Promotion plus+ qualifiziert – Graduate Academy

The two-semester programme Promotion plus⁺ qualifiziert (Ph.D. and beyond) complements research activities and focuses on management expertise and transferable skills while conveying useful knowledge for a career in industry or the non-profit and public sector. It also supports in identifying career prospects outside of academia.

The programme is subject to an ongoing process of adjustment and is carried out with the participation of trainers from or with connection to the business world.

However, in order to personally benefit from the programme, it is essential to think "out of the box", to leave one's own (university) comfort zone and to actively participate in the workshops.

In addition to two German-speaking work teams, we also offer an English-speaking team.

The application deadline for the programme 2024/2025 has expired.

Das Bild zeigt einen mit Hemd und Krawatte bekleideten Mann in einem grünen Feld unter blauem Himmel, der mit drei verschiedenfarbigen Bällen jongliert. / The image shows a man in a shirt with a tie, who stands in a green field under the blue sky. He juggles with three variegated balls.

Content and Procedure
The matching workshops build on each other and cover the following core areas:

management competencies | corporate entrepreneurship

career planning and job application

transferable skills

Spaces are limited to a maximum of 36 participants (three interdisciplinary teams of 12 people, including one English-speaking team).

In order to apply the skills acquired in the programme directly, at the beginning each work team agrees on a small project that is run alongside the programme. The results will be presented at the closing event.

After successfully completing the programme, participants will receive a certificate at the ceremonial closing event documenting their attendance at the events.

More info on the programme content can be found in the "Overview of the programme in 2024/2025" in the download section below.
Duration and time frame

The programme starts in late fall and runs until summer of the following year. The consecutive courses comprise about 72 hours plus the time that the respective work team requires for an accompanying project work.

All programme dates can be found in the "Overview of the programme in 2024/2025" in the download section below.
Application and Costs

Registered doctoral candidates and postdocs at Leibniz University Hannover in the first two years of the postdoctoral phase are eligible to apply. On request, doctoral candidates and postdocs of other universities can be admitted to the application process.
An already advanced stage of the doctorate as well as a repeated application for the programme can be taken into account when selecting participants.

Participants can pay the participation fee of 120 Euro in two instalments of 60 Euro. The three applicants with the most convincing applications will be attending the programme without paying.

The overview of the programme in 2024/2025 with all relevant dates and with the outlined contents, the fact sheet with important information on the application as well as the corresponding application form can be found below in the download area. Please be sure to take note of all the documents mentioned!

Unless otherwise communicated in advance, the workshops will again take place as face-to-face events; however, online parts are still possible.

The application deadline for the programme 2024/2025 has expired.

Feedback from former participants

"I would like to express my gratitude towards the entire team of Graduiertenakademie, for the amazing organization and for putting up these great courses together and making it a coherent program. I am extremely glad that I chose to join this program."

"I believe that all of [the workshops] give an overview of one or several important aspects of the management's role, but also help to understand the own values and set up goals."

"I would like to take this opportunity to again thank you for organizing this program. [...] I am so glad that I chose to be a part of this great program."