Most project-based positions in our group are aimed at doctoral candidates, i.e., applicants who hold a Master’s degree and are interested in pursuing a doctorate. However, this is not a strict requirement. Deciding to work towards a doctoral degree is a very personal choice and typically involves substantial additional research work beyond the direct duties of the advertised position.
Ideally, the dissertation topic and the research project align closely, so that project results can directly contribute to the doctoral thesis.
Prof. Dr. Kai Eckert is a member of the Promotionsverband BW, the Association for Doctoral Studies at Universities of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg. We usually establish a supervisory team of at least two professors who jointly support and guide your doctoral research.
Within the Promotionsverband, we cooperate, for example, with Stuttgart Media University and the Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence to offer a diverse and inspiring research environment, as well as high-quality feedback from multiple peers and professors.
In many research projects, we collaborate with universities such as the University of Mannheim. In these cases, completing a doctoral dissertation at the partner university is also possible and can be advantageous, especially when several doctoral projects within the same research project are hosted at the same institution.
As with the decision to pursue a doctorate in general, the choice of supervisors is highly individual. Ultimately, it should be your own decision which supervisory constellation works best for you.
Formal admission requirements depend on the regulations of the Promotionsverband or the degree-awarding university. Typically, this includes a very good Master’s degree (grade ≤ 2.0 or equivalent) in computer science or a closely related field.
A good command of written and spoken English is required. Research is international and largely conducted in English (which is also why this website is only available in English). Do not be discouraged if you feel that your English is not yet perfect; however, you should expect to read and write extensively in English during your doctoral studies.
Strong programming skills are another important requirement. While your code itself is not graded as part of the doctorate, practical programming is essential to conduct research and project work in computer science—especially in the research areas we focus on.
Beyond formal qualifications, the most important personal requirements are good organisational skills and a high level of self-motivation. It is your dissertation – and you are the one who will make it happen.
Strong partners for your research:
