Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Erlangen-Nürnberg
Herausgeber:
Kommunikaton und Presse der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Gestaltung: Bärbel Rhades;
Fotos: Andreas Brunner, Erich Malter, Georg Pöhlein
www.commons.wikimedia.org, www.flickr.com,
Nürnberger Stadtmarketing,
Zentralinstitut Medizintechnik (ZIMT) der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg,
Exzellenzcluster EAM,
Foto Titel und Rückseite: Büro für Forschung und Promotion
am Fachbereich Wirtschaftswissenschaften
der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg,
“Welcome to FAU –
the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg!”
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is one of the
leading research-focused universities in Germany. We are actively
engaged in promoting and enhancing this position. Our university is
committed to the unity of research and teaching. The research we
undertake is oriented towards both fundamental aspects and practical
applications. At the FAU, we are constantly developing new areas of
expertise of particular significance for the future of science and society.
Established scientific and ethical standards guide
our research: methods are transparent and
newly gained knowledge is discussed in open
exchange with the academic community and
Table of Contents
4 University Profile
5 Facts and Figures
6Faculties
7 Strong Partners in Research and Technology
8Obtaining a Doctorate at the FAU
8 Prerequisites for Admission
9Finding a Topic and a Supervisor
9 Financing Your Doctorate
10 Types of Doctoral Research
11 FAU Graduate School
12 Selected Doctoral Programmes at the FAU
13 Further Doctoral Programmes
14 Region
15 Chinese Culture in Erlangen and Nuremberg
16 Services for Doctoral Candidates
the wider public.
President Prof. Dr. Karl-Dieter Grüske
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
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Facts and Figures
4
University Profile
As one of the top ten research universities in Germany, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) offers the ideal environment for excellent research
and academic education. We are unique among Germany’s leading universities because of our particularly wide range of scientific fields including one of the country’s
leading faculties of engineering. Our mission statement Advance through Networks
reflects the FAU’s closely-knit network for interdisciplinary and international collaborations at the highest level. Excellent staff, best laboratories and strong partners in
research and technology offer great opportunities for your research career.
Major Research Areas across the Faculties
• New Materials and Processes
• Optics and Optical Technologies
• Molecular Life Science and Medicine
• Health Technology
• Electronics, Information and Communication
• Energy, Environment and Climate
• Language – Culture – Region
• Cohesion – Transformation – Innovation in Law and Economy
supplemented by additional Focus Areas in the faculties
• almost 270 years of academic teaching
and learning
• 5 faculties
• 12,000 members of staff
(including the university hospital)
• 28,700 students (including
2,500 foreign students)
• 132 degree programmes
• 511 professors / 260 chairs
• 500 partner universities in 64 countries
• 139 Humboldt fellows and award winners (2001-2008)
(data from 10/2010)
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg –
One of the leading research universities
in Germany also in terms of funding
• Rank 1 in Chemistry*
• Rank 2 in Engineering*
• Rank 8 in overall German Universities*
• Top 4 university in Germany in terms of
published patent applications (2008)
(* according to DFG funding ranking, 2005-2007;
DFG is the most important German research funding association)
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
5
Faculties
Strong Partners in
Research and Technology
Faculty of Engineering
• Chemical and Bioengineering
• Electrical, Electronic and
Communication Engineering
• Computer Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
Faculty of Sciences
• Biology
• Chemistry and Pharmacy
• Geography and Geosciences
• Mathematics
• Physics
Transfer of knowledge is an important goal at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg,
as demonstrated by the numerious collaborations with nonuniversity research centres and industry. Important research partners
are the Fraunhofer Institute of
Integrated Systems and Device
Technology and the Max Planck
Institute for the Science of Light.
Faculty of Business,
Economics and Law
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Interdisciplinary research is an • Law
• Business and Economics
Faculty of Medicine
essential aspect within the
Faculty of Humanities and Theology
various doctoral
• Classical World and Asian Cultures
• English, American and Romance Studies
• Didactics
• German and Comparative Studies
• History
• Media Studies and Art History
• Education
• Psychology and Sport Science
• Social Sciences and Philosophy
• Theology
programmes.
Research topics beyond the
individual‘s project improve the
skills and networking abilities of
our young doctoral candidates.
Prof. Dr. Rainer Fink
Professor of Physical Chemistry,
Dean of Study Affairs at the
Faculty of Sciences
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Fraunhofer Institutes
Fraunhofer is Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization.
