The Interfaculty Graduate School of Infection Biology and Microbiology (IGIM) provides a structured doctoral program including qualified mentoring and education. In addition to the regular Thesis Advisory committee (TAC) meetings, the doctoral students have to complete additional study achievements during the course of their doctorate. The study achievements are evaluated according to the European Credit Point System (ECTS).

Depending on the envisaged doctoral degree, a total of 4 or 12 ECTS points must be earned for successful participation in the doctoral program. Participation in 2 or 4 Grad-School-Days (explained in more detail below) including a presentation of your own work and a Good Scientific Practice seminar are mandatory.
Complementary skills courses can be chosen by the doctoral students according to their personal needs and are offered in cooperation with the Graduate Academies. Further credits can be obtained through scientific activities. For successful participation in the doctoral program, participants will receive a certificate from the graduate school upon completion of their doctorate.

The required Credit Points (CP) can be earned in different categories and are calculated according to the guidlines of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

If you have started before January 2021 please click here to see your required credit points.

PhD students participating in the IGIM Graduate School are supervised by a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC regularly reviews the progress of the PhD student’s project and provides advice for science and career.
The TAC consists of three scientists (with doctoral supervision permission). One is the direct supervisor, one must be a member of the corresponding faculty, and one should be close to the PhD student’s research area and preferably external. TAC meetings should take place once a year, at least after 6, 18 and 30 months. The PhD student provides a written report prior to the TAC meetings. For each meeting, a report needs to be filled out and send to the IGIM office.

The basis of scientific work is compliance with the principles of good scientific practice. IGIM supports the doctoral students in adhering to these principles. The participation in a Good Scientific Practice seminar is obligatory in our structured doctoral program. The seminar can be completed at the Graduate Academy of the University of Tübingen.

(each semester)

On a Grad-School-Day doctoral students present their research in short lectures of about 15-20 minutes. In addition to the results, the methods used are the main focus. Through the lectures, the participants should gain insight into the variety of methods and topics in the field of infection and microbiology in Tübingen.
The event accompanied by a presentation by an external speaker, who will not only present scientific content to the participants, but will also show personal career steps. At the Grad School Days, the doctoral students themselves moderate the lectures of the other doctoral students and the external speaker.
The main focus of this event, apart from the scientific aspect, is to get to know the doctoral students from other research groups. This promotes cooperation within the Infection and Microbiology research areas in Tübingen.
Furthermore, the integration of new and international doctoral students is also supported. The event usually takes half a day and is held in English.

(every second year)

During this external event lasting 2-3 days, doctoral students present the current status of their research work in the form of lectures and posters. In addition, there are discussion groups that offer the opportunity to discuss methodological and/or content-related problems exclusively among the doctoral students. In addition, there is a social program for the informal exchange among the participants.
The program will be extended by lectures of invited external national and international speakers on scientific and/or complementary skills topics. Postdocs and leaders of junior research groups in the field of Microbiology and Infection biology are explicitly invited to act as mentors for the doctoral students.
Less advanced PhD students can also present their work and network with the invited speakers, postdocs and group leaders and broaden their scientific horizon internationally. Possible cooperations or contact to future group leaders, and thus the following career steps, can be initiated or deepened at these events.
Doctoral students of IGIM support the IGIM office in organizing the event.

(every year)

In lectures, practical exercises, and demonstrations the participants learn about and apply current scientific methods and techniques. These include not only laboratory methods, but also, for example, methods for literature research or statistical analysis of data. In addition, special methods that are established in the working groups of IGIM PhD students will be presented to promote possible cooperations between the working groups.

(every second year)

Speakers from outside Academia, among them, Alumni from Tübingen are invited here. This event enhances the career prospects of doctoral students through exchange with natural scientists and medical doctors, who share their personal experiences in non-academic fields of work. Personal contacts can be made at the get-togheter after the event.