Mount Washington /© Arenas UHH

In January 2015, the project „MIN Graduate School International“ started under the motto „International doctorate in Hamburg“. The aim of this project is to create better framework conditions for young researchers in the international competition.

The MIN Graduate School International aims to increase the international visibility of doctoral researchers‘ research achievements, to promote their international mobility and to attract particularly suitable international applicants for a doctorate at the MIN Faculty in Hamburg. For this purpose, a support offer was created within the framework of the project; including u.a. the establishment of a counseling center, the organization of soft-skill courses, the organization of regular network meetings and the financial support of conference and research stays abroad. The project also supports the MIN Graduate Schools by presenting them at international trade fairs, creating an online promotion portal, an application platform, bidding for applications in international media and thus improving local structures and their networking.

https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/min-graduiertenschule/min-graduiertenschule-international.html

The MIN Graduate School International is a DAAD-funded project at the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences (MIN) of the University of Hamburg. It aims to increase the international visibility of doctoral researchers‘ research achievements, to promote their international mobility and to attract particularly suitable international applicants for a doctorate at the MIN Faculty in Hamburg.

In order to achieve the overarching goals, a range of measures tailored to the specific needs of young scientists has been established in recent years.

For example, since January 2015, two academic tutors have offered weekly consultations for international doctoral candidates in the event of administrative challenges or problems of daily living. In addition, the MIN Graduate School International organizes a wide range of English-language soft skill courses to further develop key scientific and professional qualifications. For example, „Scientific writing“, „Communication in science“ or „Peer reviewed Publishing: Rules, Strategies and Pitfalls“. In order to support the communication and networking between the German and foreign PhD students of the MIN faculty, the MIN Graduate School International also offers regular evening doctoral student meetings with interdisciplinary topics in the form of lectures or panel debates.

In addition, the MIN Graduate School International also financially supports the doctoral candidates of the MIN faculty in various tenders, such as the financial implementation of research projects and conference stays abroad.
The MIN Graduate School International also subsidizes groups of doctoral students who themselves would like to organize an international workshop in the Hamburg area. Workshops or summer schools that promote high-caliber exchanges in a relatively small circle are an appropriate opportunity for PhD students to prepare for an international career.

Nature Career Expo ©DAAD/Francesca Emma

In addition, the MIN Graduate School International offers interested international applicants who are aiming for a doctoral degree at the MIN faculty of the University of Hamburg the opportunity of a one-month acquaintance stay. This can clear up any ambiguity regarding the necessary prerequisites for admission to the doctoral program, as well as peculiarities in interdisciplinary subjects, but also the faculty and the city.

In order to attract outstanding international applicants for a doctorate at the University of Hamburg, the official job advertisements of the University of Hamburg will also be available. a. published on renowned Internet portals such as ResearchGate or exhibited at international career fairs.

A special offer of the MIN Graduate School International is that doctoral candidates have the chance to proofread their work before publication by a professional proofreading.

https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/min-graduiertenschule/min-graduiertenschule-international.html

1. The international presentation of „Promotion in the MIN Faculty in Hamburg“ as a website in combination with additional information material provides a uniform and clear presentation of the main research areas, the associated PhD topics and the entire topic „Promotion in Hamburg“ with all its facets ( visa, employment contracts, accommodation, supplies, etc.).

2. A powerful and flexible online application platform was realized to professionalize the recruitment processes. Thus, the job offerers (structured programs or individual tenderers) can act effectively and efficiently on the international market. This includes the possibility of standardizing the applications, certain machine forecasts, support and partial automation in the assessment, evaluation and evaluation by the selection panel, etc. In addition, the system offers the possibility of very good applications (if the applicants agree) to other users of the system in the MIN faculty. On the other hand, there should also be the possibility of „acquaintance stays“ when recruiting.

3. For internal networking, communication and evaluation, the information platform for doctoral candidates „Geventis“ is used. All IPID4all actions are handled through Geventis. In addition to efficiency, this also has the positive side effect that the actions on the system can be easily monitored and evaluated.