The mp3-format, for instance,
resulted from work done at FAU and
in the Fraunhofer research group
for Integrated circuits (today: IIS) in
Erlangen. In 2010, the foundation of
the International Audio Laboratories
Erlangen established a new level of
collaboration between FAU and the
Fraunhofer Institute IIS.
Max Planck Institutes
Nearly 80 institutes of the independent,
non-profit Max Planck Society perform
basic research in Germany. One of the
youngest institutes is the Max Planck
Institute for the Science of Light in
Erlangen, where the focus in research
is on technologies to create optical
micro- and nanostructures.
Collaboration with industry is also intense. It is ensured through agreements with
international companies such as Siemens (more than 100 projects) and Audi (with
more than 20 doctoral candidates working at the Audi Research Centre), besides
many others. Erlangen and the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region are renowned for
their strong industry in medical technology and health care. Moreover, more than
500 companies are active in the field of energy production and generation. Many
other industries such as transportation and logistics, information and communications technology make the area a highly competitive region.
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
I am a PhD student from the Max Planck Institute
for the Science of Light. The International Max
Planck Research School offered me an excellent
opportunity to continue my studies in the field of
optics in a multicultural environment. The school
has several truly recommendable lectures and
seminars about not only academic topics but also
some important skills such as writing reports,
journal papers, and conference proceedings as
well as presentation skills. I benefited a lot from
these seminars.
8
Obtaining a Doctorate at the FAU
Prerequisites for Admission
At Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, doctoral degrees can be
pursued in all faculties (see the separate list for an overview). International applicants
for a doctoral degree at the FAU need an excellent university degree recognisable
as an equivalent to a German Master’s degree. In some faculties (e.g. the Faculty
of Sciences), there are also doctoral programmes where you may be admitted with
a Bachelor’s degree. All regulations allow for the doctoral thesis to be written in
English, if appropriate to the topic.
Check our separate brochure “A Brief Guide to Obtaining a Doctorate at
the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg”, also available at:
www.graduateschool.uni-erlangen.org.
Jing Wen, China
9
Doctoral candidate at the International Max Planck
Research School for Optics and Imaging
Finding a Topic and a Supervisor
Check institutes and research groups in your field of interest to find a doctoral topic. Often you may be awarded an advertised research position; alternatively, you
can become a member of a structured doctoral programme through our Graduate
School. The current programmes are listed on pages 12–13 and also on the website
http://www.graduateschool.uni-erlangen.org/doctoral-research/structured-programmes.shtml. If you already have a particular doctoral project in
mind, let us help you find a supervisor.
Our University aims to provide researchers in the early stages of their academic
Financing Your Doctorate
careers with the highest level of support and skills. This means, above all, giving When you are working for a doctorate, you must cover your own expenses and
pay for the cost of living. Ways of doing this include:
• finding temporary employment as a member of the academic staff,
for instance as a research assistant
• living off an existing scholarship or grant (e.g. from your home country)
• working for an employer other than the university
• living off your savings / other personal means.
young researchers the opportunity to take on responsibility and to conduct
research independently. Professors at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-
Nürnberg serve as sources of support and role models in setting standards.
Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Steinrück
Vice-President Research and
Research Development and Training
Please note that there are no tuition fees for doctoral studies
up to three years.
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Types of Doctoral Research
Individual Doctorate
The individual doctorate does not include a structured schedule of course work.
The key element is the relationship between candidate and supervisor. This model
offers plenty of space for your personal development and scientific research. The
candidate, together with his or her supervisor, decides individually which courses to
attend. These courses often take the form of a regular doctoral seminar. The working
language can be agreed on (usually German or English). Candidates pursuing an
individual doctorate are often employed as temporary academic members of staff
or support themselves through grants, scholarships or personal funds. Both a great
deal of personal initiative and stamina on the part of the doctoral candidate and the
ability to work independently and autonomously are required.
Structured Programmes
10
A number of structured supervision programmes have been created with the
support of numerous funding initiatives, some of them including scholarships.
While candidates still select a main supervisor, work on the thesis is completed
in a number of discipline-specific and general courses. Furthermore, the doctorate is often pursued as part of a larger research project. The FAU offers a range of doctoral programmes within and beyond disciplinary and university boundaries, including some internationally renowned graduate and research schools.
