Both roles—researcher and parent—are full-time commitments, each requiring dedication and effort. The demands of a research career, including long hours in the lab, grant applications, publishing pressures, and frequent travel, often clash with the responsibilities of raising a family. And you want to do both roles well, of course. How does each EDUC institution (and local national setting) support its employees in balancing these challenges?
Masaryk University (Czech Republic): Long Leave, Limited Childcare
Czechia provides the longest maternity and parental leave in the EU—up to approximately three years. However, financial support is limited: during the first six months, parents receive 70% of their salary, while the remainder of the leave is covered by a total allowance of €14,000, distributed proportionally. While this may seem like a luxury, it can also be a trap - imagine returning to academia after three years spent „on the sand pit “. Coming back sooner requires access to childcare, which is both limited and expensive.
Fortunately, universities, including MUNI, standardly offer part-time positions, an option not as common in the private sector.
MUNI operates two small kindergartens for employees (for children from 1.5 years old), though they cover only a fraction of the demand. Additionally, grants (Career Restart grant) are available to support parents returning from career breaks, offering extra financial aid (often the money is used to provide nursery, childcare or similar types of care for children or loved ones). So far, a total of 55 people has received it, 54 of whom were women.
However, even this grant funding is limited. As a result, many Czech scientists depend on their grandparents to help manage the challenges of balancing work and family life.
Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Ukraine): Resilience Amid Crisis
The war has entered its third year. While some are defending the country on the frontlines, others are holding the intellectual front. The constant threat of attack, limited electricity supplies and the uncertainty makes daily life difficult.
In Ukraine, parental leave can last up to three years, but the financial support is minimal and insufficient to cover basic needs. Young researchers (including lecturers, scientists, and PhD students) face a dual challenge: modest financial aid and the risk of falling behind in their professional development.
Returning to academic work earlier is only possible if there is reliable and affordable childcare. However, public nursery groups are rare, and private ones are too expensive for most Ukrainian families. In rural areas, the situation is even more difficult.
Unlike in many other sectors, the university system allows for more flexible scheduling, making it possible to combine teaching, research, and parenting. At Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, this is a reality: lecturers can plan their workload to leave time for raising a child.
Moreover, the university operates an on-campus Education and Care Center for preschoolers — a free kindergarten for staff children aged three and up.
“War brings constant fear and uncertainty, but we try to do our best — not just for ourselves, but for our students who strive to learn, no matter the circumstances. Because that’s our shared future,” says Nataliia, a PNU researcher and mother of a nine-month-old son.
“We want to show our daughter that the world is not only about ruins and fear. There is also knowledge, creativity, and mutual support,” says Iryna, PNU researcher and mother of a two-year-old daughter.
University of Potsdam (Germany): A Culture Shift in Progress
Germany provides a relatively generous parental leave framework. Mothers are entitled to 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave (6 weeks before and 8 weeks after birth), while both parents can take up to three years of protected parental leave per child. During this period, they may receive parental allowance (Elterngeld), which generally amounts to 65–67% of net income for 12–14 months, depending on how leave is shared between partners. Brandenburg further supports families with a well-developed daycare infrastructure, offering children from the age of one a legal right to a childcare place – although availability and quality still vary locally.
Against this national backdrop, researchers in Potsdam benefit from additional institutional measures. While favorable conditions in the city such as a good supply of daycare slots support parents, challenges like expensive housing and time constraints persist. Moreover, an academic culture that often values 24/7 availability continues to disadvantage parents and families. Coupled with persistent traditional gender roles in Germany and the prevailing view that childcare is a private matter, these circumstances place a disproportionate burden on women.
At the University of Potsdam, researchers who are parents are supported through a wide range of services designed to help balance academic careers and family life.
The Equal Opportunity Coordination Office via its family service provides individual counseling, advises managers on family-friendly leadership (for example during onboarding of newly appointed professors), and assists in arranging childcare during scientific events like workshops and conferences. Efforts are made to organise family-friendly teaching and committee schedules, and family rooms or child-friendly office setups are available on campus. Awareness-raising activities and contributions to the university’s gender equality plans further strengthen a family-conscious academic environment.
In addition, the office offers targeted funding opportunities such as the Gertrud-Feiertag-Scholarship for researchers returning after family-related career breaks, and financial support for academic qualification phases to help retain women in academia after PhD and habilitation stages. The ProfiNet network for female professors fosters cross-faculty exchange, mutual support, and strategic career development, including a talk about “Motherhood in academia” and ways of empowerment of women in academia. Consulting services are available for researchers seeking advice on family-career balance, and Gender Consulting helps embed equality measures into research projects.
More information is available through the Equal Opportunity Coordination Office at the University of Potsdam.
Universitat Jaume I (Spain): Legal Guarantees and Growing Institutional Support
Universitat Jaume I (UJI) benefits from Spain’s progressive national parental leave policies, offering a structured and relatively generous framework for academic parents. Female civil servants are entitled to begin paid maternity leave from the 37th week of pregnancy, followed by 16 weeks of parental leave—6 compulsory and 10 optional—which can be taken consecutively or in weekly blocks within the child’s first year.
