Offers for doctoral students
Offers for doctoral candidates include workshops, information events and consultations. Since the page is constantly updated, it is worth visiting regularly.
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Qualification program 2026
The qualification program is open to all doctoral students of the four universities of applied sciences in Saxony-Anhalt, i.e. to cooperative doctoral students and doctoral students in the doctoral centers. The program is also open to participants from the Graduate Academy of the OVGU. Remaining places may be allocated to other interested parties.
The workshops are free of charge. Please note the registration deadlines.
You can apply for educational leave to attend our workshops if your employer is in Saxony-Anhalt. Please contact Kerstin Tänzer for more information.
January 8, 2026, Thursday, online – Workshop: The Art of Doctoral Supervision
January 28, 2026, Wednesday, Online - SciComm-Workshop "Gewalt, Hassrede und Wissenschaftsfeindlichkeit"
When? January 28, 10.00 - 12.00
Where? Online
Language? German
Please find more information here on the webpage of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
February 18, 2026, Wednesday, in person (Dessau) – Workshop: Good scientific practice
When? Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (7 hours)
Where? In-person event in Dessau
Course Language? German
Please find more information here on the webpage of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
March 5, 2026, Thursday, Magdeburg - Research data management
When? Thursday, March 5, 10:30 - 16:00
Where? Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, Magdeburg Campus, Breitscheidstr. 51, 39114 Magdeburg
Language: German
What?
Research data is still often neglected, although good research data management - including comprehensible documentation - is a requirement of good scientific practice. In the first part of the workshop, participants will learn the basics of research data management, including legal issues, documentation and data storage. In the second part, they will write their own data management plan under the individual supervision of the trainers, which they can use for their doctorate or research project.
The workshop is open to doctoral candidates and research assistants from the four Universities of Applied Sciences in Saxony-Anhalt. Remaining places can be allocated to doctoral candidates from OVGU and MLU.
You can register with Josephin Winkler by February 19, stating your supervisor, subject area and university.
Trainers:
Christian Schache, transfer manager at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences
Josephin Winkler, trained trainer for good scientific practice
March 2026, 4 Sessions, online – Workshop: Statistics with R
When?
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Thursday, March 12, 2026, 8:00–11:15 a.m.
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Friday, March 13, 2026, 8:00–11:15 a.m.
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Monday, March 16, 2026, 8:00–11:15 a.m.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 8:00–11:15 a.m.
Where? Online
What?
This online course provides an introduction to statistical analysis using the R programming language. Participants will learn to apply descriptive and inferential statistical methods to real-world datasets. The course covers the basics of R programming, data manipulation and visualization, as well as advanced techniques such as multivariate regression and ANOVA.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of statistics and mathematics. No prior experience with R is required.
Registration:
Registration is available via the website of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Note:
This workshop is fully booked. A waiting list is available.
16 March 2026, Monday, on-site (Dessau) – Workshop: Planning and Conducting Interviews
When? Monday, 16 March 2026, 10:00–17:00
Where? Dessau, Geomatikum (Building 6, Room 205)
What?
Interviews are a widely used and methodologically well-founded form of qualitative data collection. This workshop introduces the basics and different approaches to qualitative interviews. The focus is on problem-centered interviews, developing an interview guide, and practicing and reflecting on interview situations.
Who? Christoph Stamann (Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, qualitativ_diskursiv digital)
Further information is available on the webpage of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
March 19, 2026, Thursday, Hybrid (Magdeburg) – Workshop: Do good and talk about it! Science communication at universities – Successfully communicating your own research
When? Thursday, March 19, 2026, 10:30 - 16:00
Where? Campus Magdeburg and online
Language: German
Does your family not understand what you are researching? Would you like to explain your research to the wider public?
In this workshop, we will clarify the various methods of external science communication (WissKomm) and what you should generally keep in mind when communicating externally. More specifically, we will discuss how university press offices work, how you can communicate with your press office, and how to deal with journalists. We will also address problematic cases of external science communication that should raise your awareness of good scientific practice.
The workshop is NOT explicitly about your own social media presence. The focus is rather on science communication that your university can carry out about you and your research.
Learning objectives:
Participants
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are familiar with the basics of science communication (definition, objectives, forms of communication, tasks and objectives of university press offices).
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are able to communicate their doctoral topic to different target groups.
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are sensitized to aspects of good scientific practice with regard to science communication.
