Completing Your PhD at a ZEW Research Unit and Another University
PhD students who opt for this pathway will take up a position as a researcher at ZEW in their first year and participate in research projects. With the help of the ZEW research unit heads and experienced senior researchers, the PhD students will then decide on the topic of their dissertation based on the ZEW projects they have been involved in. Once the topic has been determined, a supervisor will be found at either a German or foreign university. The dissertation’s schedule depends on the requirements of the PhD programme and curriculum of the respective university, and needs to adhere to the standards of ZEW’s structured PhD programme.
ZEW is in close contact with German and foreign universities where it is generally possible to complete the dissertation, including Heidelberg University or Goethe University Frankfurt. The list of foreign universities cooperating closely with ZEW includes KU Leuven, Maastricht University, the University of Luxembourg, and the University of Zurich.
How to apply
Cooperation with a partner university
For this option, candidates need to apply to a ZEW job posting or submit a speculative application. Some of our partner universities’ PhD programmes are very demanding in terms of time and content, and may require a separate application to the university in question. The PhD programmes of our partner universities generally correspond to the standards of ZEW’s structured PhD programme with regard to compulsory and elective courses. While attending courses, the PhD students’ working time at ZEW can be adapted to individual needs.
PhD programme at ZEW
Standards of the structured PhD programme at ZEW
A cornerstone of the standards of the structured PhD programme at ZEW is that each PhD student who is employed as a ZEW researcher has to pass 60 ECTS in graduate courses at an internationally competitive level during his/her PhD phase – 40 of which must be completed in the first two years. To facilitate the successful completion of the course phase, ZEW offers core courses in graduate economic methods by international scholars, such as Advanced Microeconomics and Econometrics.
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