Digitisation of doctoral administration

The University of Freiburg employs the module HIS-DOC of the HIS eG for doctoral candidate administration and processes belonging to the doctorate. The University of Freiburg is among the pioneering universities in Germany with regard to both use and development of HIS-DOC. HIS-DOC is connected to other modules (such as HIS-STU for administering students) via the campus management system HISinOne.

Precursor project: Digital administration of doctoral candidates and delivery of the doctoral candidate statistics

The already completed precursor project comprised the introduction of the doctoral candidate statistics in 2016, the digital administration of all doctoral candidates, and the request for acceptance as a doctoral candidate. Against the backdrop of different digital systems in use at the various faculties, the University of Freiburg decided to implement HIS-DOC as the central system for administering doctoral candidates. The goal of the digital administration is a reliable delivery of the annual doctoral candidate statistics to the State Statistical Office as well as easier access to information and user friendliness.

Digital administration of doctoral studies

The project for the digitisation of doctoral studies currently runs until the end of 2028. The functions in HIS-DOC for administering processes related to the doctorate are being developed step by step by the HIS eG and will be made available for the faculties of the University of Freiburg one after another. The project team is working together with the faculties, the rectorate and other stakeholders to adapt the functions offered by the HIS eG to the needs of the doctoral candidates and doctoral offices of the respective faculties.

The goal of the project is, among others, to implement digital support for the request for starting the doctoral examination, the request for an extension of the acceptance by the faculty, and the request for writing a cumulative dissertation. Initiator of the project is Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Stefan Rensing. The progress of the project will be reported regularly in the advisory board for the doctorate as well as the HISinOne steering group.

FAQs

As many functions of HIS-DOC are still being developed and the previous system, Docata, had to be discontinued, several faculties chose to work with different technical systems instead. The goal of the University of Freiburg is to gradually build up HIS-DOC and its functions so that eventually all faculties can conduct all necessary processes related to the doctorate in HIS-DOC. Differences for doctoral candidates also arise from the different doctoral degree regulations at each faculty.

“DOC502” is the name of the online request form that HISinOne offers for applying for acceptance as a doctoral candidate. The predecessor, “DOC501” was discontinued in January 2024.

The project team is always happy to receive suggestions on how to further improve the current systems. Please send your suggestions and comments to cmp@rz.uni-freiburg.de.

For questions concerning individual doctorates, the respective doctoral offices at the faculties remain the responsible departments.

Currently, prospective doctoral candidates can submit their request for acceptance as a doctoral candidate via HIS-DOC. This request can then be digitally accepted or rejected. HIS-DOC also allows entering the successful conclusion or the termination of a doctorate. Doctoral offices can also use HIS-DOC to keep track of the duration of acceptance of doctoral candidates.

Whether documents require a manual (“wet”) signature, or if a digital or scanned signature is sufficient, is specified in several laws and regulations, such as the State Higher Education Act (Landeshochschulgesetz), the general regulations for doctoral studies of the University of Freiburg (Rahmenpromotionsordnung) and the regulations for doctoral studies of the individual faculties (Promotionsordnungen). Individual offices are therefore not always able to decide by themselves whether or not to accept a certain signature.

Team and contact

You can reach the project team at cmp@rz.uni-freiburg.de.

Team at the Graduate Centre

Team at the Campus Management

HISinOne

Instructions for (prospective) doctoral candidates

Instructions for doctoral offices