Study Programme

The doctoral researchers have a supervisor from each of the partner universities. Each doctoral researcher forms a tandem with a doctoral researcher from the other institution, preferably from a complementary discipline. In the exchange with the tandem partner, doctoral researchers can gain insights into other topics, approaches, methods, and develop interdisciplinarily shaped ideas.

Funds for data collection, archival field or library work, participation in conferences or workshops, and invitations to visiting scholars are available for work on a dissertation project.

The study program of the Kolleg provides for colloquia, lectures, various methodological modules, as well as smaller thematically or methodologically oriented working groups or seminars and workshops organized by the doctoral students. A schematic overview of the teaching modules in the second phase (2021-2025/26) can be found here.

Each PhD student of the graduate program has to attend about 30 academic events of 90 min each per semester (about 3 time hours/week, except in the last semester, as writing semester).

Main components of the study program are:

- colloquia (fix)

- methodological modules (fixed)

- lectures (visiting researchers)

- study groups and reading circles

- seminars and workshops

- conferences

At joint conferences of the participating scientists and doctoral students as well as guests, which are held alternately in Graz and Erfurt at the beginning and at the end of an academic year, methodological approaches or results of the different projects can be presented and perspectives can be discussed.