USING AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY TO WATCH VIDEOS Photos marked with the play symbol can be quickly turned into videos: 1. Visit the App Store or Google Play and download the free “AR Kiosk” app onto your mobile device. 2. Launch the app and hold your mobile device over the image with the play symbol. 3. The video will begin automatically as soon as the app has recognised the image. www.research-in-germany.org www.research-in-germany.org/newsletter facebook.com/research.in.germany twitter.com/ResearchGermany linkedin.com/company/research-in-germany Learn how to write a proposal and obtain further important information in our online course: How to apply for a PhD in Germany www.research-in-germany.org/phd-course

WHY GERMANY? VID E O Check out our video and learn why Germany is a great place to do your PhD

6 WHY GERMANY? FIVE REASONS WHY 1. Germany has great universities and research institutions German universities are considered to be some of the best on the planet. And Germany’s industry and public research organisations are among the world leaders in many sectors. 2. Research is international and interdisciplinary Here you can work with researchers from all over the world on all kinds of projects, including many that are in terdisciplinary in nature. 3. There are no tuition fees As an international doctoral student, you will not be charged for tuition at public universities. 4. You can do your PhD in English 5. Life is good in Germany Despite its high quality of life, the cost You can write your thesis in English of living in Germany is comparatively low at most faculties. by international standards.

THE GERMAN DOCTORATE

10 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE Requirements for doing a PhD Being an advanced research qualification, a doctorate is unlike any other degree. What’s more, every PhD is unique, with its own original research topic. It can lay the foundation for a career in research, and it can also help you to develop a career outside the academic world. How- ever, dedication, discipline and energy are needed to complete a doctoral degree. This is particularly true if you choose to do an individual PhD, which will require con- siderable independence on your part. As a doctoral student you will have a great deal of freedom, but you will also need to estab- lish a good working pattern for yourself and keep yourself motivated – even during dif- ficult phases. Opting for a structured PhD will also mean being able to work on your own. Self-reli- ance and an ability to work under pressure are important because you will have to plan, structure and write a thesis of considerable length. WHAT IS A PHD? A PhD is not a course of study like a mas- ter’s or bachelor’s degree. Your doctorate is evidence of your ability to conduct in- dependent academic work. You prove this by submitting your thesis and taking an oral exam. The two main requirements for your doctoral thesis are as follows: It should demonstrate your ability to pursue independent academic research It should contribute to the advancement of general academic knowledge Besides the doctoral thesis itself, an oral exam is also part of your PhD. This takes the form of either a “Rigorosum” or a “Dispu- tation”. The difference is that a “Rigorosum” tests you not only on the subject of your thesis, but also on your knowledge of other relevant aspects of your field. By contrast, the “Disputation” revolves solely around your thesis which you defend by engaging in a kind of “argument” with the members of the doctoral committee. More than half of all faculties permit “cumulative” doctoral degrees. This means you can publish several articles in renowned journals rather than submitting just one lengthy monograph. The conditions can be found in the doctoral degree regulations. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS You will have to meet certain formal require- ments to be admitted for a doctoral degree: You will need an academic degree that is recognised in Germany, normally a mas- ter’s degree or German state examination The subject of your proposed thesis should be relevant to the degree you have already completed There is one exception: particularly well- qualified applicants with only a bachelor’s degree or with a degree from a university of applied sciences can also be admitted to a PhD programme (fast-track programmes).

12 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE LANGUAGE SKILLS Normally you will not have to be able to speak German to do a PhD: these days, inter- national doctoral students can write their thesis in English at most universities. Refer to the doctoral degree regulations to dis- cover whether this is the case in your depart- ment. The doctoral degree regulations contain all the requirements for your PhD and can be found at the departments concerned or on the university website. However, if you do have to write your thesis in German, you may have to provide evidence of your knowledge of German. To this end, you will need an officially recog- nised qualification, e.g. the German language test for university entrance (DSH), which can only be taken in Germany. You can also prove your command of German before coming to Germany by taking a TestDaF exam or obtaining a certificate from the Goethe-Institut. If you are going to write your thesis in English, it will depend on the university and department in question whether you will need to prove your proficiency level in Eng- lish. Again, you can find all the necessary information in the PhD regulations. Further information about doing a PhD in Germany can also be found on the information portal provided by the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK): www.higher-education-compass.de You can use the anabin database to check how your university degree will be classified in Germany, though information is not available for all degrees: www.anabin.de (in German)

