Mobility During Doctoral Studies

Source: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/ecrs/during-your-doctorate/orientation/mobility-doctoral-studies Parent: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/study-and-internship-abroad

A research stay abroad during your doctoral studies can be a great enrichment for a research project. Many topics require an international perspective or benefit considerably from it. You can conduct research abroad, for example, as part of a guest stay at a research institution, as part of a cotutelle agreement or as a doctoral student in a joint PhD program. Whether you are coming to Bonn from abroad for a stay or would like to go abroad from Bonn, this page will provide you with relevant information on possible forms and funding options for international doctorates.

Joint PhD

A joint PhD is a doctoral program run by two or more universities in collaboration with each other who award the doctoral degree jointly. It normally includes longer research stays at each of the institutions involved. Academic supervision is provided by a team of supervisors from the respective universities. A joint PhD is an excellent opportunity to gain international research experience and to enjoy the benefits of complementary facilites and resources as well as networking opportunities for future job prospects.

Guide for Joint PhD Students at the University of Bonn

Before admission, but also during your doctoral studies, there are a number of administrative to-dos and regulations to be aware of. This guide helps you to navigate them successfully.

Joint PhD Guide1

Overview of Joint PhD Programs

Joint Doctoral Program St Andrews and Bonn

The aim of this program is to train high-profile international researchers, allowing them to benefit from the diversity of expertise and culture of two highly regarded univesity. The program offers scholarships funded by both institutions, to support exceptional students undertaking doctoral research fields such as history, physics, medicine, geography and earth science.

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Bonn-Melbourne Joint PhD Program

This joint PhD program builds on the collaboration between the University of Melbourne and the University of Bonn who have recruited over 50 joint PhD students over the last couple of years. Applications are invited, and encouraged, from all faculties and research areas. Please note that only the envisaged superivsors, not the doctoral students themselves, can apply for funding.

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Bonn & Melbourne Research and Graduate School Immunosciences | IRTG 2168

This program offers research training towards the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at two locations, with access to world-class expertise across two continents. This presents a fantastic opportunity to develop competencies beyond those typically acquired when undertaking the more traditional (single award) PhD. Graduate researchers have the ability to train in two expert laboratories in Melbourne and Bonn, build an international network of mentors and collaborators and experience other cultures to develop a truly global perspective.

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Jülich-University of Melbourne Postgraduate Academy (JUMPA)

The is a partnership between Melbourne, the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ/ Jülich Research Centre) and its affiliate universities, including the University of Bonn. At JUMPA, graduate researchers can tap into FZJ’s world-leading infrastructure (including Europe’s most advanced supercomputer) in their quest to solve challenging issues in the fields of science, health, and technology. Graduate researchers will have the opportunity to receive mentorship from field experts, participate in specialist summer schools and laboratory courses organized by FZJ, and become part of a vibrant alumni network across FZJ’s affiliated universities across Germany.

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Trinational Program “European Founding Myths in Literature, Arts and Music”

This program is jointly organized by the Universities of Bonn, Florence and Paris-Sorbonne IV and taught in German, French and Italian. It involves the subjects of the Faculties of Arts and Humanities, in particular literature and linguistics, art history and musicology, as well as subjects that deal with issues related to the framework of the programme, such as historiography, political science, philosophy, sociology, etc. Over a period of three years, the doctoral students are expected to write a dissertation in the field of European founding myths.

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International Doctoral Program in Italian Studies

The international doctoral program in Italian Studies offers two different specializations: the trinational doctorate in literary and cultural studies (Bonn-Florence-Paris) and the binational doctorate in linguistics (Bonn-Florence).

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Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees, Cotutelle

A “bi-national doctorate” or “Cotutelle de thèse” (dual doctorate) is supervised by both a German and a foreign university under an individual cooperation agreement, allowing you to gain experience of two university and research systems. These agreements can be concluded with universities in any country in principle.

Planning and Funding

Planning

Discuss your plans with the supervisor of your doctoral thesis in Bonn and contact the relevant people at your chosen university abroad.
Find out about any rules that might be stipulated in your doctoral degree regulations.
Contact your doctoral office or dean’s office.
An individual agreement must be set up for your project. You can find a guide and a template for your agreement on the German Rectors’ Conference8.

Funding opportunities for the “Cotutelle de thèse”

The German Academic Exchange Service funds doctorates supervised bi-nationally. Several short visits can be made within a period of up to two years.

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The French foreign ministry (MAE) developed the “Bourses d’Excellence Eiffel” (“Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program”) in 2005 to fund ten-month stays at French universities for highly talented doctoral students undertaking a “Cotutelle de thèse.”

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Funding opportunities for stays abroad during your doctorate

Depending on your subject and where you would like to go, the University of Bonn provides various funding opportunities for stays abroad during your doctorate.

Funding opportunities

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ offers doctoral students a wide range of funding opportunities:

Enrolled doctoral students:

Study visits at an Erasmus+ partner institution in Europe11 or world wide12 of the department concerned.
Short term study visits11 of 5 to 30 days (as from April 2022) at an Erasmus+ partner institution in Europe of the department concerned.
Doctoral students and recent-postdocs (i.e. up to one year after graduation): Research internships13 of 2 to 12 months or (as from April 2022) 5 to 30 days in Europe.

Doctoral students with employment status:

Teaching Staff Mobility14: Short-time teaching assignments at an Erasmus+ partner institution in Europe of the department concerned.
Staff Mobility15: Work shadowing at an university/ organization in Europa for professional qualification.

Global Exchange Program

Doctoral students can take up a place at the University of Tsukuba, Japan.

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Santander International Exchange Grants

The Bonn Graduate Center awards Santander International Exchange Grants to support research stays of one to three months duration at strategic university partners or in priority countries.

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The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

The world’s largest funding organization for international exchanges for students and researchers offer various scholarships for doctoral students.

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More funding opportunities

Conference travels are a good opportunity to gain experience abroad during your doctorate. The University of Bonn supports your participation in international conferences19 with an own funding line. Further, there is great number of external funding organizations granting travel subsidies. An overview is available at the website of the Bonn Graduate Center.

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There are country-specific funding opportunities for stays abroad during doctoral studies. For stays in the USA, Fulbright Germany 20awards scholarships for doctoral students, while stays in Japan are funded by the Canon Foundation in Europe 21and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science22. Research stays in France are funded by the French government23. Research in Israel is funded by the Minerva Foundation24.

Certificate for Intercultural Competence

The Certificate of Intercultural Competence is an extracurricular qualification from the University of Bonn that recognizes international experience, participation in language courses and many other international activities with a formal certificate. Students can complete it in as many semesters as they like while they are still studying.

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