The target group is doctoral students at the four universities of applied sciences in Saxony-Anhalt and research assistants at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences.
Registration:
You can register by 10 March by emailing josephin.winkler@h2.de, stating the following:
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participation on campus or online,
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your supervising university,
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your doctoral subject/topic
Trainers
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Norbert Doktor, Press Officer, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences
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Laura Naujoks, responsible for science communication in the press office
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Josephin Winkler, trainer for good scientific practice and research associate at the Doctoral Center for Social, Health and Economic Sciences
24–25 March 2026, Tuesday and Wednesday, on-site (Magdeburg) – Workshop: Project Management
When? Tuesday and Wednesday, 24–25 March 2026, 09:00–16:00 both days
Where? Campus in Magdeburg
What? The workshop will cover the following topics:
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General principles of project management
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Starting projects successfully
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Project planning
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Tools for implementation, management, and control
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Completing projects
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Special features of online and face-to-face meetings in connection with business etiquette
Course language? English
Registration:
Please register by 1 March at intergradshk@wubs.h2.de , stating your university, doctoral center, and supervisor.
March 26, 2026, Thursday, online – Workshop: The supervisory relationship during doctoral studies
When? Thursday, March 26, 2026, 12:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Where? Online
What?
For more information and to register, please visit the Merseburg University of Applied Sciences website
08 April 2026, Thursday, online – Information event: Going abroad with Erasmus+ for Doctoral Students
When? Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 4pm – 5:30pm
Doctoral students can also receive Erasmus funding for a research stay or internship abroad. Minimum duration is 2 months. They benefit from: a funding rate of almost 100% (within Europe), a short-term application deadline as well as worldwide funding opportunities (also outside Europe).
Angela Wittkamp from the Erasmus Traineeship Office Saxony-Anhalt will provide information on funding opportunities within the Erasmus program for national and international doctoral students of all universities in Saxony-Anhalt. Furthermore, one of our former doctoral participants will be sharing his/her experiences concerning the Erasmus+ internship / research stay abroad. This event will be held in English.
Doctoral students who already receive another EU funding (InterGrad-EGD f.ex.) cannot be funded by Erasmus+.
Where? online, via Zoom; Registration Link. After registration you will receive an e-mail with link and passcode to access the zoommeeting.
You can find more information in Erasmus-Praktika Sachsen-Anhalt.
April 15, 2025, Wednesday, online - Introduction to good scientific practice
April 20–24, 2026 – Workshop: PhD Writing Retreat
When? 20–24 April 2026 (4.5 days)
Where? Leucorea, Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Writing, networking, getting advice: Our retreat offers the perfect environment to advance your dissertation in peace. Participants can expect a week full of writing time, constructive exchange, short workshops, and an optional evening program. You will learn writing techniques, improve your texts, and benefit from individual consultation.
The costs for accommodation (single room) at Leucorea and part of the catering are covered by the FEMPOWER project. Part of the catering and travel costs are covered by the participants themselves. If your employer is located in Saxony-Anhalt, you can apply for educational leave. If you have questions about leave, please contact Kerstin Tänzer (kerstin.taenzer@h2.de).
The implementation of the writing retreat is made possible through the cooperation of the CASE and FEM POWER projects and their respective project funders. It is therefore primarily aimed at women in the doctoral phase.
The retreat begins on Monday, 20 April, at 1:00 p.m. The event ends on Friday, 24 April, at 2:00 p.m.
List of course objectives
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Introduction to theoretical foundations of writing
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Learning and applying writing techniques
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Development of individual writing strategies through consultation
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Individual writing time for one’s own doctoral project
Methods
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Individual work
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Presentations and input by the trainer
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Exchange in the plenary
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Individual writing consultation
Your instructor
The certified writing coach and writing didactician Dr. Eva-Maria Lerche contributes her expertise in short workshops and supports participants in the development of individual writing strategies.
The number of participants is limited to 10 persons. Please register by 29 March 2026 via the registration page of Hochschule Merseburg.
27 May 2026, Wednesday, online – Information event: Data protection in research
June 17, 2026, Wednesday, in person (Merseburg) – Workshop: Good scientific practice
When? Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (7 hours)
Where? In-person event in Merseburg
Further information can be found on the Merseburg University of Applied Sciences website.