14 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE Choosing the right PhD path There is not just one route to a doctoral degree in Germany. Which suits you best will depend on various factors: such as your subject area, your research project, the univer sity at which you want to do your PhD, and your individual circumstances. Essentially, however, a distinction can be made between two types of PhD: the indi- vidual doctorate, which is very widespread in Germany, and the structured pro- gramme, which is similar to the PhD system to be found in the Anglo-Saxon world. INDIVIDUAL DOCTORATE Most doctoral students in Germany follow the “traditional” path. This involves finding a mentor who will approve and supervise their doctoral thesis. This supervisor is known as a “Doktorvater” or “Doktormut- ter” – a doctoral father or mother – in Ger- many. Once you have obtained your master’s de- gree, you will no longer be considered a stu- dent in Germany – you will be regarded as an academic. As such, during an individual PhD you will be in contact with your super- visor but will work mainly on a very inde- pendent basis. Though this provides you with plenty of freedom and flexibility, it also requires considerable self-discipline and good organisational skills. This also means that you (or your financial possibilities) will determine how long your PhD takes. That said, you should note that 23% of PhD students choose a structured doctoral programme Winter semester 2014/2015; source: destatis some universities require candidates who embark on an individual PhD to enrol, and they set a limit on the total study duration, normally of three to five years. No formal deadline is set for completing your doctoral thesis, however. STRUCTURED PHD PROGRAMME If you like working in a team, would like to be more involved in a project and want more intensive supervision, the structured PhD programmes will be of interest to you. The extent to which such programmes are structured differs. What they all have in common is that a team of supervisors is re- sponsible for the doctoral students. The programmes generally feature a curriculum that accompanies the PhD, they are often

16 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE interdisciplinary, and they usually promote the acquisition of soft skills and additional qualifications. Your degree of involvement in the pro- gramme, and the number of hours you are required to participate, will depend entirely on your programme. Requirements can dif- fer just as much with respect to acquiring credit points or any other obligations you may have: whether for example you are ex- pected to regularly present the progress made in your research project, or may even be required to spend a period of time abroad. All the same, structured programmes tend to be completed more quickly than “individ- ual” PhDs: normally, the fact that you are involved in a specific programme and receive good supervision means that you will obtain your degree in three years. WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES These days a wide range of programmes can be found in Germany: structured PhD programmes are available at universities, and particularly at the university-based Re- search Training Groups and Collaborative Research Centres funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). In addition, there are state-government- supported pro- grammes at individual universities, and more recently the Max Planck Schools (see Page 15) – a joint project run by universities and non-university research institutions. At non-university research institutions, it is now almost the rule that students participate in structured and generally interdisciplinary PhD programmes: 60 International Max Planck Research Schools, 26 Leibniz Graduate Schools, 13 Helmholtz Graduate Schools and 21 Helmholtz Research Schools offer such programmes. Students then do their PhD at the cooperating university. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES Structured PhD programmes are particular- ly attractive to international doctoral stu- dents, as they often use English as their working and teaching language. Many pro- grammes explicitly target international PhD candidates. Half of the PhD students at the International Research Schools of the Max Planck Society come from abroad. Detailed information about doing a PhD in Germany can also be found on the Research in Germany portal: www.research-in-germany.org/phd

