Since March 2019, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut has a graduate school, which is attended by all doctoral candidates of FLI. It covers various branches of natural sciences. The doctoral degrees are awarded by the respective faculties of universities all over Germany.
Aims of the graduate school are:
- Standardization and documentation of supervisory relationships in a participation agreement
- Determination of scientific content and time schedule, and regular monitoring of project progress
- Continuing professional training on branch-specific and interdisciplinary subjects
- Contact for doctoral candidates AND supervisors in case of problems
The curriculum of the graduate school covers two aspects. Module 1 consists of the scientific performance and includes independent research on the doctoral project. Modules 2 to 8 serve the acquisition of key qualifications and offer branch-specific and interdisciplinary training. They cover the following topics:
- Module 2 – Good scientific practice
- Module 3 – Oral presentation and colloquiums
- Module 4 – Contributions to conferences, workshops or symposiums
- Module 5 – Specialized training courses
- Module 6 – Database research, publication and presentation
- Module 7 – Project, time and self-management, and communication
- Module 8 – Career planning and management
To successfully complete the graduate school, 25 credit points are required. This corresponds to 180 hours or 240 teaching sessions. Some credits are obligatory for all doctoral candidates (e.g. participation in the workshop on „Good Scientific Practice“ or in conferences with own contributions). Others can be selected according to the candidate’s own inclinations or needs.