There are some glossy websites and booklets about how to complete your doctoral research in Germany (even a few in English). But very often a lot of necessary implicit knowledge is missing: knowledge which is known to most professional actors and stakeholders, but not spelled out and thus remains unknown to outsiders, including incoming or visiting doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. This event will try to close this information gap.

The annual reception for all our international PhD students and their PhD supervisors, supported by a grant from the DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, takes place for the fifth time. As it will take place online via zoom you can pick up a brown bag before. The meeting is intended as an informal get-together across all faculties, departments, seminars, institutes and chairs, to help everyone, newly arrived or not, to enlarge their network at the university. Professor Holger Schönherr, dean of Faculty IV: School of Science and Technology, will open the reception with a keynote speech on the topic ‘“Where do you think you‘re going, don‘t you know it‘s dark outside ... ?“ – Your way towards a Ph.D. and the constant battle with the principles of uncertainty’. Afterwards there will be opportunities for the actual get-together in break-out rooms. We are looking forward to meeting you!