4. The already existing offers before and upon arrival and during the stay of an international PhD student (extensive information material, Hamburg Welcome Center, etc.) will be expanded by a small team of academic tutors, who will be available at various locations to assist in solving administrative problems or problems of daily life are contact persons.

5. Since spring 2015, English language courses are usually offered as one or two day workshops. English-language courses are also accepted by German-speaking doctoral candidates, as the majority of dissertations are in English. Throughout the duration of the project, the participation of the various target groups is surveyed. The events are regularly evaluated by the participants.

6. In order to support communication and networking between German and foreign doctoral students across subject areas and cultures, a „Doctoral Student International Meeting“ (quarterly) will be initiated. In addition, doctoral candidates are invited to organize even international (as interdisciplinary) workshops.

7. The mobility of German doctoral candidates should be further stimulated by the possibility of financial support for research stays and conference visits. The decision on the grant applications will be made on the board of MINGS.

8. Excellent interna

150.000

September 2015

Promotion: 80% DAAD funds of the BMBF, 20% resources of the MIN faculty: IPID4all 2014 - 2018

Human resources: € 80.000

Material resources: € 60.000

Since its launch in 2014 and its official launch at the beginning of 2015, the MIN Graduate School International has achieved and furthered all of its goals for the years to come, which is why in 2016, in the second funding phase of the IPAD4all DAAD project, it was selected University projects counted. Such an extension of funding will only be approved by the DAAD if a project actually has sustained success and all the data evaluated so far indicates that it will continue to be promising in the future.

The participation of the MIN Graduate School International in national and international career fairs is to be firmly established for the future. For example, at the MIT European Career Fair (https://ecf.fairsey.com/) in Boston, USA, or the Naturejobs Career Expo (https://www.nature.com/naturejobs/career-expo/) in London.

1) RESEARCH STORIES ABROAD: “After receiving the Letter of Acceptance for the scholarship, the rest of the process was uncomplicated from the side of MINGS international.(…) I believe through this research visit, not only I got the chance to collaborate with world class researchers and advance my project further; I also got to experience an amazing culture and make friends. Our research groups at University of Hamburg and KAIST plan to keep this collaboration for further projects. I am genuinely grateful for having this experience.” Doctoral researcher after a research visit at The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon from January to March 2017. https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/s/mingraduateSchool/min graduate School-international/grants/research stays/2017daejeon.html

2) PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES:
“The world’s largest conference in the field of allergy and clinical immunology, organized annually with more than 5000 participants from the European Academy for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), took place in Helsinki, Finland from June 17th – June 21st, 2017. This year I was allowed to participate for the second time and I had the honors to present my research results to the specialist audience in a 14-minute lecture . (…) With the new knowledge and the new contacts, I can take my research a step further. I would like to thank the MIN Graduate School International at this point for the financial support and thus the opportunity to participate in this congress. With the new knowledge and the new contacts, I can take my research a step further.” Doctoral researcher at European Academy for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), Helsinki, 17th June to 21st June 2017.
https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/min-graduiertenschule/min-graduiertenschule-international/stipendien/konferenzteilnahme/helsinki.html

3.) ORGANISATION EINES INTERNATIONALEN WORKSHOPS: “On June 9th 2017, the first Biology Conference of Doctoral Candidates (BCDC) took place at the department biology of the University of Hamburg. We initiated this one-day conference to better connect students from different biological institutions at the university, to enable all biology PhD students to gain conference experiences, and to allow for a direct exchange of knowledge between the different fields of biology. (…) With funding by the MINGS grant, the biology department, and clisap as well as sponsoring by Alumni Universität Hamburg, Life Science Nord, Jobvector, Eurofins, Biozol, Ratsherrn und Stadbäckerei Krause, the conference was realized without costs for participating students.” Doctoral researcher about the Biology Conference of Doctoral Candidates 2017.
https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/min-graduiertenschule/min-graduiertenschule-international/stipendien/internationale-workshops/bcdc.html

More than 100 PhD students participated in the meeting, as well as some members of the scientific staff at the Biocenter Klein Flottbek to discuss ongoing research in the different institutes.