- 33 Degrees at doctoral centres in Hesse
For seven years now, young researchers in Hesse have also been able to acquire their doctoral degree at universities of applied sciences. By the end of last year, 33 doctoral procedures had been successfully completed at the former universities of applied sciences, as shown in the response from the Hessian Ministry of Science to a minor interpellation by the Green faction in the state parliament in Wiesbaden. A total of 330 doctoral procedures are currently being supervised.
Since universities have been able to confer doctoral degrees independently, seven doctoral centers have been established, three of which operate across universities. The doctoral center for Social Work has supervised 96 doctoral procedures and completed 19 promotions. The Applied Informatics center has supervised 93 procedures and completed 11 promotions, while the Sustainability center has supervised 27 procedures and completed one promotion.
In the fields of Engineering Sciences with a focus on Life Science Engineering and Public Health, 22 procedures and one completion each have been registered so far. In the Social Sciences, there have been 57 procedures, and 13 in the Mobility and Logistics center - none of which have been completed yet.
The Hessian Ministry of Science assesses the current record of the doctoral centers very positively, according to a spokesperson. The right to confer doctoral degrees enables universities of applied sciences to train their own scientific talent and generally increase their attractiveness for scientific staff and students. "This is particularly important in light of the increasing competition for the best minds."
The number of completed doctoral degrees so far should be seen in the context of the specific situation of the doctoral centers and general developments in science. "The doctoral centers are still quite young," the spokesperson explained. Four of them started in 2017, and three more were added in 2019 and 2020.
Therefore, the period covered by the current record is only five to seven years, the spokesperson clarified. "Within this period of operation, the majority of doctoral projects were not started at the time the centers were established, but rather began later in the centers' active period - also because the structures first needed to become known."
Constraints due to the Corona pandemic
Moreover, the often-assumed doctoral duration of three years in the academic system is an ideal type. "In reality, many doctoral projects often take much longer." Due to the Corona pandemic, which has significantly restricted research from 2020 to 2022 and continues to have an impact today, completing a doctoral degree in three years has become even more challenging for many ongoing projects. Overall, the number of completed doctoral degrees is within the expected range.
Hesse became the first federal state to allow its universities of applied sciences to award doctorates in research-intensive fields in 2016. Previously, this was exclusively reserved for universities, which had initially rejected the right to confer doctoral degrees for these institutions, as decided by the state government.
The doctoral centers in Hesse, including the one for Social Work in Hessen, have been playing a significant role in the acquisition of doctoral degrees. The Ministry of Science in Hessen, located in Hesse, has reported a positive assessment of these centers' performance.
