Concept
We are pleased to announce the 2025 Core Facility Leadership and Management Course by GerBI-GMB and hfp consulting. The concept of core facilities, central hubs for demanding technical and analytics services, is rapidly changing how science is carried out at many research institutions. Core facility managers, often academically trained scientists, find themselves in a variety of different roles that demand a broad set of skills they traditionally haven’t been taught in their career. Managing budgets, structuring the facility to work most productively, recruiting the right people, negotiating with partners, clients and vendors, dealing with hierarchy and addressing role conflicts are some of the challenges core facility managers typically face. GerBI-GMB in collaboration with hfp consulting, a group specialised in supporting scientists to improve their leadership and management skills, have developed an intense, interactive and highly specialised workshop that addresses these challenges. For more details, have a look at this 2014 event report, published in Imaging & Microscopy.
Course description
In this practical course, designed specifically for core facility managers in the life sciences, you will learn how to:
- Balance your different roles
- Build a productive team culture
- Deal with conflicts constructively
- Manage your time better
- Delegate tasks more effectively
- Deal with different personalities in the team
- Position your facility in your organisation strategically
- Negotiate more effectively
- Hire the right people
- Manage your budget
We approach these topics practically. Short theoretical inputs are followed by extensive exercises. Our goal is to increase the impact of the training by immediately applying the concepts we teach in partner exercises, case studies, and simulations during the workshop. The course language is English.
Course time line
Monday, August 11th, 2025: Arrival
Tuesday, August 12th – Friday, 15th, 2025: Course from 9:00-18:00.
Saturday, August 16th, 2025: Departure
Costs
- 2450€ – for GerBI-GMB members
- 3100€ – for CTLS members
- 3200€ – regular course fee (Non GerBI-GMB/CTLS Members)
(VAT not included; may be charged where applicable)
Note: CTLS members can apply for 2 fellowships of 500 EUR each for this course at CTLS.
If you are a member of the Max-Planck society, you can contact the Max-Planck BioImaging Core Unit network for further support.
The accommodation is covered by the registration fee. It includes:
- Training by hfp consulting instructors
- Five nights accommodation in Schloss Mickeln, Düsseldorf.
- Breakfast at your hotel daily.
- Lunch and dinner for duration of course.
Instructors
The workshop will be facilitated by members of the international team of hfp consulting.
Following institutes and organisations work with hfp consulting on a regular basis:
- Ben Gurion University, Beersheba
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA
- PRBB Intervals Programme, Barcelona
- School of Molecular Medicine, Milan
- Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot
Registration
Registration is now open! Sign up for our course via the following link: https://gerbi-gmb.de/machform/view.php?id=84583
The registration deadline is May 19, 2025. Limited to 18 participants, places will be allocated to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Terms and cancellation
Eligibility criteria
This course is catered for scientists working or planning to work in a life science core facility.
Cancellation policy
For cancellations received two months before the beginning of the course (June 11), fees will be refunded minus 25 € for administrative costs. After this two months rule, no refund will be possible for last minute cancellation or no-show.
Testimonials
Testimonials from past attendees:
“I appreciated how the trainers were familiar with the details of a core facility and how they helped like-minded people from every region bond in a peer-like way”
“This course is a must to do for CF managers and I am happy and very satisfied that I could take part”
“The course was not a course. It became a stimulating and vibrant experience from which I have learned a great deal.”
“I experienced many moments of recognition from past experiences where techniques taught in this course would have made a difference.”
