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Study and research in Germany

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Study and research in Germany

Home « Study and research in Germany « Research « Doctorate « Doctoral Studies

Doctoral Studies

Traditional (individual) supervision by an academic supervisor: "Doktorvater" / "Doktormutter" (so-called "apprentice model")

  • Admissions procedure in accordance with the doctoral regulations

Further information at:

International postgraduate/doctoral programmes of the DAAD and DFG

  • Since 2001: joint responsibility for the funding programme called "Doctorates at Universities in Germany (PHD)" / "International Postgraduate Programmes (IPP)", run and managed by the DAAD
  • Goals: To implement the relevant recommendations made by the German Science Council (WR) and the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) on reforming doctoral training
  • To increase the international appeal and competitiveness of doctorates taken in Germany by highly qualified postgraduate students from home and abroad (target share of foreigners: 30%) by
  • clearly structuring and intensifying the doctoral studies
  • positioning international doctoral programmes at centres of excellent research
  • limiting the time to doctorate and providing optimal supervision (by firmly defining the university's institutional responsibility for the doctoral student)
  • ensuring the compatibility of international degrees
  • offering programmes and courses instructed in English
  • promoting interdisciplinary dialogue
  • After four selection rounds a total of 50 International Postgraduate Programmes were receiving funding.
  • NB: Doctorates at Universities in Germany (PHD) is an institutional funding programme which is not intended for individuals, but rather is open for universities to apply

Further information at:

DFG Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs – GKs)

  • These are an alternative to the traditional form of individual doctoral supervision:
    Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs - GK) are temporary and thematically-focused institutions established at universities to promote young graduates by enabling them to participate in research (research-oriented integration of research and training);
  • a Research Training Group (GK) is generally made up of 10 to 15 university teachers and up to 30 doctoral students, of which 12 to 15 receive a DFG fellowship
  • at present: 297 GKs, including 28 International Research Training Groups throughout Germany (as per: 2004)

Further information at:
http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/coordinated_programmes/
research_training_groups/index.html

DFG Collaborative Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche - SFBs)

  • Collaborative Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche – SFB) are long-term research facilities at universities in which scientists and researchers collaborate within the scope of a cross-disciplinary research programme
  • At present (01/2006): 266 SFBs at a total of 57 higher education institutions are receiving funding
  • so-called "Independent Junior Research Groups" work within the scope of the Collaborative Research Centres as an alternative form of the programme: these enable young scientists and researchers to spend a time-limited period doing independent research (funding requires scientific excellence)

Further information at:
http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/coordinated_programmes/
collaborative_research_centres/lists/index.html

International Max Planck Research Schools

  • Centres of scientific excellence in selected innovative and interdisciplinary research fields (e.g.: neurosciences, molecular biology, computer science)
  • The doctoral programmes of the International Max Planck Research Schools offer outstanding training and research opportunities for junior scientists and researchers from home and abroad.
  • Clear scientific research focuses and work on joint topics promote close cooperation between the doctoral students working in the research team
  • Particular importance attached to international cooperation (target share of foreigners: 50%)
  • At present: 37 Max Planck Research Schools throughout Germany (as per: 03/2005)

Further information at:
http://www.mpg.de/english/institutesProjectsFacilities/
schoolChoice/index.html

Graduate Schools of Germany's Federal States

  • NRW: as from the winter semester 2001/2002: 7 Graduate Schools
  • Lower Saxony: 10 Graduate Schools (as per: 01/2006)
  • Bavaria: Establishment of 26 elite study programmes, including 10 International Doctoral Studies Centres (Doktorandenkollegs) (as per: 2006)
  • Other initiatives by federal states: e.g. Bremen, Graduate School of Social Sciences at the University of Bremen (since 2002)
  • Goal: To promote highly-qualified scientists and researchers from home and abroad under optimal conditions in accordance with the Anglo-American model
  • Structured doctoral training in the form of (research-focused) doctoral studies, intensive individual supervision of doctoral thesis/dissertation projects as well as preparing doctoral students for positions in interdisciplinary and international research contexts
  • As a rule: interdisciplinary collaboration between several faculties
  • International orientation (largely English-instructed courses)
  • Graduate Schools aim – in contrast to the Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs = temporary institutions) – to become a firm part of the respective university and so to make a sustainable contribution to structure-building in research and teaching

Further information at:

Network of biological and medical PhD programs

  • German network of over ten international PhD programs in the biological or medical field
  • Founded in 2002
  • Speaker: at the moment at Hannover Medical School
  • Discussion of relevant topics in the field
  • Implementation of standards (accreditation)
  • Coordination of selection procedures
  • Organization of „soft skill“ seminars and workshops

Further information at:
http://www99.mh-hannover.de/kliniken/immun/phd-net/

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DAAD Glossary

Doktorand

"Doktorand" denotes doctoral students or candidates who are working on their thesis or dissertation.

Fakultät

"Fakultät" is the same word as faculty in the sense that a university is made up of various faculties. Classical faculties are law, medicine, philosophy (arts and humanities), and natural sciences. Each faculty is made up of several departments, known in German as Fachbereiche, Institute or Seminare.

Promotion

"Promotion" is the German word for a doctorate and for the process that leads to this degree. Doctoral students (Promovierende or Doktoranden) earn a doctorate by producing a written research paper (dissertation or thesis) and by defending their paper in an oral exam called Rigorosum or Disputation, very similar to a viva (voce). To gain a doctorate, candidates generally have to prove that they hold an academic degree. Many universities offer graduate schools or graduate colleges (Graduiertenkollegs) or even whole doctoral programmes to "promote" the qualifications of their doctoral students and candidates.

Universität

"Universität" means university and is used for research universities (wissenschaftliche Hochschulen) that offer a broad range of subjects (like arts and humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, economics and business administration, law, medicine). These institutions confer doctorates. The strong research focus benefits students in their training. Please note, however, that English texts often use the term "university" generically, i.e. to cover all kinds of higher education institutions, for example, universities of the arts, universities of applied sciences, universities of education, etc.

WS

Abbreviation for winter semester.

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© 2008 Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst e.V. (DAAD), Kennedyallee 50, D-53175 Bonn
Source: http://www.daad.de/deutschland/forschung/promotion/04672.en.html
Date: 2008-11-20