KIT Career ServiceStudentsScholarshipsLeadership Talent Academy
Briefly explained
What is the Leadership Talent Academy (LTA)?
Personal development and good leadership are the core topics of the Leadership Talent Academy (LTA) at KIT. Together with 24 other participants, you will spend six months working intensively on the basics of value-based leadership in exciting modules:
Explore your personal potential, deal with authenticity and integrity and train communication, decision-making and conflict management. You will be supported in your self-reflection by experienced coaches.
Alumni events round off the program - you are invited to get involved as an alumna or alumnus after completing the program, as the success of this support program thrives on mutual commitment.
The LTA is sponsored by the Karl Schlecht Foundation and starts every six months at the beginning of the semester.
Logo LTA

More than a management school – LTA changes perspectives

In this video, we show you why LTA goes far beyond classic management training. Former participants share their personal experiences, highlights, and the lasting impact the program had on them.
The LTA is a place of real learning – about leadership, about values, and above all about oneself. This is about more than just tools and techniques: It is about genuine "good leadership" that inspires, provides direction, and has an impact.
Learn about the specific benefits that participation will bring to your professional and personal development – and why taking the step to LTA is really worth it for you.
A heartfelt thank you to Johannes Schenk for providing us with this video.

  

To the individual alumni:alumnae statements

View the videos of LTA alumni:ae

Save the Date

Community-Gathering

Our annual community gathering is taking place on 27 November 2026. Participants from previous LTA cohorts will have the chance to catch up. The event is all about inspiring exchanges, mutual inspiration, and the joy of reuniting. Of course, selected speakers will also be present to share their insights.

Have you taken part in the LTA before? If so, join us and spend the evening with us. We look forward to seeing you!

Target group
Who can apply for the LTA?
  • Master's students in engineering or natural sciences
  • Doctoral candidates in engineering or the natural sciences
  • Just before entering the workforce
  • Interested in the concept of good leadership and personal development

The most important thing at a glance

Appointments

Application period: 01.-21.07.2026
Selection interviews: 13./14.08. & 17./18.08.2026
Start dates: for the summer and winter semesters


Application
Majors: MINT
Status: Master students, doctoral students
Process: 1) Online application, 2) Selection interview, 3) Acceptance or rejection

Advantages
Why should you apply?
  • Exclusive sponsorship program: Supplement your technical curriculum with personality development.
    Openness: Experience intense exchange and in-depth discussions with experts
    Secure Space: Take the opportunity to try yourself out in the protected environment of your LTA badge.
  • Individual Career Planning: Benefit from professional coaching and gain clarity about your career goals.
    Build a strong network: Connect with like-minded people and become part of an exclusive alumni network.

Voices
What surprised or inspired you most during your time at the Leadership Talent Academy?
“I was surprised that leadership, as understood at LTA, is much more than just a job title and reaches deep into one's own self. Leadership was viewed in a holistic way that I had never experienced before. The connection with meditation and mindfulness in particular was a new and enriching experience for me.“
scholarship holder

Coaches
These speakers and coaches are part of the LTA
About speakers and coaches

Contents

Module days in the summer semester 2026 (Badge #10) -
Each LTA badge comprises eight module days.

Reading leadership situations, responding appropriately, and staying in control are basic requirements for a good leader. In this two-day workshop, we will explore the topics of leadership and self-leadership. The focus will be on “leadership at eye level,” which is fundamental to success in a rapidly changing (economic) world. The first module concludes with the development of a personal leadership compass.