Breastfeeding parents are entitled to one hour of daily leave, which may be accumulated into 22 working days after birth leave, offering much-needed scheduling flexibility during the first year of the child’s life. While these national rights set a strong foundation, UJI has also taken concrete steps to supplement them with institutional initiatives.
For early childhood care, Spanish families typically choose between public and private nurseries (guarderías) for children under the age of three. UJI offers its own on-campus childcare center, the Escuela Infantil de la UJI, which provides educational care for children of university staff and students from four months to three years of age. While availability is limited and demand frequently exceeds capacity, the center is a vital resource, offering flexible hours and a pedagogically rich environment designed to align with academic working conditions.
Beyond childcare, UJI’s Equality Unit and Human Resources Department assist researchers in navigating their return from parental leave. Support includes tailored guidance for re-entry into teaching and research, workload adjustments when appropriate, and help identifying relevant public grants and social benefits. Although UJI does not currently offer its own targeted funding programs akin to “career restart” grants available at some other institutions, its active involvement in regional and national schemes helps bridge that gap.
Together, Spain’s legal entitlements and UJI’s growing institutional efforts form a supportive environment for academic parents striving to balance research careers with family life.
Université Paris Nanterre (France): Legal Protections, Cultural Barriers
The University of Paris Nanterre is a public university whose regulations about parenthood fall under the national law. In 2023, 9 governmental workers out of 10 are parents.
Academic staff at Université Paris Nanterre (UPN) benefit from the French legal frameworks for parental rights. Pregnant employees benefit from job protection, the right to work remotely up to five days per week, and a reduced teaching load beginning in the third trimester. Maternity leave lasts for 16 weeks. Fathers or second parents are entitled to 25 days of paternity leave, which can be split into blocks and taken within six months of the birth.
Breastfeeding rights exist on paper—employees are entitled to one hour per day—but practical support remains limited. On-site breastfeeding rooms or structured scheduling adjustments are rare.
The French government supports working parents
- with service vouchers worth several hundred euros for childcare or household help. Employees with at least one dependent child under 20 receive a family salary supplement (SFT).
- Up to 12 annual days of leave are granted to care for a sick child (with no age limit for disabled children).
- Unpaid parental leave—available to either or both parents—allows a temporary break from work, while part-time work options are offered until a child’s third birthday (or three years after adoption).
After parental leave, the flexibility in workload or task redistribution is often left to the discretion of individual departments.
When it comes to early childcare, France has a well-established—but highly competitive—network of options. Parents may choose between public crèches (state-subsidized nurseries), private nurseries, and licensed childminders (assistantes maternelles).
To mitigate these pressures, UPN does offer some institutional support. The Congé pour Recherches ou Conversions Thématiques (CRCT) program, which provides teaching relief for researchers to focus on new or ongoing projects, reserves additional sabbatical slots for those returning from parental leave. However, competition remains high, and the overall number of available exemptions is limited.
UPN reflects the national paradox: while parenthood in academia is legally protected, it remains a professional risk, particularly for women. A 2019 national survey found that 47.4% of female academics felt that motherhood had negatively impacted their career progression. Gendered expectations and an implicit bias against interrupted research trajectories continue to shape the academic experience for many women.
University of Rennes: Supporting Parenthood and Gender Equality
The University of Rennes, like the University of Paris Nanterre, follows French law on maternity leave—6 weeks prenatal and 10 weeks postnatal. Beyond legal requirements, the university has introduced initiatives to make academic careers more compatible with family life.
To ease the challenge of securing early childcare, the University of Rennes reserves spots in two public nurseries and may offer financial support for after-school care. Staff are notified by email when spaces become available, and fees are adjusted according to household income. While appreciated, demand exceeds supply, highlighting the need for more childcare support.
Supporting women researchers is a priority. Staff returning from maternity or parental leave can access research semesters without teaching duties, enabling them to focus on academic work. Fixed-term or PIA contract researchers have their contracts extended during maternity leave, with the university covering any difference between salary and social security allowances. Targeted communications ensure returning staff know about their rights to research leave (CRCT) to facilitate reintegration.
A key initiative is L’Aparté, a dedicated parent space opened in July 2023. Founded by two collaborators from the University of Rennes, Fanny Le Magoarou and Charlène Planchon, it features weekly “Parenthood Lunchtimes,” a private lactation room, and workshops on topics like returning to work, early childhood care, managing adolescents, and workplace planning. L’Aparté provides peer support, practical advice, and guidance on university services, attracting attention from other universities and the media.
In 2024, the Parenthood Guide was published by Human Resources, offering a comprehensive overview of staff rights and support systems. It complements Rennes’ Gender Equality Plan, Sustainable Development goals, and Quality of Work Life framework. Oversight is provided by Vice President for Social Responsibility, Ms. Nicoletta Tchou, and the Quality of Life and Working Conditions Unit, which addresses gender equality at work.
