Research Grants - Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees / Cotutelle
The aim of this programme is the funding of bi-national doctoral projects at the home university and at a university in Germany.
The programme offers two options:
Option a) Doctorate with bi-national supervision: The doctoral project is supervised both by a university teacher at the home university and an academic adviser at the host institute in Germany (so-called “sandwich model”). The project must be coordinated with both supervisors. Based on this flexible, multi-phase funding system, doctoral candidates start their doctoral degree in their home country but subsequently spend research periods in Germany. The doctorate is completed in the home country with participation of the German academic adviser; the doctoral degree is awarded by the home university.
Option b) Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure: Funding of bi-national doctoral degrees at the home university and at a university in Germany according to the so-called “Cotutelle” procedure. The prerequisite is an individual cooperation contract between the participating universities about the doctoral project which is to be supervised. After successful completion of the doctorate, the German university and the foreign partner university award a doctoral degree together.
Who can apply?
Depending on the nature of the project:
a) Bi-national supervision following the “sandwich model”: Applicants who have completed a Master’s degree or Diplom (in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree) at the latest at the beginning of their scholarship.
b) “Cotutelle” procedure: Applicants who have admission to a doctoral programme at the latest at the beginning of their scholarship.
What can be funded?
Option a) Doctorate with bi-national supervision following the “sandwich model”: Research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany as part of a doctoral programme in the home country.
Option b) Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure: Research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education for the preparation of a doctoral thesis, which is supervised and carried out bi-nationally on the basis of an individually concluded cooperation contract.
Duration of the funding
- Total maximum 2 years
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