GSC 98: Ruhr-University Research School
Final Report Abstract
In the last twelve years, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) used the funding of both Excellence Initiatives to establish a new campus-wide institution for the support of early career researchers: Research School. All doctoral researchers are members of Research School due to their mandatory enrolment. This scientific institution supported by all twenty Fakultäten has now become a permanent institution, financed with 1.31 million Euros per year from the university’s budget funds from 2020. QUALIFICATION AND SUPPORT In the first funding phase, Research School (RS) established a voluntary qualification program for doctoral researchers and postdocs from all research areas to carry out their research projects and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration. Following a holistic approach, RS has brought together young researchers across various career stages, from Master's students to junior professorships, to promote early independence, create knowledge networks, and exchange experience. RS has been developing and managing a doctoral researchers’ database, supports the acquisition of collaborative research projects on campus and functions as the joint platform for interdisciplinary discussion of relevant questions for the promotion of early career researchers (ECR). Together with all Fakultäten, RS developed for the first time ever a General Doctorate Regulation with university-wide standards for doctoral procedures and supervision passed by the Senate in 2014. INTERNATIONALIZATION In the second phase of the Excellence funding, Research School, then already as a permanent RUB institution, has developed an internationalization project (RS PLUS) on top and combined it with the training of appropriate competences. Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers alike have been able to apply competitively for mobility funds to conduct research stays or visits to conferences abroad but also to invite international researchers to RUB. In a review scheme based on the DFG model, doctoral researchers review their doctoral peers and postdoctoral researchers serve as rapporteurs. The decision-making body has an equal representation of ECR and professors. RS has developed fitting international research marketing activities and offers international ECR the opportunity to continue their careers at RUB. PERCEPTION RS makes a significant contribution to the valuable qualification and internationalization of ECR on their career path. National and international reviewers alike regard RS a "bestpractice model" within the framework of the review of the Excellence Strategy 2019 and explicitly welcome its concept to strengthen internationalization.
