Support for early-career researchers
Support for early-career researchers is one of the central strategic fields of action at Heidelberg University. The goal is to prepare young researchers in an optimum way for a career in academia, or outside the university, to attract the best scholarly talents from all over the world to Heidelberg and to position Heidelberg University as well as possible in the international competition.
With targeted support for early-career researchers, the university creates attractive, self-managed research spaces and connects the knowledge and abilities of its members across the generations.
The promoting of outstanding young researchers starts by the emphasis laid on research-related teaching in their study courses at Heidelberg University.
The term early-career researchers includes everyone working on a postgraduate doctoral thesis, or engaged in postdoc research to acquire a further qualification. Here Heidelberg University has set up structures to continue developing excellent conditions for doctoral training (heiDOCS) and open up many different career opportunities for early-career researchers with a doctorate/PhD (heiTRACKS).
Doctoral candidates
Gaining a doctorate is regarded internationally as the prime evidence of the ability to do independent scholarly, scientific work. At Heidelberg University, doctoral theses are completed in the framework of many different options, ranging from individual research to research training groups for doctoral students (Promotionskollegs and Graduiertenkollegs), graduate schools, or international training networks. With around 1200 doctorates completed each year, Heidelberg University is one of the leading addresses for doctoral candidates in Germany.
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heiDOCS career support
heiDOCS is an integral quality programme with the aim of continually developing and optimising the general conditions in the doctoral stage at Heidelberg University. The Graduate Academy is the central coordination point for all cross-disciplinary advisory and support programmes, as well as for continuing education.
Postdoc stage and qualifying for a professorship
Heidelberg University offers its doctoral graduates an excellent, innovative research environment. The postdoc stage (R2) focuses entirely on developing a personal research profile and finding orientation with respect to a future professional career. Qualifying for a professorship (R3) at Heidelberg University is possible via four equivalent career paths: heading a junior research group, becoming a junior professor (without tenure track), obtaining tenure-track professorial status and habilitation.
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heiTRACKS career support
heiTRACKS is the umbrella term for many different support programmes for the group of early-career researchers with a doctorate. Besides fostering research-relevant cross-disciplinary competences, heiTRACKS also covers advisory and coaching services tailored to all important decision-making processes.
Research Projects and Institutions of Research Training Groups
Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics
The Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics provides an excellent and flexible education in the fields of fundamental interactions and cosmology, quantum dynamics and complex quantum systems, astro- and cosmic physics, and complex classical systems.
