The DCND
In 2010, the Dual Career Network Germany was founded by 20 university dual career services in Berlin. The aim was to professionalize and establish the then still young profession of dual career consulting.
With success: the DCND has made a significant contribution to the quality assurance of dual career services and has ensured that professional dual career support has become an integral part of academia. As a successful instrument, "Dual Career" supports strategies for finding and retaining top talent, promoting families, equal opportunities and internationalization.
The DCND stands for
good dual career practice
helping to shape an attractive scientific landscape.
The network offers its members professional exchange and further training specifically tailored to the requirements of dual career advisors. In the academic system, the DCND is in contact with academic organizations and is committed to sustainable support for nationally and internationally mobile couples.
The members of the DCND are dual career services at universities, colleges and non-university scientific institutions as well as regional dual career networks with a connection to the scientific landscape. Together, they support around 1,000 dual career partners per year in finding career prospects at new locations.
Membership information
The DCND is aimed at dual career services or dual career networks in academia that are run professionally and are interested in improving the quality of their advisory services. It supports the know-how of its members through professional exchange, further training and the development of quality standards.
Members of the DCND are committed to the Best Practice Guidelines, which define minimum standards for dual career counseling. They guarantee professional support for dual career couples in their institutions and contribute to the development of the DCND according to their possibilities.
The DCND sees itself as a platform of dual career practitioners for dual career practitioners in science and research. It therefore only offers memberships for institutions and not for individuals.
Are you interested in becoming a member of the DCND? We would be delighted! Please contact the spokespersons for further information: kontakt@dcnd.org.
Individual members
Dual Career Services at universities, colleges and non-university research institutions.
Membership fee
50 EUR/year
Association members
Dual career networks related to the scientific landscape.
Membership fee
100 EUR/year
Network spokespersons
All members of the DCND elect a tandem of spokespersons for a two-year term of office to lead the network and represent it externally.
Current spokespersons:
Ira Künnecke (since 2020, University of Cologne)
Nicole Richter (since 2022, RWTH Aachen University)
Former spokespersons:
Rouven Sperling (2021-2022), Yvonne Eder (2016-2021, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg), Kerstin Melzer (2015-2019, University of Konstanz), Marlar Kin (2012-2016, formerly Goethe University Frankfurt am Main), Katharina Klaas (2013-2015, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg); Charlotte Reinisch (2010-2013, formerly University of Potsdam); Kerstin Dübner-Gee (2010-2012, formerly Technical University Munich)
Honorary members of the network
People who have significantly influenced the development of the network through their commitment are appointed honorary members of the DCND by the members after their retirement:
Kerstin Dübner-Gee
Elke Gramespacher
Charlotte Reinisch
Selma Speith Kölbl
Ulrike Buntenbruch
Working groups of the DCND
Working Group Finances
Contact person and treasurer: Bettina Bolterauer (Kiel University)
AG Public Relations
Contact person: Jana Bäuerlen (Goethe University Frankfurt)
WG Quality Management
Contact: Heike Rauer (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
Strategy working group
WG contact: Ira Künnecke (University of Cologne) and Nicole Richter (RWTH Aachen University)