Rennes also promotes equality in academic careers through mentorship programs, career counselling, and raising awareness of gender parity in thesis defense juries. These actions aim at advancing women’s access to senior teaching and research roles. Upcoming initiatives include training supervisors on return-to-work interviews, after maternity or parental leave and providing childcare services for short-term visiting researchers attending conferences organised by the University of Rennes.
Through its combined policies, infrastructure, and community initiatives, the University of Rennes strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment that empowers staff to better balance their research careers and parenthood.
University of Pécs (Hungary): Family Support Beyond Financial Aid
Hungary offers a range of family benefits for parents, including generous parental leave and financial support. Mothers are entitled to 168 days of infant care allowance (CSED) at 100% of their average salary, while fathers receive 10 days of paid leave in the first two months. After six months, either parent can stay home with the child until age two, receiving childcare allowance (GYED), which amounts to 70% of their previous earnings, capped at 70% of twice the minimum wage. Beyond age two, additional support is available, though most parents return to work by then.
At the University of Pécs, family support goes beyond financial aid. The university provides on-campus nursery and kindergarten facilities for researchers with young children, and public childcare options in Pécs are widely available. With proper planning, securing a spot is manageable. For older children, the university offers two elementary and two secondary schools, alongside many quality public schools in the city.
Recognizing the importance of family life, the University runs the „PTE for Families“ programme, which offers creative workshops, cultural events, and sports activities for all. These initiatives help researchers stay active, connected, and engaged outside their academic work.
Lecturers and researchers enjoy flexible working hours – a benefit that can be both an advantage and a challenge. A 2021 Hungarian Young Academy survey found that university staff work an average of 47.9 hours per week, often beyond the standard 4o-hour schedule. However, the academic calendar also allows for extended summer breaks, giving staff valuable time to recharge and spend with family.
University of Cagliari: From Baby Card to Career Progression
The University of Cagliari (UniCa) has steadily expanded its family-friendly policies to support students, researchers, and staff in balancing parenthood with study and career paths.
A key milestone was the adoption of the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in 2020, one of the first in Italy, with 32 actions designed to counter the “motherhood penalty” and foster career progression after maternity or parental leave.
Among the most impactful initiatives is the Baby Card, introduced in 2014/2015. Available to both students and staff with children up to 10 years old, it grants access to a range of services: reserved parking on campus, four Pink Rooms for breastfeeding and childcare, and the Child Space playroom with educational activities. In 2022, this program earned national recognition with the Sustainable and Resilient PA award.
The Pink Rooms offer a welcoming environment for breastfeeding or childcare during study and work hours. They are equipped with changing tables, child-sized furniture, and relaxation chairs, and are open free of charge to students and staff alike.
The Child Space, located at the main Sa Duchessa campus, provides supervised educational and recreational activities for children aged 1–10. Staffed by specialists and supported by student trainees, it combines family support with hands-on training opportunities.
UniCa has also strengthened measures to ease the transition back to work after maternity leave, such as reduced workloads during the first year, flexibility in teaching schedules, and evaluation criteria adapted to account for parental responsibilities. Fathers are entitled to 10 days of compulsory paternity leave, while both parents can access up to 11 months of shared parental leave until the child is 12 years old.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate UniCa’s long-term commitment to making parenthood compatible with academic and research careers—building a culture where care, flexibility, and professional growth go hand in hand.
University of South-Eastern Norway (Norway): National Generosity, Institutional Stability
At the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), academic parents benefit from one of the world’s most comprehensive family support systems, thanks to Norway’s national welfare model. To qualify, employees must have worked at least six of the last ten months and be members of the social security system.
Norwegian parental leave is both flexible and extensive. Expectant mothers receive three weeks of paid leave before the due date and time off for all prenatal check-ups. After birth or adoption, parents can choose between 49 weeks of leave at full salary or 61 weeks at 80% salary, provided the leave is used before the child turns three.
The system is designed to promote shared responsibility: mothers must take at least 15 weeks (six of which are compulsory after birth), while fathers or co-mothers take another 15. The remaining weeks can be divided freely. With the 80% option, both parents receive 19 weeks, plus an additional 20 weeks and one day to allocate as they wish. Fathers or co-mothers also have the right to two weeks of paid leave immediately after the birth. Parents may further extend their time at home with up to three years of unpaid leave.
Support continues after the first months. Mothers may take up to two hours of paid leave each day to breastfeed until the child turns two, while all children are guaranteed a daycare spot from August of the year they turn one. If a spot is not available, families are entitled to either benefits or unpaid leave. Parents can also take paid time off to care for sick children—10 days per year for one child, 12 for two, and 15 for three or more. Single parents or those with children suffering from chronic illnesses are granted additional days.
For early-career researchers, protections are equally strong: PhD candidates automatically receive contract extensions for any time lost to parental leave, illness (their own or their child’s), or breastfeeding.
With its blend of national entitlements and institutional safeguards, USN provides a stable and family-friendly environment where researchers can pursue academic careers without having to choose between parenthood and professional growth.