Conception and objectives

The doctoral programme is addressed to multi-interested, open-minded young persons who, being potential future executives, would like to link their stay in Central and Eastern Europe with the completion of a dissertation. Thus, the lecturers combine science with practical experience. They become part of the scientific community of the host country by means of teaching experience at the host university, communication with a scientific contact person and through co-operation with other PhD students.

They overcome traditional national research horizons and communication boundaries and exchange research approaches and methods. The lecturers report on their research and the locally gained experience within the doctoral programme. Within the framework of the doctoral programme, the doctoral advisers, the scientific contact persons from Central and Eastern Europe and the lecturers deal with current questions of societies in transition. The independent research institute of the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, a city with a number of universities, provides as a platform for this encompassing exchange.

The lecturers complete a biennial programme which results in a dissertation. They receive their dissertation at a German-speaking university of their choice in Germany, but they actually research and teach at a university in Central and Eastern Europe. At this university they look for a scientific contact person and teach two semester hours, possibly also in terms of a week-end seminar. The research and the teaching in the host country serves as a basis for the inter-cultural understanding of and inter-action with the region.

The doctoral programme supports the lecturers concerning their dissertation with a number of seminars and thus aims at preparing them for positions with international reference: the postdoctoral researchers are supposed to gain a competitive advantage on the job market by means of a combination of scientific expertise, regional and linguistic competence and experience in project management. Thereby, the lecturers are part of the Lectureship Programme that the Robert Bosch Stiftung offers, which is at the same time a network covering Central, Eastern and South East Europe. This network serves as a platform for exchange and is supposed to guarantee the practical reference of the scientific work.

The lecturers are scientifically accompanied through the programme and are also promoted: they attend further education, where skills and abilities concerning their dissertation and future job possibilities are communicated. Furthermore, they have the chance to complete an internship respectively a research stay, which they have organised themselves, to position themselves job-related or to pursue their dissertation. The doctoral programme will support the lecturers regarding their approach towards institutions from science, politics or civil society. Throughout the complete programme, the development, the creation and fostering of networks, which may be beneficial for the lecturers, is enhanced. In this way, the doctoral programme communicates not only scientific skills, but also methodical-didactical skills and knowledge concerning institutions and networks.

The doctoral programme concludes with an evaluation and presentation meeting where the lecturers introduce their dissertation to the broader public.