Doctoral Programs

Doctoral programs offer the opportunity to pursue a doctorate in an interdisciplinary research environment and within a structured qualification and supervision framework. They combine cutting-edge research with targeted support for doctoral candidates. The focus lies on empowering doctoral researchers to:

  • acquire expertise in future-oriented research topics,
  • develop scientific independence,
  • advance their career prospects, and
  • build international networks, foster collaboration, and promote interdisciplinary exchange

Currently, there are over 20 doctoral programs at KIT. A list of all current programs can be found ▶ here.

For Principal Investigators (PIs) and participating research groups, structured doctoral programs offer clear added value: They strengthen the quality of early-career researcher support and thus create new potential. In funding procedures for collaborative projects such as Collaborative Research Centers and Clusters of Excellence, outstanding early-career researcher support is one of the key criteria for awarding funding.

KIT therefore attaches great strategic importance to doctoral programs and increasingly supports them, for example, within the framework of the Excellence Strategy. As a central institution for the promotion of young researchers, KHYS contributes to this by supporting and advising doctoral programs at various stages of development. The specific services available to you are described in more detail below.

 

The KHYS advises you on applying for national funding, e.g., for Collaborative Research Centers, Clusters of Excellence, and Research Training Groups and Schools, in the field of early-career researcher support. Here, KHYS primarily supports the development of a qualification and supervision concept tailored to the goals of your initiative for doctoral candidates within the research network through the following services:

Support for Your Concept and Idea Development:
  • Moderated workshop for your application team to develop a comprehensive concept for qualification and supervision
  • Provision of an extensive collection of tools for supporting early-career researchers
Consultation on Your Written Application:
  • Personal consultation based on many years of experience regarding the design of early-career support within your program and the presentation of the overall concept in the application
  • Written feedback on the presentation of the early-career support concept in your application text
Support During Your Reviews:
  • Support in preparation through participation in rehearsals and briefings of the doctoral candidates
  • Representation of KIT's early-career support program in the form of a poster during your review – our participation has proven valuable!

For inquiries, please feel free to contact ▶ Nadine Civilotti and ▶ Dr. Stefan Götze. For general questions regarding grant proposals beyond the promotion of early-career researchers, please contact the Research Funding Department. (▶ FOR).

 

Similarly, when structured doctoral programs become fully operational, various quality dimensions besides the scientific work itself must be considered: these include the design of the subject-specific and interdisciplinary qualification program, the promotion of networking and internationalization among early-career researchers, and the regular evaluation of the program. KHYS offers you comprehensive support in this area, from the start of your program to a possible follow-up review. The subsequent support services are available to you:

  • Initial consultation at the start of the program (e.g., regarding first steps, staffing the coordination position, etc.)
  • Consultation and onboarding meetings in case of staff changes in your program's coordination team
  • Consultation and support in designing and further developing the interdisciplinary qualification program
  • Support for interdisciplinary collaboration within your research network through tailored training events and moderated workshops (CollaboRight)
  • Support for ongoing quality assurance and targeted development, e.g., by providing questionnaires, conducting and analyzing the surveys, and, upon request, through consultations on the evaluation results (especially regarding follow-up assessments)

Please feel free to contact us! ▶ Dr. Swantje Schirmer

 

The KHYS connects the existing doctoral programs at KIT to promote the exchange of experiences and collaboration, as well as to continuously advance the support of early-career researchers at KIT. This includes:

  • Annual meetings of the spokespersons of the KIT graduate schools with the Vice Provost for Early-Career Researchers and the KHYS
  • Regular meetings of the coordinators of all doctoral programs, focusing on peer learning and formats for sharing good practices
  • Topic-specific professional development and training opportunities for the coordinators

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact ▶ Dr. Swantje Schirmer for more details.