The goal of the Berlin University Alliance is to improve the conditions for all doctoral candidates at the four partner institutions. Joint continuing education programs as well as mentoring and supervision play a central role in this. The Excellence Alliance offers you a comprehensive qualification program that reflects the different phases of a doctoral program. It is free of charge and open to all BUA doctoral candidates.

Where can I find the course offers?

We are working hard to create a common online course catalog. For now, you can find links to all bookable workshops and other events here:

• Freie Universität Berlin: Dahlem Research School
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin: Humboldt Graduate School | Qualification offers Mental Health at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 
• Technische Universität Berlin: Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation (ZEWK) | Qualification offers at Technische Universität Berlin
• Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin: Graduate Studies Support

If you have any questions about the joint course program or consulting services, please feel free to contact the project team at graduatestudies@berlin-university-alliance.de

Focus of Content

The offer consists of five core events as well as numerous workshops, coaching and mentoring opportunities. It provides you with all the relevant skills to guide you through your doctoral studies program and prepare you for the time after. Special emphasis is placed on the following areas:

• Introduction to Doctoral Studies
• Good science
• Academic writing
• Mental health and resilience
• Career

As a doctoral candidate, you have access to all workshops and other events offered by the Berlin University Alliance. You can choose where and when you want to attend the workshops, according to your own schedule. This will help you get up to speed more quickly in this new phase of your career and give you more time to do other things.

Five Core Events

• A joint retreat will inform and teach techniques for a successful start to doctoral studies
• A conference on good research and research integrity will present the rules and principles of good scientific practice, clarify issues of ethical responsibility, and discuss the importance of reproducibility of research results
• A writing week to help you structure your writing process, combat writer's block and develop your publishing skills
• A blended learning event on mental health/resilience covers strategies for building mental stamina and resilience in crisis situations
• A career day introduces students to career paths inside and outside of academia and encourages them to start planning their own careers early

Continuing Education Opportunities

Through a variety of accompanying workshops, coaching opportunities, and mentoring programs, you will improve your presentation skills, learn event management, networking, or creative writing techniques. You will learn how to integrate mental health promotion into your daily work. Complementary activities help you develop an understanding of research integrity.