I am now doing research at the Cluster of Excellence – Engineering of
Advanced Materials (EAM) as a PhD student. Our group is a very international one and four colleagues come from China. As everybody in our group
speaks very good English, it is easy to communicate with colleagues.
I really appreciate the strong support and guidance by my supervisor.
Erlangen is a very nice and peaceful city, I like the life and
studying here.
FAU Graduate School
The FAU Graduate School forms an umbrella over all structured supervision programmes and provides advice and information for any doctoral candidate at our
university regardless of the type of doctoral research. A wide and attractive range
of courses and seminars is offered by the Graduate School, where you can enhance professional or soft skills in order to advance your further career. Furthermore,
we hope to encourage and promote social networking amongst our doctoral candidates, thus creating closer links among themselves and with „their“ university.
Excellent support for young academics is a priority for us. Our overall goals are
specific support for young academics and especially for women in academia, a focus on international and interdisciplinary work as well as Guojun Gao, China
the integration of international doctoral candidates.
Doctoral candidate at the Graduate School
The aim in all this is to achieve and maintain the highest Advanced Materials and Processes
quality of education and supervision for young researchers
at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Dr. Monica Mayer
FAU Graduate School‘s General Manager
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
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Selected Doctoral Programmes at the FAU
Graduate School Advanced Materials and Processes
The Graduate School is the interdisciplinary programme for
doctoral researchers in the Cluster of Excellence Engineering of
Advanced Materials. The graduate school programme is based
on an intensive mentoring system and strong networking.
Besides active research in an inspiring environment, the Graduate School provides special training for doctoral researchers
through courses for advanced scientific qualification as well as
personal and leadership skills development.
EAM is taking a pioneering role in the promotion of young scientists and
this policy is creating new opportunities for doctoral students and post-docs.
We expect that the hiring of internationally-focused young academics will
secure Erlangen‘s reputation as a centre of excellence for the engineering of
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advanced materials for many years to come.
Therefore, if you are a highly motivated postgraduate with outstanding academic credentials, then Erlangen is the right place for you to take
the next step up on your career ladder.
Graduate School Molecular Science (GSMS)
The Graduate School Molecular Science is part of the elite
programme ”Bayern excellent“ of the Free State of Bavaria,
Germany, and offers an interdisciplinary doctoral programme.
The school is located at both the Faculty of Science and the
Faculty of Engineering, with participation of the Departments
of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Physics, Chemical & Bioengineering
and Materials Sciences. The GSMS is closely associated with
several research institutions: the Interdisciplinary Center for
Molecular Materials, the Erlangen Catalysis Resource Center
and the Computer Chemistry Center.
International Max Planck Research School
for Optics and Imaging (IMPRS-OPTIM)
This joint initiative of the Max Planck Society, the Max Planck
Institute for the Science of Light (MPL), the Friedrich-AlexanderUniversität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and the Fraunhofer Institute
for Integrated Circuits (IIS) offers doctoral projects in the areas
of Optics, Photonics, Computer Vision, Medical Imaging and
Biophysics. Scholarships are initially granted for one year with
the possibility of extension for another two years.
Prof. Dr-Ing. Wolfgang Peukert
Coordinator of the Cluster of Excellence –
Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM)
Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced
Optical Technologies
The Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT)
was established in November 2006 within the framework of
the German Excellence Initiative. At the FAU, SAOT cooperates
with the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science and the
Faculty of Medicine to provide education and doctoral research
concerning the application of optical technologies to metrology,
material processing, medicine, communication and information
technologies, materials and systems, as well as computational
optics. During the programme, doctoral candidates have the
opportunity to attend winter and summer academies. A credit
scheme encourages not only the participation in these academies but also attendance at scientific conferences, workshops
and lectures, the publication of scientific paper and the acquisition of soft skills.
Further Doctoral Programmes
• Emil Fischer Graduate School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences and Molecular Medicine (EFS)
• Viruses of the Immune System (DFG-Research Training Group)
• Stable and Metastable Multi-Phase Systems for
elevated Service Temperatures (DFG-Research Training Group)
• Key Signals of Adaptive Immune Response (DFG-Research Training Group)
• Erlangen School of Molecular Communication
(Integrated Research Training Group)
• Incentives – Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics
• BIGSS – BioMedTec International Graduate School of Science
• Identification, Optimization and Control with Applications in Modern Technologies
• Chemical and Biological Engineering – Graduate School of Engineering
• Computational Engineering – Graduate School of Engineering
Structured Programmes exist also in a number of further fields as:
Philosophy, Political Theory, Sociology, Education, Gerontology,
Literature & Culture, Art History, Media Studies, Philology,
Ancient Cultures, Labour Market Research
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
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over the world. You can experience this international appeal best during the annual Christmas Market. Since living expenses in Nuremberg are moderate, it is
also a convenient place of residence for students and scholars from our university.