Day 1: Leadership on equal terms: Recognizing roles, situations, and scope for action
  • Reading leadership situations
  • Leadership roles and recommendations for action
  • Methods for leadership on equal terms
Day 2: Self-leadership and leadership: Unleashing your own values, strengths, and impact
  • Self-leadership and performance
  • Individual values and strengths
  • Personal leadership compass needle

Goals:
  • Inner stability and clarity in a leadership context
  • Application of specific tools for leadership and self-leadership
  • Orientation for career and leadership entry

Speaker: Simone Ramelsberger M.A., M.Sc., expert in leadership development, systemic coach, and trainer in the field of innovation for over 7 years

Dates:
Mon, April 27, 2026, 9 am. to 5 pm.
Tue, April 28, 2026, 9 am. to 5 pm.
In a combination of interactive workshop and keynote presentation, we will address the following topics
  • Ethics and AI: Why we need to develop critical AI literacy
  • Digital learning and digital leadership: What is really changing?
  • How can we deal with ethical conflicts and dilemmas, particularly in the age of AI?
  • Digital fairness as a goal and dealing with data powerThe humanistic imperative of the digital world and the goal of ethical communication and leadership skills
  • The significance of ethical values in leadership and self-leadership

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Hemel, Director of the Global Ethic Institute

Date/time:
Mo, May 18, 2025 / 10 am. to 5 pm.
Leadership involves balancing competing demands, reflecting on ethical obligations, and making and justifying decisions within a framework shaped by the market and competition. In doing so, economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and social responsibility can often be at odds with one another.

This course teaches the fundamentals of philosophical ethics to enable participants to reflect on their own leadership responsibilities. Through case studies and discussions, participants learn to methodically address moral issues within a corporate context.

~The basics of ethical argumentation: Can we debate morality, and what does this imply?
~Models of ethical reasoning: Are there ‘instructions’ for moral action and decision-making?
~Responsibility: The individual and social roles – does the market have its own morality?
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Speaker: Dr. phil. M.A. Phil. Simon Derpmann, Dipl.-Volkswirt

Date/Time:
Thu, May 19, 2026 / 10 am. to 5 pm.
Effective communication and conflict resolution are key success factors in leadership roles. The ability to communicate clearly and purposefully and to resolve conflicts constructively is crucial for productive and harmonious collaboration. Given the complexity of modern working environments, developing these skills is becoming increasingly important. In this module, participants gain a basic understanding of communication strategies and conflict resolution approaches and learn how to apply them specifically to their everyday working lives and derive appropriate measures for different situations.
  • Communication basics: Understanding and applying communication models, behaviors, and styles
  • Effective communication: Experiencing the effects of limited communication and strategically counteracting them in everyday practice
  • Conflict resolution: Understanding the mediation process, reflecting on one's own role and attitude as a manager, and effectively supporting conflicting parties in finding solutions

Speaker: Susanna Feldmeyer

Date/time:
Mo, June 22, 2025 / 9 am. to 5 pm.
Intercultural leadership is a key success factor for international companies. However, leadership concepts vary considerably from culture to culture. In view of the increasing global networking and internationalization of companies, identifying and understanding cultural differences and their influence in an economic and business context is becoming increasingly important. In this course, participants gain a basic understanding of relevant cultural theories and learn how to apply them specifically to the leadership context and derive appropriate measures for different situations.
  • Introduction to intercultural leadership: Definition and significance of intercultural leadership
  • Culture and cultural differences: Concept of culture and cultural dimensions as well as intercultural sensitivity
  • Intercultural communication: Communication styles and patterns in different cultures as well as challenges and practices for communication in international teams
  • Leadership in different cultures: Cultural influences on leadership concepts as well as culturally adapted leadership strategies
  • Conflict management in intercultural teams: Recognizing and overcoming conflicts in multicultural teams, and developing conflict resolution strategies
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Jörg Büechl, ESB Business School Reutlingen

Date/time:
Tue, June 23, 2026 / 9 am. to 5 pm.
Part 1: “Authentic Leadership” – Leading yourself and others authentically (9 am to 1 pm)
Authentic leadership builds on the experience that people are particularly productive, creative, and positively motivated when they consider what they do to be consistent, meaningful, and right. The “Authentic Leadership” module offers a thorough introduction to what it means to be authentic. Two basic skills are central to this: self-reflection and self-awareness.
  • The importance of authenticity for one's own life, especially in a leadership role
  • Self-reflection: questioning one's own motives, values, and goals
  • Self-awareness: reflecting on and dealing with emotions

Objectives:
  • Exploring the idea of authentic self-leadership
  • Training self-awareness and self-reflection

Speaker: Johannes Lober M.A., MBA, Managing Director of the Institute for Philosophy and Leadership (LETHOS)

Date/time:
Mo, July 20, 2026 / 9 am. to 1 pm.


