After the Bachelor's and Master's degree, the doctorate is the highest educational goal for the promotion of young scientists. In the course of the doctorate, the ability to work independently and scientifically over a longer period of time is acquired, in which new knowledge is gained through independent research. This academic work is called a dissertation and, upon successful completion, awards graduates a doctorate in their specific discipline.
The choice of an institution for a doctorate is an important step on the path to a professional career. There are various ways to do a doctorate at a University of Applied Sciences (UAS), where doctoral candidates previously needed a main supervisor at a university.
A new Landeshochschulgesetz came into force in Baden-Württemberg in April 2014, granting UASs the right to award doctorates for the first time. According to a further development clause in § 76 of the Landeshochschulgesetz (LHG), the right to award doctorates was also to be granted to mergers of universities of applied sciences, subject to evaluation- and quality-based criteria, for a limited period of time and with thematic restrictions.
In September 2022, the legal ordinance on the Promotionsverband was passed and since October 2022, a state-wide Promotionsverband has been able to award doctoral degrees to qualified graduates of these universities.
24 universities of applied sciences (UAS) have joined forces to exercise the independent right to award doctorates granted by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts. It is limited to 7 years (Landesrecht BW, §76 LHG, Weiterentwicklungsklausel).
This amendment represents a new path for the further academic qualification of UAS graduates and a strengthening of the UASs as institutions. This step is also seen as recognition of the increased research achievements at the UASs and aims to promote young scientists and remove barriers to entry into an academic career.
At the Universities of Applied Sciences in Baden Württemberg, professors can apply for membership in the Promotionsverband in order to support doctoral projects as main supervisors. Around 300 professors with a proven track record in research are currently working together in five research units in the Center of Applied Research BW-CAR.
At Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, 16 professors from various disciplines are currently members in the Promotionsverband. They have, for example, demonstrably acquired third-party research funding and produced scientific publications.
