Research

We place a strong emphasis on informal training through international and interdisciplinary research.

A central element is that the PhD topics are designed to form thematic clusters. This allows you to form mini-research teams in which you closely interact with other PhD students, at an equal level. Thus, you receive not only guidance and support from the professors, but also experience the mutual support that students working together on one issue can give to each other. A very important feature is that thematic clusters spread over both locations so that this support network is continuously available also during the research stays at the respective other location. We also took care to ensure the interdisciplinary nature of these clusters. This allows for an informal and easy flow of knowledge among the PhD students.  

The PhD topics are designed to make optimum use of the complementary expertise available at the two locations, either in terms of the required technical or scientific expertise. This bilateral project design allows for a natural integration of one or more research visits to the partner institution to exploit the complementary knowledge. All PhD students participating in this IRTG will usually spend at least 6 months at the other location.

Through these measures, you will benefit in an individually tailored way from the plethora of expertise available around you.