Part 2: “Embodied Leadership: Leading in Motion” – Seeing and Being Seen (2 to 5 pm.)
We transfer the cognitive learning experience to the body. In the afternoon of the module day, we learn what it means to connect with ourselves and others through movement.
  • Movement experience and awareness creation
  • Contact experience
  • Circle of Life

Speaker: Johannes Härtl, Managing Director, Iwanson International School of Contemporary Dance

Date/time:
Mo, July 20, 2026, 2026 / 2 to 5 pm.
Part 1: Resilient leadership – recognising, naming and managing emotions (9 am to 4 pm)
Emotional strain is one of the greatest challenges facing leaders in their day-to-day work today. A fast-paced environment, constant change and increasing demands mean that stress is experienced not only cognitively, but above all emotionally. In the long term, this affects performance, the quality of decision-making, collaboration and health. Resilience in a leadership context therefore means recognising one’s own emotional state at an early stage, managing it consciously and remaining capable of acting even under pressure. Consciously managing emotions not only strengthens one’s own stability but also has a significant impact on the emotional climate within the team.
  • The fundamentals of emotional resilience in day-to-day leadership
  • Neurobiological links between stress and emotions
  • Recognising, identifying and making constructive use of emotions
  • Methods for self-regulation in challenging situations
  • Micro-tools for strengthening self-management and empathetic communication

Objectives:
  • Strengthening emotional self-management in everyday working life
  • Recognising emotional stress earlier and dealing with it constructively
  • Maintaining clarity and the ability to act under pressure

Speaker: Julia Schleidt

Date/time:
Tue, July 21, 2026 / 9 am. to 4 pm.


Part 2: Academy Celebrate (5 to 20 pm.)
The closing ceremony, featuring opening remarks from representatives of KIT and the Karl Schlecht Foundation, provides a fitting setting for the presentation of the participants’ certificates.
  • Look back at the Leadership Talent Academy and a look ahead to personal prospects
  • Discussion on the guiding principles and the message behind the Leadership Talent Academy

Speaker: Lena Held (Project owner LTA), tbd.

Date/time:
Tue, July 21, 2026, 2026 / 5 to 8 pm.

Students engage in teamwork
Application process
Here’s how to apply for the LTA
The application period for the 2026 winter semester is between 01.07-21.07.2026.

Selection criteria

Requirements:
  • Master's degree or doctorate at KIT (engineering/natural sciences)
  • Just before transitioning into professional life
  • Interest in leadership responsibility, value-oriented personality and career development, and self-reflection
  • Willingness to participate in all workshop and seminar days and to further engage in the program
  • Very good German language skills (C1)


Application materials:
  • Motivation Letter (max. 1 page): Why are you interested in the Leadership Talent Academy? What does "Good leadership" mean to you? What do you want from the program?
  • Tabellarischer Lebenslauf
  • Certificate of enrollment or acceptance as a doctoral candidate: (for the relevant semester)
  • Certificates and transcript of grades: University graduation certificates and current transcript of grades (foreign certificates can only be considered with a German translation and grade classification)
  • Evidence of social or professional commitment: Information will only be considered with proof
  • Other certificates: as stated in the CV.
  • Language Proficiency Test for non-native speakers:


Submit application::
  • Only available online!
  • Login with KIT account data on the Career Service website (no extra registration required)
  • During application phases you can upload your application in our provided form.
  • Why? We want to get to know you as a person during the selection interviews. We are interested in who you are and what motivates you to participate in the LTA. This is not a technical interview.
  • When and where? The selection interviews last about 30 minutes per applicant and take place in Karlsruhe. We will inform you of an exact date after we have received a positive response to your application.
  • Important: The selection interviews can only take place during the specified time period and cannot be postponed. In exceptional cases, we can offer online appointments with a verifiable justification.
  • When? In the week after the selection interviews
  • How? Via email – please also check your spam folder
  • Important: Please understand that due to the large number of applications, we cannot provide detailed information on the reasons for any rejection. If you are unable to participate at this time, we would be happy to receive your application for the next round!