June 18-19, 2026, Thursday and Friday, Magdeburg - Exposé Writing Workshop
When? 10.00 - 17.00 on June 18 and 19
Where? Magdeburg-Stendal University of applied sciences, Campus Magdeburg
What? In this writing workshop, doctoral candidates will learn about the structure of an exposé for doctoral theses, about Dos and Don’ts in exposés and literature research techniques. They will have the opportunity to talk with other doctoral candidates and the trainers about their own challenges in planning their exposé and to reflect about possible solution strategies. The two-day workshop will give participants the space to work on their exposés in a goal-oriented manner and in a calm atmosphere. They can also retreat for an individual writing consultation with one of the trainers, e.g. when they want to receive feedback for their text. Finally, participants will develop a timetable for finishing their exposé.
The target group are doctoral candidates of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Saxony-Anhalt who are currently writing their exposé for their dissertation project.
The workshop will be held in German - the individual writing consultation can be held in English.
You can register until June 4 with josephin.winkler@h2.de.
About the trainers: Josephin Winkler M.A. and Ralf Regener M.A. are certified writing trainers.
August 18, 2026, Tuesday, online – Workshop: Good research practice: Conflicts in supervision
September 3–4, 2026, Thursday and Friday, in person (Lutherstadt Wittenberg) – Summer School: Starting your career after your PhD
When? Thursday and Friday, September 3–4, 2026
Where? In-person event in Lutherstadt Wittenberg
What? The summer school is dedicated to the topic "Starting your career after your PhD" and is aimed at doctoral candidates in the advanced stages of their doctoral studies.
Further information will follow.
September 2026, in person (Bernburg) – Workshop: Good scientific practice
October 9, 2026, Friday, online – Workshop: Introduction to good research practice
November 2–4, 2026, Monday to Wednesday, Merseburg – InterGrad Campus: Winter School
Disputationstraining – Online-Workshop
Consultation
For people interested in a doctorate and for doctoral students
People interested in doing a doctorate and doctoral students at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal can contact us by mail or telephone:
Josephin Winkler - Doctoral Center Social, Health and Economic Sciences and cooperative doctoral students from the departments of Applied Human Sciences, Social Work, Health and Media, and Economics.
Kerstin Tänzer - Doctoral Center Environment & Technology and cooperative doctoral students of the departments Engineering and Industrial Design as well as Water, Environment, Construction and Safety
Make an appointment for a consultation here.
We are at your disposal for all questions concerning doctoral studies!
Solution-oriented individual coaching
Frustrated by doing your doctorate? During your doctorate, there are phases that are difficult or unsettling. For example, your own self-management and time management do not work out, or there are difficulties in the supervision of your doctorate. For more clarity in your mind, our colleague Sandra Dietzel of the Merseburg University of Applied Sciences offers you the opportunity to work on your personal concerns in individual coaching sessions in a confidential and solution-oriented manner. This way you reflect on your resources, strengths and stumbling blocks and can find a concrete way to deal with your challenges.
Coach: Sandra Dietzel (Speaker of Promoting Early Career Researchers, Merseburg University of Applied Sciences)
Duration: max. 1 hour, several appointments possible; online
Registration: appointment by mail
Reimbursement of travel expenses
Doctoral students of the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal can apply to have part of their travel expenses reimbursed if they attend a face-to-face workshop of our qualification program.
Each application must be decided individually according to the current financial situation of the project CASE. Please contact Kerstin Tänzer or Josephin Winkler at least five weeks before the event for further information.
Consultations for qualitative methods
Doctoral students and prospective doctoral students, who currently write their exposé, of the Magdeburg-Stendal University of applied sciences can get a consultation on qualitative methods, including the planning and conducting of qualitative research projects.
If you are interested, you can write a mail to Paul S. Ruppel (paul-sebastian.ruppel@h2.de) and/or Christoph Stamann (christoph.stamann@h2.de) of the qualitativ-diskursiv-digital-Labor for an individual appointment.
Further offers
- With our newsletter you will regularly receive information about calls, awards and other more general offers for doctoral students. Subscribe to our newsletter here.
- The individual Doctoral Centers also organize their own internal events such as colloquia. In this case, the Doctoral Centers contact their doctoral students with an invitation.
- The German Research Foundation (DFG) offers information events on scientific careers.