Erlangen and Nuremberg are located at the very heart of Europe. Germany‘s capital
city, Berlin, lies just 450 km to the north of the region, and the international airports of
Munich and Frankfurt are both approximately 200 km away. In just a few hours, you
can reach the Alps, which extend from southern Germany down into Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Moreover, the Nuremberg-Erlangen region is a gateway to Eastern
Europe with Prague, Nuremberg‘s traditional trading partner since the Middle Ages,
a mere 250 km away.
Sports, Culture and Leisure
14
Erlangen and Nuremberg offer many possibilities for your free time:
• great sports facilities at the university
• ideal conditions for canoeing, hiking and climbing in the region
(“Franconian Switzerland”)
• rich cultural life from the university’s symphonic orchestra up to
rock festivals and the Erlangen International Comic Salon
• very active student community, plenty of cafés, bars and parties
Region
Thanks to our extensive excursion programme for international doctoral students,
you can discover the historical sights and great scenery in the region!
Erlangen – Young People and a Strong Economy
With over 100,000 inhabitants, the city combines a charming old town with a very
good infrastructure and nice shopping facilities. Recently, Erlangen has developed
into the high-tech center of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region. Being a university
town with a high proportion of students but also an important location for companies such as Siemens, Erlangen is a flourishing and international city in the middle
of Europe. The labour market offers plenty of opportunities for highly qualified candidates. Welcoming people and the friendly atmosphere will help you feel at ease
living in Erlangen.
Among all international students, Chinese students form the largest community at the
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Since 2006, the Confucius-Institute
Nuremberg-Erlangen has been organizing language courses and cultural events in order
to build bridges for the academic and cultural exchange between China and Germany
and to encourage the intercultural dialogue. It is the place to go if you want to meet people interested in a broader and more informed understanding of China.
Nuremberg –
Economic and Cultural Centre
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The International Consortium for Research in the Humanities “Fate, Freedom, and ProCopenhagen
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As Bavaria’s second largest city Nürnberg
(Nuremberg) is a major economic and cultural centre in Southern Germany and the site
of the FAU’s Department of Business and
Economics and of the Department of Education. Shenzhen‘s sister city is one of Europe‘s
fastest growing trade fair locations. With
its characteristic mixture of medieval cityscapes and cosmopolitan flair Nuremberg is
an attractive destination for tourists from all
Chinese Culture in Erlangen and Nuremberg
Prague
Vienna
gnostication in East Asia and Europe” funded by the German Ministry of Education and
Research is a largescale interdisciplinary project where renowned scholars
from China, other Asian countries
and Europe are engaging in dialogue
Madrid
Rome
and exploring methods and cultural
concepts of fate and prediction in a
comparative perspective.
.
Doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
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Services for Doctoral Candidates
The FAU Graduate School
• provides information on all relevant topics
concerning your doctorate
• organises seminars and lectures for
doctoral candidates and young academics
to improve their professional and soft skills
Graduate School Office
Dr. Monica Mayer
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Erlangen-Nürnberg
Hugenottenplatz 1a
91054 Erlangen, Germany
Phone: +49 9131 85-20722
Fax: +49 9131 85-20720
graduateschool@uni-erlangen.de
www.graduateschool.uni-erlangen.org
“We are looking
forward to welcoming
you to the FAU!”
The Welcome Centre of the FAU
supports you before and during your stay
in Germany, especially with regard to
questions concerning
• visa affairs
• admission and enrolment
• finding accommodation
• organising child care and schooling
• everything related to daily life
• and by providing a cultural and leisure programme
for international students and scientists
Welcome Centre of the
Central Office for International Affairs
Mr Nikolas Kretzschmar
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Erlangen-Nürnberg
Schlossplatz 1
91054 Erlangen, Germany
Phone: +49-9131 85-25793
welcome@uni-erlangen.de
www.uni-erlangen.org/international/
PhD-students/