The 12th Doctoral Student Days in Altensteig

From May 6 to 8, 2026, the Boysen-TU Dresden-Research Training Group took part in the 12th Doctoral Candidate Days of the Friedrich and Elisabeth Boysen Foundation in Altensteig. The event took place on the premises of the Boysen Group and brings together doctoral students and professors from the University of Stuttgart, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the TUD Dresden University of Technology (TUD) every year. The aim of the event is to give doctoral students the opportunity to present the current status of their research to the funding foundation, hold scientific discussions and network with researchers from academia and industry.

This year's program included a total of 36 presentations of a consistently high scientific standard. The 15 doctoral students of the Dresden Research Training Group - the majority of whom are already in the final phase of their doctorate in their third year of funding - presented key results and current developments in their research work. The program was supplemented by a contribution from Prof. Lutz Hagen, spokesperson of the Research Training Group, who presented the importance of the Research Training Group for TU Dresden and the current state of development of the research network.

A guided tour of the Boysen Group's production and corporate divisions offered exciting insights into innovative manufacturing processes and technological developments at the company, which has developed into a leading international manufacturer of automotive components. The CEO of the Boysen Group, Dr. Till Scharf, took an active part in the scientific program and presented both the current situation of the company and his vision for its future development.

In addition to the professional exchange, the doctoral student days offered numerous opportunities for networking and deepening cooperation between the participating universities. The open and collegial atmosphere encouraged intensive discussions across disciplines and opened up new perspectives for future cooperation.

The Boysen-TU Dresden-Research Training Group would like to expressly thank the Friedrich and Elisabeth Boysen Foundation for its continuous support of committed doctoral candidates and for organizing this special event. Formats such as the Doctoral Candidate Days create valuable spaces for academic exchange, constructive feedback and the development of long-term academic networks. Overall, the Doctoral Candidate Days 2026 were an inspiring and enriching experience that provided new impetus for our own research work and strengthened academic exchange in the long term.