For the first time, independent doctoral degrees will be possible at Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Rhineland-Palatinate. Three inter-university doctoral clusters have been granted the right to award doctoral degrees and are now commencing their work. With this doctoral awarding right, qualified early-career researchers will in future be able to complete their doctorates directly at UAS institutions. Mainz University of Applied Sciences is part of two of these doctoral clusters.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, doctoral awarding rights are granted on a cluster basis: several universities pool their research strengths within thematic clusters, each coordinated by a lead institution. In the first round of applications, three doctoral clusters were successful. Mainz University of Applied Sciences is involved in the following two clusters:
- “Applied Computer Science” (coordinating institution: Trier University of Applied Sciences; participating institutions: Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, Mainz University of Applied Sciences)
- “Sustainable Engineering and Natural Sciences” (coordinating institution: Koblenz University of Applied Sciences; participating institutions: Bingen University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, Mainz University of Applied Sciences, Trier University of Applied Sciences)
The applications were reviewed by an independent panel of experts chaired by Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christian Facchi, a member of the German Council of Science and Humanities. The evaluation criteria included the research profile of the clusters, their coherence and organizational structure, as well as the research strength and supervisory experience of the participating professors.
During the current legislative period, the state government created the legal and organizational framework for granting doctoral awarding rights to Universities of Applied Sciences in Rhineland-Palatinate. With the approval of three doctoral clusters, this process has now been successfully completed.
“Being represented in two doctoral clusters underscores our research strength and the high quality of our application-oriented research,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences. “The independent doctoral awarding right opens up new perspectives for our researchers and early-career academics and sustainably strengthens Mainz University of Applied Sciences.”
Anett Mehler-Bicher, Vice President for Research and Transfer at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, also highlights the significance of the decision: “Participation in two doctoral clusters creates excellent framework conditions for the further development of our research priorities. It strengthens early-career researchers and promotes the transfer of research results into business and society.”
The doctoral clusters will shortly be officially granted the doctoral awarding right by Science Minister Clemens Hoch. This right will be subject to regular external review, at least every seven years.
