Do your PhD research at IOM!
The successful cooperation of the IOM with the Universities of Leipzig and Dresden is reflected in the graduate degree education. The doctoral students conduct research at IOM and are enrolled as PhD students at a university. Joint appointments of the IOM's professors with the University of Leipzig or Technical University of Dresden ensure the ideal combination of university and non-university expertise. 2019, a doctoral student at IOM received the highest doctoral award of the University of Leipzig.
As of 2021, graduate training at the IOM has entered a significantly expanded phase: All doctoral students (approx. 30) are enrolled in the "Structured Doctoral Training Program: Surface Engineering". Here the respective doctoral topics are assigned to one of the IOM research projects. In addition, the program provides complementary training to doctoral candidates at IOM that go beyond academic education. The program is based on two pillars that combine an internal curriculum with qualification offers by our external partner; together, they optimally prepare students for a career in research and industry:
According to the statutes, both pillars include mandatory and voluntary modules or content. The credit point system used is related to the ECTS-System. As a doctoral researcher a minimum of 15 credit points has to be completed. The following IOM offerings are mandatory in this process:
- The "Junior Researchers Seminar" (weekly): it offers the opportunity to discuss the progress of one's own dissertation in a larger, interdisciplinary plenum and to compare it with higher-level research questions of the IOM.
- Introductory scientific modules (each semester) on core competencies, overarching methods and technologies
The course program is embedded in an excellent supervision, regulated in a mentoring agreement (three mentors) for each doctoral candidate. And so that support and networking can develop in excellent conditions not only during the doctoral phase, the IOM also offers career support.