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The Bonn-Cologne Graduate School for Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) is a joint programme of graduate studies between the Universities of Bonn and Cologne. Since 2007, the BCGS has been funded through the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Research Foundation. The programme leads students with a Bachelor's degree through an MSc phase to doctoral studies. Students with MSc degree are admitted directly to the doctorate. The programme provides mentoring and research internships, scholarships and travel funds, and a vibrant research environment at the forefront of modern physics. Research areas at the two departments of Bonn and Cologne span almost the entire range of current physics; from astrophysics, biophysics and condensed matter research to particle physics, quantum optics and string theory.

The CGSC provides the framework for doctoral candidates to work on a structured and research-based thesis project. It strengthens the scientific background of the candidates beyond their own subject and encourages them to take advantage of a broad range of courses in soft skills. Supervision by an individual Thesis Committee enables the doctoral candidates to complete their doctoral projects within the shortest possible time (max. four years). The CGSC fosters the scientific exchange within the Department of Chemistry and beyond. It allows the co-membership in other (third-party funded) graduate programmes in the fields of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Energy Sciences.

The GSfBS is the international, broadly based umbrella graduate school in the department of biology. Excellent students with a Bachelor degree can in the first Master semester qualify for the Research Track Master/Doctoral programme. The doctorate programme reflects the increasing importance of interdisciplinary in biological research and provides comprehensive training for scientific, methodological and "soft" skills. Each student is individually guided by his/her thesis committee, allowing the successful completion of a demanding research project. Group identity is fostered by transferable skills courses, symposia organised by doctoral candidates, career days and doctoral days. Alumni days foster a lively Alumni network.

The GSGS offers a structured research and learning environment for doctoral candidates in any of the geosciences at the University of Cologne. It fosters interdisciplinarity in geoscience research and strengthens the relations between the participating disciplines. Its goals are to

  • expand its framework for structured graduate education within the Department of Geosciences

  • secure and foster 3rd party funding, and to attract external scholarships;

  • establish regional and international cooperation in graduate education and research;

  • develop and foster excellent doctoral research by offering special benefits to its members and through attracting promising candidates from abroad.

The Graduate School of Mathematics / Computer Science combines the activities of the Mathematical Institute and the Institute for Computer Science as well as the cooperation in the area of the graduate education. The Graduate School provides information about special lecture series and lectures, summer schools, seminars, guests as well as links to other interesting activities and transferable skills workshops, lists of graduates and much more.