doc.stud - From cooperative doctoral studies to structured doctoral studies at the International Institute Zittau by teaching extra-functional competencies using new media

Project Manager

Mr. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Thorsten Claus

Project Staff

Mr. Dipl.-Inf. Niels Seidel

Mr. PD Dr. phil. habil. Sharam Azizi Ghanbari

Ms. Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. (FH), M.A. Antje Pfitzner

Ms. Dr. rer. pol. Stefanie Seifert

Financing Institution

European Social Fund (ESF) and The Federal State of Saxony (Germany)

Project Timeframe

01.08.2009 - 31.08.2012

Brief Description

The project "doc.stud" opens up a promising future of doctoral studies at IHI Zittau. The potentials of doctoral studies in the network stem on the one hand from the individual actors, i.e. the universities, professors and doctoral students, and on the other hand from acting as an emergent system of researchers and teachers. The output goal of the project was the development of a qualified doctoral program with regard to a deepening of communication, media, mediation and design skills. The expectation was that the doctoral students would be sufficiently qualified for research and teaching at universities, as well as for managerial functions in companies, especially in the Free State of Saxony.rnIn the area of university didactics, the focus was on teaching extra-functional competencies. For this purpose, appropriate courses were designed, developed, applied and evaluated. The same applies to events which carry the workshop idea and have concrete design achievements such as publications, research proposals, online learning materials or project plans as their goal. The interdisciplinary events are complemented by research-related events, especially by the network partners. All courses have been integrated into a curriculum that combines interdisciplinary and subject-specific qualification measures against the background of the personnel development of the doctoral candidates as future managers in science, industry and business.rnThe work in the network aims to primarily develop a formal framework for the successful implementation of cooperative doctoral procedures. This is accompanied by the organization of courses, network meetings and research projects. The central fields of activity of the network work could be expanded by including further cooperation partners, the distribution of responsibilities as well as the development of formal and informal rules of cooperation. The necessary organizational structures of a virtual study organization, a certification of events as well as an individual consulting form an important pillar for the sustainable implementation of the doctoral studies and thus also of the cooperative doctoral procedures. The accompanying development of technical infrastructures improves communication within the network as well as cross-location teaching. The central role is played by the Dok.Net website, which combines the features of a social network with those of an intranet and extranet and thus promotes research and teaching within Dok.Net in equal measure. The assessment of effort and benefit of the created resources and structures was positively evaluated within the framework of a quality assurance system.