Welcome to the world of doctoral studies at the Harz University of Applied Sciences!

With a doctorate, you reach a significant milestone on your academic path. In order to prepare you in the best possible way for this multi-year research project, the contact persons for the promotion of young academics at the Harz University of Applied Sciences are at your side as a reliable partner in all phases of your doctorate. Here you will find comprehensive information about the process of a doctorate as well as extensive support services.

At the Harz University of Applied Sciences, two different paths to a doctorate are open to you:

• Cooperative doctoral programme in collaboration with universities: This means that the first supervisor, i.e. a professor, is at a university or at another university with the right to award doctorates. The second supervisor is at the Harz University of Applied Sciences. The doctoral candidates are bound by the doctoral regulations of the university and are subject to the decisions of the doctoral committee there. 
• Independent doctoral procedure in two inter-university doctoral centres: The Harz University of Applied Sciences offers interested students the opportunity to do their doctorate in the inter-university doctoral centre "Social Sciences, Health Sciences and Economics" in cooperation with the universities of Anhalt, Magdeburg-Stendal and Merseburg, as well as in the inter-university doctoral centre "Engineering Sciences and Information Technologies" (IWIT) with the universities of Anhalt and Merseburg.

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  Our team offers comprehensive support and advice for people interested in doctoral studies, doctoral candidates and their supervisors.

The advisor for the promotion of young researchers supports and advises prospective young researchers, doctoral candidates and doctoral students as well as supervisors. Here you will receive support with organisational and interdisciplinary questions regarding your doctoral project as well as with questions about funding opportunities. We offer confidential counselling and individual coaching for personal problems as well as an interdisciplinary qualification programme for your further education during your doctorate. 

We inform you monthly in the newsletter of the promotion of young researchers of all universities of applied sciences (HAWs) in Saxony-Anhalt about news, qualification and counselling offers. Sign up for the newsletter! 

Would you like personal advice on the topic of doctoral studies? We will be happy to support you. Please fill out this counselling form.

Background information

Since May 2021, universities of applied sciences in Saxony-Anhalt have been able to independently award doctoral degrees to their young researchers. Various doctoral centres have been set up for this purpose. In future, the Harz University of Applied Sciences will enable interested students to complete their doctorate in the inter-university doctoral centre "Social Sciences, Health Sciences and Economics"(SGW) in cooperation with the universities of Anhalt, Magdeburg-Stendal and Merseburg, as well as in the inter-university doctoral centre "Engineering Sciences and Information Technologies" (IWIT) with the universities of Anhalt and Merseburg.