The Graduate Academy of the HSWT
The Graduate Academy offers service and support on all questions related to doctoral studies. As a central institution for the promotion of young researchers, we support researchers in early academic development stages on their career path. The focus is on doctoral studies at the HSWT, although our services are also aimed at doctoral supervisors, those interested in doctoral studies, postdocs and research assistants.
The aim of the Graduate Academy is to prepare and qualify young academics for their future careers (in and outside science).
The major tasks of the Graduate Academy include:
- Individual information & advice before, during and after the doctorate (e.g. requirements, funding opportunities, supervision, career options).
- Training & qualification programme (e.g. subject-specific and interdisciplinary qualification seminars, teaching and didactic workshops, peer-to-peer exchange)
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eLearning with TwentyOne Skills - the online platform for professional development in science:
The HSWT Graduate Academy awards 10 eLearning licenses per quarter, providing access to key competences for every career stage of our young academics. The course portfolio icourse portfolio includes 70+ online courses and live sessions on relevant topics such as Communication & Presentation, Scientific Practice, Time Management, Mental Health & Cognition, Career Design.
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Management, coordination & quality assurance during the phases of the doctorate
- Service & Support
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For individual advice or administrative support, please contact the Graduate Academy team by email to arrange an appointment.
- Suggestions, ideas & complaint management
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Constructive feedback provides the opportunity for further development and improvement. You can submit your ideas, suggestions, feedback and complaints related to events, services or doctorate conditions via our contact form.
- Scientific integrity
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In case of suspicion of scientific misconduct, please contact the ombudswoman for ensuring good scientific practice, Prof. Dr. Tanja Barton.
- Crisis & Conflict Management
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In conflict situations, we can help you with mediation and conflict resolution strategies. The Graduate Academy and Prof. Dr. Cristina Lenz can help you to constructively deal with those situations. In most cases, a clarifying conversation helps to find a sustainable solution.
Use the contact form or contact the Graduate Academy to briefly describe your concerns (please enter your name).
Doing a doctorate at the HSWT: General information
Is it possible to do a doctorate at the HSWT? Yes, it is!
In the following, you can find different paths to a doctorate at the HSWT:
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Cooperative doctorate
At the HSWT, young researchers can do their doctorate in cooperation with a national or international university that has the right to award doctorates.
The doctorate is awarded by the cooperating university and supervised by two experienced academics (usually professors) from both institutions, the cooperating university and the HSWT. The doctoral candidates can benefit from the expertise of both experienced supervisors.
A cooperative doctorate offers doctoral candidates a combination of practice-oriented research (HAW) and additional expertise of the cooperating university.
The supervision agreement regulates the supervision of the doctoral candidate. The qualification programme and the doctoral procedure, terms, and requirements are governed by the doctoral regulations of the cooperating universities.
Until January 2023, universities of applied sciences (e.g. HSWT) did not have the right to award doctorates in Bavaria.
However, the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act, which came into force in January 2023, enables Bavarian universities of applied sciences to award doctorates. This offers new opportunities for doctorates at our University of Applied Sciences.
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BayWISS cooperative doctorate
A special form of a cooperative doctorate is the doctorate in one of the eleven subject-specific Joint Academic Partnerships of the Bavarian Science Forum (BayWISS). A prerequisite for the BayWISS doctorate is a cooperative supervision with a Bavarian university that has the right to award doctorates.
The BayWISS Joint Academic Partnerships are subject-specific platforms that connect young and experienced researchers. These partnerships strengthen the culture of academic exchange between Bavarian universities of applied sciences and universities. In addition, the BayWISS Joint Academic Partnerships offer young researchers different qualification programmes and networking opportunities, such as regular network meetings, doctoral colloquia and trainings/workshops.
You can find the offerings of the BayWISS Joint Academic Partnership Life Sciences and Green Technologies here: https://life-sciences.baywiss.de/angebot
For further information, please visit the website of the Bavarian Science Forum.
The HSWT participates in the following BayWISS research colleges:
- Life Sciences & Green Technology
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Founded in December 2018 with the University of Applied Sciences Deggendorf and the University of Bayreuth.
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HSWT acts as the host university.
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Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Jörg Ewald (HSWT)
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Coordination: Dr. Ute Nazet (HSWT)
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- Infrastructure, Construction & Urbanisation
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HSWT became a member university in May 2021.
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Contact person HSWT: Prof. Dr. Swantje Duthweiler
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Coordination: Dr. Cordula Burtscher and Sylvia Summerer (HS Munich)
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- Economics and Business
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HSWT became a member university in July 2021.
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Contact person HSWT: Prof. Dr. Cristina Lenz
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Coordination: Dr. Kristina Klitzke (University of Regensburg)
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The doctoral centre with the right to award doctorates
The Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act offers HAWs an independent right to award doctorates for research-intensive research fields. The HSWT has recently applied for the right to award doctorates.
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More information related to a doctorate
ZEIT Campus - Doctoral Guide! (only available in German) - The doctoral guide offers several tips for doctoral candidates in all doctoral phases. The guide is available free of charge at the Graduate Academy. You can also download this guide here.
For more information take a look at our wbMoodle course from the Graduate Academy.
Your path to a doctorate: Information for those interested in a doctorate
Do you have a Master’s degree? Are you interested in current scientific topics and innovative sustainable developments? Would you like to do practical research? Are you ready for a new challenge?
If this is the case, then a doctorate at our University of Applied Sciences could be the right thing for you!
According to the Bavarian Higher Education Act, the aim of a doctorate is to qualify and train the next generation of academics; it proofs person’s academic skills. The training and qualification of young researchers and the quality assurance of research activities are central objectives of our university.
The HSWT does not yet have the right to award doctorates independently. Nevertheless, outstanding graduates have the opportunity to obtain a doctorate in cooperation with universities that have the right to award doctorates (i.e. cooperative doctorates).
Questions to ask before starting a doctorate
- Is a doctorate right for me?
- What are the requirements for a doctorate?
- What are the different types of doctorates?
- Is it possible to do a doctorate at a HAW? (Yes, you can!)
- How do I find a dissertation topic and a doctoral supervisor?
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You can find answers to these and other questions at the Bavarian Science Forum and in the wbMoodle course of the Graduate Academy. In this course, you also find further information that can help you with your doctorate.
For further information, please contact the Graduate Academy.
Information for professors & doctoral supervisors
Research professors at the HSWT who supervise a cooperative doctorate receive incentives in the form of reduced teaching loads.
Professors receive a reduction in the teaching load for an entry of a doctoral project into the doctoral candidacy list and the successful completion of a dissertation. For further information, please contact the ZFW.
If you have further questions related to the supervision of a doctorate at the HSWT, please contact graduiertenakademie@hswt.de.
