Press release: Promoting joint activities in doctoral education

Nr. 285/2014 - 25.11.2014

U4 Network universities sign framework agreement to promote junior researchers

(pug) The universities in the U4 Network – Göttingen, Gent, Groningen and Uppsala – launch joint programmes to train their doctoral candidates. At this year's U4 Rectors' Meeting in Göttingen, the partner universities signed a framework agreement to this end. In future, doctoral candidates at the participating institutions of higher learning will be supervised jointly by professors from at least two of the four universities. Within this framework, the candidates will stay abroad at one of the partnering universities and utilize such scientific and academic facilities as databases, collections and laboratories there.

Göttingen University ranks amongst Europe's pioneers in strategic international networking. "An international network is essential for driving interdisciplinary and innovative research and to enable our students to gain foreign experience," states Professor Hiltraud Casper-Hehne, Göttingen University's Vice President of International Affairs. At the Rectors' Meeting, the partner universities also discussed the further development of their strategic collaboration with a view to trends on the global research landscape. Another topic was the evaluation of the Network by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the International Centre for Higher Education Research INCHER Kassel.

This form of the U4 Network was established in 2008. It is an integral part of Göttingen University's internationalisation strategy. The partnership covers virtually all levels of education, research and administration at the participating universities. In addition to the six joint degree programmes and dynamic student exchange programmes, numerous joint research projects have been established since the Network's founding. With nearly one million euros, the DAAD will be sponsoring the Network up to 2016. "This funding shows that the U4 Network is also recognised on the federal level as an exemplary pilot network for academic collaboration in Europe," Göttingen University's President, Professor Ulrike Beisiegel says. The partner universities will primarily be spending the funds to foster young researchers, scholars and academics.

For more information, go to www.uni-goettingen.de/en/200350.html.

Contact address:
Professor Hiltraud Casper-Hehne
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Vice President for International Affairs
Wilhelmsplatz 1, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Phone +49 (0)551 39-13110
E-mail: hiltraud.casper-hehne@zvw.uni-goettingen.de
Internet: www.uni-goettingen.de/de/vizepr%C3%A4sidentin-prof-dr-hiltraud-casper-hehne-/110984.html