Teaching and study program

One of the main objectives of the proposed Research Training Group is to create the best possible qualification structures for the participating doctoral candidates from the fields of social sciences and law and to promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work. The professional qualification is closely interlinked with the support of the scholarship holders in the rapid and successful completion of their doctorate through appropriate research and working conditions.

Each of the eight sub-project areas is intensively supervised by one or more of the funding bodies and cooperation partners of the Research Training Group. In many cases, this will also be the first assessor or supervisor of the doctoral thesis in this project area. The first supervisor supports the scholarship holder in the conceptual and time planning and is the main contact person for the content and thematic design of the doctoral project. A second supervisor should be chosen as early as possible to provide support and advice on the conception and implementation of the doctoral project. In addition to the first and second supervisor, the supervision concept provides for a third person of trust and contact from among the post-doctoral students participating in the Research Training Group. They can not only offer uncomplicated, low-threshold support, but also mediate in conflict situations with the first or second supervisor. This is why other academics are involved in the Research Training Group (e.g. Dr. Samuel Greef; focus areas: Trade union and association research; welfare state in transition), who work on topics from the focus of the Research Training Group applied for. They will support the doctoral candidates as mentors and with their expertise in an advisory capacity.

The intensive supervision should not be understood solely as monitoring the progress of the doctorate. Rather, the aim is to provide continuous feedback on the progress of the work and to support the scholarship holders in the writing process. The aim is to identify problems at an early stage and develop time-sensitive solutions in order to ultimately shorten the doctoral phase. Strengthening cooperation between doctoral candidates should also contribute to this. Tandems between doctoral projects with similar content offer common discussion contexts and strengthen social networking between the fellows.