20 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE Where can I pursue my PhD project? PLACE POSITION University University University Research associate in a department Research associate working on a third-party-funded project Doctoral student or research associate in a research training group* Non-university research institution Research associate working on a research project Non-university research institution Doctoral student or research associate in a research school or research training group* Company** Research associate working on a research project in cooperation with a university or research institution External/private Doctoral student FUNDING Salary Salary/ grant Salary/ grant Salary/ grant Salary/ grant Salary Independently funded, e.g. grant Individual doctorate: Independent work on thesis with individual supervision pro- vided by a university professor Structured programme: Participation in a structured PhD programme together with other doctoral candidates and supervised by a team *The research schools and research training groups are often run jointly by universities and non-university research institutions **Companies often offer supporting programmes for their doctoral students, too It is always the university that awards the doctoral degree. No matter where and how you wish to pursue your PhD project, the professors at the awarding universities will always be responsible for supervising and assessing your academic work. If you conduct your research at a non-university research institute or university of applied sciences, this is known as a “cooperative PhD”.

22 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE here. Now she works at the Ligand Develop- ment Unit at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Leipzig. How did this come about? “After completing my master’s thesis, I was offered the chance to continue working on an exciting, but also challenging project. This offer also included being part of a support programme for young female scientists. The programme offered guidance for the development of hard and soft skills. I did not hesitate to accept this opportunity,” explains Lisbeth. Working as a PhD at Fraunhofer means being part of an applied industry-oriented research project, which is exactly what Lisbeth likes about it. That is because her research will help solve real-life problems. The Helmholtz Association, the Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Society run their own graduate schools and research schools for their doctoral students, where they take part in a structured PhD pro- gramme. The programmes are research- centred, offer accompanying curricula and allow you to complete your thesis in three years. RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY Germany has many industrial companies that pursue high-level research, often in cooperation with non-university research institutes and universities. What this means for you is that you can be employed by a com- pany and work on a research project, while at the same time writing your PhD. It is particularly companies in highly intensive research sectors such as the automotive in- dustry that cooperate with universities and offer doctoral students employment contracts and support on their path to a doctorate. PHD STUDENTS BY EMPLOYER University 64% Non-university research institute 5% Industry 5% Other employers 9% No employment contract 7% 16% of PhD students received a scholarship; Winter semester 2014/2015; source: destatis This model closely combines professional experience with application-oriented research. The subject of your thesis must be a good fit with the company. All the same, you will need a supervisor who is authorised to sup- port PhD students. Ideally, you will already have found a suitable supervisor before applying to the company. Some companies may help you find one, or may already be cooperating with a particular university. You can then submit your thesis at that university. A PHD WITH A PART-TIME JOB If you do not work at the university at which you are doing your PhD, you will be consid- ered to be an “external” – regardless of whether you are working at a non-university research institute, a university of applied sciences or a company. You will also be do- ing your PhD externally if you earn your money by working part-time or if your thesis is being funded by a scholarship and you work on it at home. As with all PhDs, it is es- sential to have a university that will accept your thesis and a professor who will act as your supervisor. That said, this path is more difficult than being part of a research envir- onment that will support you as you write your thesis.

24 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE Professor Rainer Fink teaches physical chemistry at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at Friedrich-Alexander- Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg I consider personal contacts to be most fruitful. Professors at your home institution usually have a network of international research- ers they have met in person at conferences or workshops. Your present supervisor may be able to give the best advice and initiate contact with a professor abroad. You may also consider which articles inspired you the most during your education. Check the recent publication records of the respective authors and find out if their present re- search matches your personal in- terests. You may also check if the professors have international students in their group. Don’t be afraid to contact them and ask about their personal experience. Getting started Once you have decided where and how you want to do your PhD, it is time for the most important step: finding the right supervisor or the doctoral programme that will suit you best. A SUPERVISOR FOR MY INDIVIDUAL DOCTORATE You should invest some time and energy in finding a suitable supervisor for your PhD – after all, he or she will be one of the most im- portant people for you over the next few years. First you should consider what matters most to you: where will your research pro- ject be in the best hands? Is there a par- ticular expert you would most like to work with? Is there a university or research i nstitute that has special relevance to your project or your topic? SEARCHING ONLINE After answering these questions, your first step could be to search online. The best way to do this is to enter some key words related to the subject of your research, combined for example with the words “professor” and “Germany”. You will probably find more r esults – and more useful results – if you search in German. When checking the results, you are likely to find some further information about the research activities pursued by the aca- demics in question. With a bit of luck, you may even come across details of job or PhD vacancies. You can make your online search more s pecific if you are already familiar with

