NRW Innovation, Science and Research Minister, Svenja Schulze celebrated with six NRW International Graduate Schools their 10th Anniversary. Ms Schulze discussed the future of the PhD in Germany with representatives of the International NRW Gradaute Schools and the secretary general of the DFG, Dorothee Dzwonnek.
The NRW Graduate Schools were initiated by the state government of Northrhine Westphalia to generate a novel culture in doctoral education by structured programmes and offering competitive stipends. For their 10th anniversary, the Graduate Schools had organized a panel discussion on the Future of Doctoral Education in Germany. The panel roster consisted of Svenja Schulze (Minister for Innovation, Science and Research), Dorothee Dzwonnek (General Secretary of the German Science Foundation, DFG), Prof. Dr. Maria Leptin (University of Cologne), Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan (University of Bochum) and Dr. Jens-Peter Kempkes (Alumnus Member of the Graduate School in Paderborn). The discussion was led by Prof. Dr. Holger Wormer, Science Journalist at the University of Dortmund.