, the participants question each other in small groups. Many things are easier done in a group than alone. The female students share their experience and develop solutions together. They can learn a lot from each other.

Who can participate?

Anja Quindeau: Any female TUM student can join, no matter what subject area or what semester. So you can also get to know women from other scientific disciplines. You can also benefit from this bigger picture by learning how the situation is for female students in other disciplines. The questions are often the same. And this contact can lead to something new – a new network, if you want.

Anja Quindeau studied Sociology, Political Science and German studies. She completed courses as a systemic coach and as a team coach. At TUM, she leads the Coaching Center of TUM.Diversity and Talent Management. She offers advice regarding the field of diversity to the TUM's faculties, institutions and individuals.

  • During the summer semester 2013, the Open coaching will take place on the following dates: May 7th, May 28th, June 19th and July 10th – from 2 to 5 pm. The coaching will be held in German.

Technical University of Munich

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