26 THE GERMAN DOCTORATE TIPS FOR YOUR INTRODUCTORY EMAIL Show that you are well-informed: that you know about the doctoral pro- gramme or the potential supervisor’s research field and that you know what to expect Be concise, but also be precise and informative: your potential supervisor will normally be very busy and get many emails and letters every day Be accurate: make sure your email or letter does not contain any grammar or spelling mistakes Demonstrate your interest: avoid impersonal emails and letters Be cautious: do not ask the professor about funding in your first email some have more scope for supporting their PhD students than others. It is worth con- ducting thorough research, in other words. As yet, no single database covering all structured PhD programmes exists. None- theless, it is easy to find the different options online, for example via university or research institute websites. Or take advantage of the databases offered by the DFG or DAAD: www.dfg.de > Research Training Groups www.daad.de/international-programmes It is also important to make it clear why you personally are interested in your research topic. Professor Rainer Fink from the Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg receives 10 to 15 applications from potential doctoral students each month. “Most emails give the impression of messages sent out to many recipients,” observes Professor Fink, an expert in physical chemistry. “It would be better if the applicants could specify their motivation to join my research group. Their research skills should fit our research portfolio.” THE RIGHT STRUCTURED PROGRAMME These days there are many structured PhD programmes in Germany. They are offered as PhD programmes run by individual or several cooperating universities at (international) graduate schools funded by the German Research Found ation (DFG) at Collaborative Research Centres as PhD programmes at non-university research institutes Many programmes are targeted specifically at international candidates and are run entirely in English. Furthermore, the programmes differ in terms of their funding and staffing, and

PRACTICAL INFO

Trevelyan Wing (28) from the USA is doing a doctorate at Heidelberg University My master’s dissertation focused on the German energy transition (or ‘Energiewende’) and, when I decided to continue that project as a PhD student, coming to G ermany was a logical next step. And Germany is a wonderful place to live! Quality of life is high, the cost of living very reasonable. 30 PRACTICAL INFO How much will it cost? Once you have decided in favour of Ger- many, you will no doubt want to know how expensive life here is, and how you will be able to support yourself financially. Germany is a prosperous country and one of the world’s largest economies. Nonethe- less, life here is relatively inexpensive: if you compare the cost of living in major German cities with other cities around the world, you will find it is not all that high – or even pretty low. For instance, Munich may be the most expensive city in Germany, but world- wide it is only ranked 70th, whereas Berlin is not even among the world’s one hundred most expensive cities. BIG DIFFERENCES There are two things to take into account, however: firstly, there are big differences within Germany. Life in a major city is more expensive than in the countryside, for example, and the eastern part of Germany is cheaper than the west. This is something that Lisbeth Ramírez Caballero can only confirm. She is doing her PhD at Leipzig University in cooperation with the Fraunhofer IZI, where she also did her master’s degree: “I’ve lived in cities that used to be part of East Germany, and therefore living costs are very affordable even on a PhD student salary.” How expensive life is depends to a large extent on what it costs to rent somewhere to live. Rents have risen sharply in recent years, especially in big cities. Ultimately, the costs of a flat will of course be dictated by its location and the quality of its equipment. Generally speaking, however, you can expect