Information event

On Campus
29.06.2026, 5-6:00 pm
in the Lecture room at the library

Sign up now
Online
30.06.2026, 12-1 pm
Online via Zoom

Sign up now

FAQ - Do you have any questions?

The support programme comprises eight module days with workshops on personal development and seminars on the topic of good leadership, rounded off by a kick-off and a closing event. All participants also have the opportunity to attend three individual coaching sessions. After completing the programme, participants are invited to network at the LTA alumni events.
The programme starts every six months at the beginning of each semester.
Up to 25 applicants per round can take part in the programme.
If you are selected, you should be available on all workshop and seminar days. At the end of the programme, we would be delighted if you would get involved in the next round as an alumnus/alumna. The success of the support programme stands and falls with this commitment!

Target group

Committed master's and doctoral students of the KIT from the fields of engineering and natural sciences who are about to enter professional life can apply. German language skills of at least C1 level are a prerequisite for participation
No, unfortunately this is not possible. The programme is offered exclusively for KIT Master's students and doctoral candidates
Yes.
Yes.
Yes. The funding programme is open to Master's students and doctoral candidates of all nationalities. If you are a non-native speaker, we require proof of German language proficiency at level C1.
No.
As long as you can ensure that you can regularly attend all workshop and seminar days, there is nothing to stop you.
The standard period of study is not relevant for the application. Exceeding the standard period of study is therefore not an obstacle to participation in the programme. The only important thing is that you remain enrolled and can take part in all workshop and seminar days.
No, unfortunately this is not possible. A major focus of the programme consists of self-awareness elements and building a sustainable community together with the other participants. Therefore, continuous participation in all workshop and seminar days is required.
No, unfortunately this is not possible. A major focus of the programme consists of elements of self-awareness and building a sustainable community together with the other participants. Therefore, continuous participation in all workshop and seminar days is required.
If you can foresee that you will change universities during the semester in which the programme takes place, participation in the programme is unfortunately not possible.
Yes, participation in the Leadership Talent Academy programme is not dependent on receiving BAföG, funding from the Begabtenförderungswerke or another scholarship. However, please also clarify possible participation in the Leadership Talent Academy with the relevant BAföG office, talent promotion organisation or scholarship provider before you apply.

Application process

To participate in the Leadership Talent Academy, you must first submit your written application documents online. After reviewing your documents and providing positive feedback, we would like to get to know you in the second part of the selection process, which consists of interviews.
There is no fixed grade criterion or numerus clausus (NC) as is the case with university admissions, but in addition to your individual motivation, your academic achievements and any social engagement will also be taken into account in the selection process.
Please submit all application-related documents, such as internship, student assistant, or employment references, as well as current transcripts and (final) certificates, together within the application period.
Please submit all application-related documents, such as internship, student assistant, or employment references, as well as current transcripts and (final) certificates, together within the application period.
Yes. When applying online, please choose one of your two degree programs and specify it. Only the grade point average for this degree program will then count.
Your proof should show how intensively you have been involved and what kind of involvement it was.
Yes. Selection interviews usually take place in the week after positive feedback on the submitted application documents. Please make sure you keep these dates free, as there will be no alternative dates.
No. The program is designed for students and doctoral candidates in the natural sciences and engineering without a background in education.
Yes. A rejection does not mean that you have automatically been rejected for the future. You can reapply for each round.
Please apply using the digital application form. You will find the link for this on the Application page. As soon as we have received your application, you will receive an automated confirmation of receipt. Please also check your spam folder if necessary.
Within KIT, only authorized employees have and receive access to your personal data if they absolutely need to know about your application.
The privacy policy for the application process can be found on the online application form, which is activated during the application period. By submitting your application, you confirm that you have read the privacy policy. In addition, KIT's general privacy policy also applies when visiting the website.