Doctoral Research Centers

• Establish comprehensive quality management in doctoral processes, from supervision to qualification and assessment
• Develop profile-building focal points in research-intensive areas
• Activate synergies in the support of early career researchers
• Enable students to gain appropriate qualifications from bachelor's to doctoral level
• Offer doctoral candidates an excellent academic environment
• promote interdisciplinary cooperation

Prospective doctoral candidates can apply for admission to one of the Doctoral Research Centers under the following conditions:

• The admission requirements are met
• The doctoral project fits into the range of topics of the Doctoral Research Center
• A supervision agreement has been concluded with one of the professorial members of the Center

If your doctoral project does not fall within the range of topics covered by the Doctoral Research Centers, you can find out more about a cooperative doctorate at HM here.

Please note: Admission to the Doctoral Research Centers is not yet possible. We will update the information as soon as the legal basis for admission is available.

• The Doctoral Research Centers are joint academic institutions of the cooperating universities of applied sciences
• The Members are made up of professors from all participating universities of applied sciences
• Prospective doctoral candidates can conclude a supervision agreement with any of the Members
• The administrative process is handled by the university of applied sciences at which the Doctoral Research Center is located

The qualified professors, who have fulfilled the requirements of § 13 Section (2) and (3) of the Implementation Regulation for the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act (AVBayHIG), are the Members of the Doctoral Research Centers. This membership is evaluated by the Steering Committee in a five-year cycle. The Members, who meet a minimum of once per semester, have a central function in advising the Board of Directors of the Doctoral Research Center with regard to strategic orientation and quality management. They take a position on new admissions and the termination of memberships. In addition, the Members are actively involved in shaping the accompanying doctoral programme, making a significant contribution to the continuous development and improvement of the doctoral environment.

Within each Doctoral Research Center, the Members elect a Director and up to two deputies, who together form the Board of Directors for a three-year term of office. This Board represents the Doctoral Research Center vis-à-vis the cooperating universities of applied sciences and is primarily responsible for preparing proposals and developing concepts for the strategic development and quality management of the Center. It also has the right to submit proposals for amendments to the Framework Doctoral Regulation (RPromO) and the Subject-Specific Doctoral Regulations (FPromO). Furthermore, the Board of Directors handles applications for the admission of new professorial members and for the withdrawal of membership rights, carries out an examination of the content, consults the opinions of the Members and forwards a recommendation to the Steering Committee. One of its main tasks is to design and implement the accompanying doctoral programme, which is a central element of academic interaction and support. The Board of Directors keeps the Members and the Steering Committee regularly informed about its activities and submits a report once a year.

A central Steering Committee is formed by the cooperating universities of applied sciences and their Doctoral Research Centers. This is composed as follows: the vice presidents for research of the participating universities of applied sciences, a selected professorial senate representative from each of these universities, a women's representative and a doctoral representative from each of the Doctoral Research Centers, with the doctoral representatives having a joint vote in decisions. The chair of the Steering Committee rotates annually between the vice presidents for research and includes the convening of meetings, which take place at least once per semester. The Steering Committee is responsible for key decisions concerning the political orientation, structural organisation and strategic development of the Doctoral Research Centers. It ensures quality management and prepares the basis for decision-making for the committees of the cooperating universities of applied sciences. It also promotes the connection and exchange between the Doctoral Research Centers and the university management. On the basis of reports from the Doctoral Research Centers, the Steering Committee decides on the admission of new Members or the withdrawal of membership, always taking into account the relevant requirements. It receives the annual reports of the Doctoral Research Centers and has the authority to decide on proposed amendments to the doctoral regulations and to initiate the forwarding of amendment statutes to the relevant university committees.

The following persons are currently members of the Steering Committee:

• Prof. Dr. Tilmann Botsch (Nuremberg Tech, Vice President for Research)
• Prof. Dr. Sonja Munz (HM, Vice President for Research)
• Prof. Dr. Oliver Steffens (OTH Regensburg, Vice President for Research)
• Prof. Dr. Katja Stoppenbrink (HM, Professorial Senate Representative)
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Teipel (Nuremberg Tech, Professorial Senate Representative)
• Prof. Dr. Belal Dawoud (OTH Regensburg, Professorial Senate Representative)
• Prof. Dr. Areti Papastavrou (Nuremberg Tech, University Women's Representative)
• N.N. (Doctoral Representative PZAI)
• N.N. (Doctoral Representative CARRI)
• N.N. (Doctoral Representative PZIB)
• N.N. (Doctoral Representative PZMP)

The Directors of the Doctoral Research Centers and the heads of the Doctoral Research Center Offices take part in the meetings in an advisory vote.

A Doctorate Committee is formed at each Doctoral Research Center to organise and execute the doctoral procedures. The Doctorate Committee is elected by the Members for a period of three years and consists of a member of the Board of Directors as chair as well as at least three other professorial Members and one deputy each. The Doctorate Committee should have at least one professorial member from each of the universities of applied sciences involved in the Doctoral Research Center and represent an appropriate diversity of disciplines. The Doctorate Committee of the respective Doctoral Research Center is responsible for the implementation of the doctoral procedure, in particular for the decision on acceptance as a doctoral candidate, the decision on admission to the doctoral procedure, the nomination of supervisors and the appointment of the examination committee and reviewers.

A Doctoral Representation is elected in each Doctoral Research Center, consisting of a doctoral representative and a deputy, who are elected from among the doctoral candidates for a term of office of two years.

An Advisory Board can be established in the Doctoral Research Centers, which advises the committees of the Doctoral Research Center and thus contributes in particular to quality management. The Advisory Board consists of up to three external persons with relevant experience, who are appointed by the Steering Committee for a term of office of three years.

The universities of applied sciences establish an office for the Doctoral Research Centers within the existing structures. This office is the point of contact and coordinates the Doctoral Research Center. Furthermore, the office is responsible for the organisation of the accompanying doctoral programme. It also supports the Board of Directors of the Doctoral Research Center, the Doctorate Committee and the public communication.