34 PRACTICAL INFO The average monthly income of unmarried international doctoral students is 1,200 euros Source: DSW/DZHW German university. In addition, there are many smaller foundations and scholarship programmes run by the individual univer- sities or federal states. They grant scholar- ships that are tied in some cases to specific subjects, states or projects. PROJECT-RELATED SCHOLARSHIPS Certain doctoral positions at research institutes, graduate schools or collaborative research centres at universities also come with a scholarship. For this type of position you will need to apply directly to the grad uate school or to the head of the research project that interests you. Information about the scholarships that are available can be found at: www.research-in-germany.org/funding www.funding-guide.de www.stipendiumplus.de www.dsz.de/foerderung (only in German) www.stipendienlotse.de (only in German) PAID PHD POSITIONS Apart from scholarships, the best way to earn money is by getting a job – and this also holds true for international doctoral stu- dents. More than 40 percent of them work while they are doing their PhD. Of course the ideal situation is if you can do work that also helps you progress with your doctoral studies. WORKING AS A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE This is the case for example if you are employed as a research associate in your supervising professor’s department. Such positions are temporary and often involve working two-thirds of a normal week. In addition to your doctoral thesis, you will normally have some teaching to do, as well as certain administrative duties. This may prove helpful later on if you wish to continue researching and teaching at the university after completing your PhD. Research will be the focus if you apply for a position in a (third party-funded) research project. This may be based directly at the institute at your university, at a graduate school or as part of a doctoral degree pro- gramme at a collaborative research centre. Doctoral positions can also be found at numerous non-university research institu- tions. They also offer their doctoral students temporary employment contracts – usually on a part-time basis. A FUNDING MIX IS NOT UNUSUAL It is not unusual for doctoral positions in science and research to have more than one source of funding. For example, a funding programme might cover some of the costs of

without the support of your employer – though this is by no means an easy option. If you do not fall into any of the above c ategories, you can also get a part-time job to cover your living expenses or to supplement your scholarship. The student organisation at your university may be able to help you find a part-time job. Doctoral students from the European Economic Area or Switzerland do not require a work permit in Germany. Non-EU citizens may have to observe certain restrictions, depending on the type of residence permit they have – the number of days they are permitted to work may be limited, for example. In any case, you should obtain permission from the immigration office and/or the Federal Employment Agency before beginning a job. What else do I need to know? THE GERMAN LANGUAGE Pretty much everyone agrees: “Usually one can get away without learning German as everyone speaks English within the universi- ty,” notes Uday Chopra, a doctoral candidate at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. “However, it’s always useful outside, for example when going shopping or travelling.” And depending on where you live, being able to speak German may play an important role after all – at least outside the university or laboratory where you work. Certainly this is what Lisbeth, who is doing her PhD in East- ern Germany, found: “Speaking German has been essential in my everyday life.” “THE FIRST LESSONS ARE THE HARDEST” In other words, it is better to get at least a basic command of German. But how difficult will that be? “As a Spanish native speaker, learning basic German is not as difficult as people usually think. However, it takes time and lots of patience to develop a more elabor- ated vocabulary,” explains Lisbeth. And Eliza- beth, who lives in Berlin, is really pleased by

38 PRACTICAL INFO HOW TO GET TO KNOW LOCALS As we have already mentioned, it is helpful to be able to communicate in German – as Elizabeth points out: “Without German, you can easily find yourself isolated and discon- nected from everyone.” And it will be even easier if you live in a shared flat. But what else might help? What is the best way to meet Germans? Trevelyan has a good tip: “Doing a sport or other extracurricular activity is a particularly good way to meet and get to know locals.” And he believes that it is worth investing the time: “Germans them- selves are kind, welcoming, and open, and making local friends is easy – provided you make an effort.” Find out about living and studying in Germany at: www.study-in-germany.de www.deutschland.de > Studying univer sity, as these are always a good place to find good offers of accommodation from private individuals. The local rent index, or “Mietspiegel” in German, will give you a rough idea of what it will cost you to rent a flat. Many cities and towns collect this data and make it available online. KEEPING AN OPEN MIND Though your friends and families back home may still seem within easy reach these days thanks to WhatsApp and Skype, it is impor- tant to meet new people here if you want to feel properly at home in Germany. But perhaps you are a bit worried because the language is different, and the culture and lo- cal customs are different? This was also Lis- beth’s experience: “It is really easy to meet other people, but not in the same way as we do in Latin America. I guess it takes some time to figure out the German way, because here personal space and privacy are highly valued.” She has the following recommenda- tion: “Anyone who wants to come here has to bring an open mind and get ready to embrace a different culture.”

WWW.RESEARCH-IN-GERMANY.ORG