Further offers:
Library offers
Doctoral students of the Magdeburg-Stendal University of applied sciences can receive consultations from the university's librarians, e.g. on literature research and on literature administration programmes, individually or in groups. You can best make an appointment via the Bibo-Service-Desk (login with your university account; the website is mainly in German).
Moreover, doctoral students can ask for longer book lending periods (e.g. for one semester) and for free of charge interlibrary loans. The library also borrows laptops, if available, for one semester.
The standard offers of the library are also valid for doctoral students. The library also accepts propositions for buying new books, also via the Service-Desk.
Free open access publishing
The Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences covers the costs of open access publications with certain publishers, including Elsevier, SpringerNature and Wiley. The offer applies to doctoral students at the Doctoral Centres, regardless of their enrolment status, and can be requested from the Open Access Officer. The publication must have been produced as part of the doctorate and must state Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences as the affiliation.
The current Open Access Officer and more information on open access at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences can be found here (in German).
Continuing education: Teaching skills
Every year in March and September, the university’s Service Department for Quality Development, Didactics and Digitization (SB QHD) offers “Teaching Weeks” with several onsite and online workshops. Doctoral students of Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences can also participate.
So, if you are interested in developing your teaching skills, check the information here.
Studium generale
The university's open course offerings bundle cross-topic, cross-discipline and cross-departmental courses. They are designed to enable students to acquire knowledge, skills and, above all, important key competencies that are useful for successful study, career entry, a professional career or personal development. Registration is via a login to the booking portal, to which anyone can register.
Doctoral students of all four universities of applied sciences are charged the student rate. You do not need to be enrolled for this, but you do need to provide proof to the Center for Continuing Education that you are a doctoral student if you do not have a student e-mail address at the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences.
SciFlow
Enrolled doctoral students have a license for SciFlow, an online program that allows you to easily format and cite documents and write them together with others. Particularly interesting:
- SciFlow offers over 5000 templates from specialist journals in which you can start writing straight away.
- If you write a text together, you can see who has written what and can also call up older versions of the text.
Offers of the University of Magdeburg and University of Halle-Wittenberg
Doctoral students of the Doctoral Centers and cooperative doctoral students of the four universities of applied sciences in Saxony-Anhalt can also participate free of charge in the qualification program of the Graduate Academy of the University of Magdeburg if there are any remaining places. You can find the course overview here. To always receive the latest offers, you can subscribe to the newsletter of the OVGU Graduate Academy.
They can also participate in the courses of the International Graduate Academy of the University of Halle-Wittenberg if there are any remaining places. You can find the course overview here.
Those courses are often held in English.
FAQ
To whom the offers are addressed?
The qualification program is open to all doctoral students at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Anhalt, Harz and Merseburg. This includes cooperative doctorates and doctorates at all doctoral centers in Saxony-Anhalt.
Some other offers on this website are only open to doctoral students of the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal (cooperative or first supervision sits at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal). This is explicitly stated in the offers. You can find out whether the other three universities have similar offers on their doctoral websites.
Are the offers free of charge?
How do I register for offers?
Contact Persons
Contact details
Coordinator Doctoral Center Social, Health and Economic Sciences
Josephin Winkler
Phone: 0049 3931 2187 3812
E-Mail: josephin.winkler(at)h2.de
Address: Stendal, Osterburger Str. 25, House 3, Room 1.18
Make an appointment for a consultation here.
Consultation hours via phone for doctoral students and interested persons:
Mondays 12:00 - 13:00, Central European Time
Wednesdays 11:00 - 12:00, Central European Time
Time Zone Converter [external link]
You can also make an individual appointment for a Zoom meeting.
Coordinator Doctoral Center Environment and Technology
Kerstin Taenzer
Tel.: 0049 391 886 49 92
E-Mail: kerstin.taenzer@h2.de
Address: Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentrum FEZ, Breitscheidstr. 51, 39114 Magdeburg, Room 3.02
Good scientific practice
Like all academics, doctoral candidates must adhere to the rules of good scientific practice.
Participation in an introductory course on good scientific practice is mandatory for doctoral students at most doctoral centers (PZ Environment & Technology, PZ Architecture and Design Research, PZ Life Sciences, PZ IWIT). At the end of the doctoral period, doctoral students must provide evidence of attending this course. Doctoral students at the Doctoral Center SGW, on the other hand, are obliged to attend at least two seminars and events accompanying their doctorate. These can also be colloquia.
