Doctoral Programs
As part of the University of Excellence concept at KIT, doctoral programs are important building blocks to ensure optimal conditions for doctoral candidates at KIT. Doctoral programs offer the opportunity to do a doctorate in an interdisciplinary research environment and within the framework of a structured qualification and supervision concept. Doctoral programs focus on qualifying doctoral researchers in promising research topics and supporting them in their personal career development and scientific independence. In addition, doctoral programs promote internationalization, early networking and interdisciplinary cooperation among early career researchers.
At KIT, early career researchers can conduct research and gain qualifications in various types of doctoral programs. For example, in graduate schools and research training groups. These differ primarily in the range of topics and in their size (number of doctoral researchers). In addition to graduate schools and research training groups, there are also various other doctoral programs at KIT.
Are you interested in a doctorate and would like to find out about your options at KIT? Visit the website of Karlsruhe House of Young Scientists (KHYS) or the website of the respective doctoral program.
Graduate Schools
Graduate schools are characterized by a broad, usually highly interdisciplinary field of research and comprise a large number of doctoral researchers (approx. 50 - 100). As part of the University of Excellence concept, six new graduate schools (KIT Graduate Schools) were established at six KIT Centers in strategically important research areas in 2021 with the "Graduate School Support Program" (GradeUP). Together with the existing graduate schools at KIT, including two Cluster of Excellence graduate schools, there is at least one graduate school at each KIT Center.
| funding | title (funding period) | contact |
|---|---|---|
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
CyberSec: KIT Graduate School Cyber Security (2021-2026) | TT.-Prof. Dr. Christian Wressnegger KASTEL - Institut für Intelligente Systemsicherheit Prof. Dr. Thorsten Strufe KASTEL - Institut für Praktische IT-Sicherheit (PS) |
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
KCDS: KIT Graduate School on Computational and Data Science (2021-2026) | Prof. Dr. Martin Frank Steinbuch Centre for Computing (SCC)/Institute for Applied and Numerical Mathematics (IANM) |
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
ENZo: KIT Graduate School Enabling Net Zero (2021-2026) | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Sauer Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT) |
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
KSQM: KIT Graduate School of Quantum Matter (2021-2026) | Prof. Dr. Markus Garst Institute of Theoretical Solid State Physics (TFP)/Institute for Quantum Materials and Technologies (IQMT) |
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
UpGrade Mobility: KIT Graduate School Upgrade Mobility (2021-2025) | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eric Sax Institute for Information Processing Technologies (ITIV) |
Within the “University of Excellence” funding program |
CuKnow: KIT Graduate School Cultures of Knowledge (2021-2025) | Prof. Dr. Ingrid Ott Prof. Dr. Darko Jekauc Institute of Sports and Sports Science (IfSS) |
DFG |
GS-EES: Graduate School "Electrochemical Energy Storage" within the Cluster of Excellence "Post Lithium Storage" (POLiS) (2019-2025) | Prof. Dr. Rolf Schuster Institute of Physical Chemistry (IPC) Prof. Dr. Jürgen Behm University of Ulm apl. Prof. Christine Kranz University of Ulm |
DFG |
HEiKA Graduate School “Functional Materials” within Cluster of Excellence 2082 „3D Matter Made to Order“ (2019-2025) | Prof. Dr. Martin Wegener Institute of Applied Physics (APH) and Institute of Nanotechnology (INT)
Prof. Dr. Uwe Bunz University of Heidelberg |
KIT |
KSOP: Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics (since 2006) | Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lemmer Light Technology Institute (LTI) |
KIT |
KSETA: Karlsruhe School of Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics: Science and Technology (since 2012) | Prof. Dr. Ulrich Nierste Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics (TTP) |
HGF |
HIDSS4Health: Helmholtz Information and Data Science School for Health (2019-2029) | Prof. Dr. Katja Mombaur Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR) |
KIT |
GRACE: Graduate School for Climate and Environment (since 2011) | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Hinz Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (IPF) |
KIT |
BIF-IGS: BioInterfaces International Graduate School (since 2011) | Prof. Dr. Nicholas Foulkes Institute for Biological and Chemical Systems - Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP) |
BMBF |
MPSP: Max Planck School of Photonics (2019-2025) | Prof. Dr. David Hunger Physikalisches Institut (PHI) Prof. Dr. Christian Koos Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnologie (IMT) Prof. Dr. Uli Lemmer Lichttechnisches Institut (LTI) Prof. Dr. Uli Nienhaus Institut für Angewandte Physik (APH) Prof. Dr. Carsten Rockstuhl Institut für Festkörperphysik (TFP) Prof. Dr. Martin Wegener Institut für Angewandte Physik (APH) |
Research Training Groups
Research Training Groups are home to a medium number of doctoral researchers (approx. 10 – 25) working within a more narrowly defined research topic. In addition to the doctoral researchers directly funded by the research network, doctoral researchers funded in other ways can also be members of the Research Training Group and benefit from its offerings (as associated doctoral researchers).
Collaborative Research Centers at KIT
The Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) are long-term research institutions at universities in which scientists collaborate within the framework of an interdisciplinary research program (sometimes across locations). The structured promotion of young researchers is one of the central goals of Collaborative Research Centers and they may therefore also have Integrated Research Training Groups offering excellent research opportunities for doctoral researchers.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are international research networks of at least three European institutions. These doctoral programs usually include a small number of doctoral researchers (approx. 2 – 4) per location, who have the opportunity to spend up to one third of their doctorate at one of the partner institutions.
Other Doctoral Programs
KIT is strongly networked within the (international) scientific community as well as industry. KIT cooperates with its partners in particular in the area of doctorate, for example in the form of double degree doctoral programs, doctoral research groups with applied universities, and industrial doctoral programs.
| funding | title (funding period) | contact |
|---|---|---|
BMBF, MWK |
NHR Graduate School (2021-2030) | Prof. Dr. Martin Frank |
HGF |
FINEST Research School (2022-2027) | Prof. Dr. Dieter Stapf |
MWK |
KLIREC: Climate, Resources, and Circular Economy – Interrelations, Synergies, and Tradeoffs (2022-2027) | Prof. Dr. Armin Grunwaldt Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) |
MWK |
KATE: Barrierefreiheit durch KI-Basierte Assistive Technologien (2022-2027) | Prof. Dr. Rainer Stiefelhagen Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR) |
KIT |
IFU Graduate Program (since 2021) | Prof. Dr. Hans Peter Schmid Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMKIFU) |
DAHZ |
DDAp: Double Doctoral degree in Astrophysics (2014-2026) | Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Johannes Blümer KIT Distinguished Senior Fellow |
MWK |
KSOS: Karlsruhe School of Services (since 2010) | Prof. Christof Weinhardt Institute of Information and Market Engineering (IISM) |
IBM-Bosch-FZI |
Graduate Program Service Research (since 2008) | Prof. Dr. Stefan Nickel Institute of Operations Research (IOR) |