Strengthening the International Profile
For your professional development it is advantageous to gain experience in international contexts during your doctoral studies. Broadening and deepening international competencies is an important building block on the way to achieving career goals – both within and outside of academia.
The University of Freiburg offers a range of opportunities to help you strengthen your international career path.
International Partnerships and Memberships
With its global partnerships and memberships in transnational networks, the University of Freiburg facilitates international exchange and enables research cooperation. The central focus is on the university’s five Comprehensive Partners, the European partners within the framework of EPICUR and regional networks with the universities of the Upper Rhine region (Eucor – The European Campus). The University of Freiburg is also a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and the Academic Consortium 21 (AC21).
International Doctoral Studies
The strong international involvement in research and teaching is reflected in several structured doctoral programs with an international orientation, in Joint Doctoral Programs and Joint Research Groups with international partners. If you are pursuing a binational doctorate (cotutelle), it is advisable to contact your faculty. The legal review of the agreement on a binational doctorate is then carried out by the legal department (D5).
On the information websites of the University of Freiburg on the ERASMUS programme you will find information on educational opportunities in European and non-European countries, which are also open to doctoral candidates. These include various programs: study or internship stays, opportunities for lecturer teaching exchanges with partner universities in other European countries, or staff mobility for employees of the University of Freiburg with a wide range of offers from staff training weeks and work-shadowing to language courses.
GraCe awards Travel Grants for travels to conferences, meetings or summer schools. You can apply for them, provided that you participate with your own contribution (e.g. talk, poster).
Usually once a year, you can apply to participate in the LERU Summer School or the Roche Continents Program for young scientists. Current calls for applications are announced via the GraCe Newsletter.
Intercultural exchange is intended to promote respectful interaction between all members of the university. All employees can attend workshops on this topic through the Internen Fort- und Weiterbildung or explore it in greater depth through the certificate program “Interkulturelle Kompetenz” (websites in German).
A particularly interactive offer is the Language Tandem placement for doctoral candidates. Here you can expand your language skills together and get in touch with other doctoral candidates.
In the Language Teaching Centre you can also choose from a wide range of language courses at many levels.
Especially for international doctoral candidates, GraCe offers basic courses in “German as a Foreign Language” up to level B1 as part of the interdisciplinary Qualification Programme.
GraCe regularly organizes the Welcome Event Doc On! for all new doctoral candidates at the University of Freiburg. We would like to support you right from the start in establishing contacts with other doctoral candidates and building up your research network.
The International Office also offers a Welcome Service for all international doctoral candidates. They will help you with your questions on non-academic matters (such as accommodation or registration with the city of Freiburg). You can also contact the Family Service if you need support for your accompanying family.