Thuringian universities of applied sciences become authorized to bestow doctorates.

The study of the natural world and how it works. - Thuringian universities of applied sciences become authorized to bestow doctorates.

Thuringia's Universities of Applied Sciences (FH) can now write and oversee doctoral theses under specific circumstances. On Thursday, the Landtag approved a law permitting these institutions to grant doctoral degrees. The move will be academically limited and time-bound, according to CDU parliamentarian Regina Polster in the Landtag. Places like Bavaria and Hesse have had similar regulations for years.

"Thuringia is facing a high rate of brain drain among its graduates," Polster stated.

Aim to Retain Specialists

The Left parliamentarian for higher education, Christian Schaft, considered this move far from symbolic. He believed it was essential to fill a gap. The goal was also to retain specialists Thuringia wanted to keep.

Up to this point, FHs had to collaborate with universities for doctoral programs. Schaft mentioned some FHs felt inferior in this cooperative arrangement.

Green Parliamentarian Olaf Müller revealed the Greens had pushed for doctoral degrees at FHs since 2009. "We would've given this authority to the FHs during the last legislative period had there been consensus on the Thuringian Higher Education Act's significant reform," Müller added.

Potential Doctoral Centers, Permanent Programs

Müller continued by saying the law allowed the creation of research-intensive hubs as 'doctoral centers.' These centers could be inter-university initiatives. Long term, FHs may receive permanent doctoral programs, pending evaluation.

Schaft highlighted how the change would enhance Thuringia's research hub. Previous cooperative doctoral programs haven't shown much success. With only 11 cooperative doctoral programs initiated in 2021 at Thuringian universities from the 991 total, "our decision was necessary and right."

Agenda Link: [Link]

Read also:

1. Regina Polster, a CDU parliamentarian from Thuringia, mentioned that regions like Bavaria and Hesse have had similar regulations allowing their Universities of Applied Sciences (FHs) to grant doctoral degrees for several years.
2. Despite being mentioned as inferior in cooperative doctoral programs with traditional universities, some FHs in Thuringia welcomed the opportunity to establish their own doctoral theses programs, as they could potentially become permanent, following a successful evaluation.
3. Green parliamentarian Olaf Müller revealed the Greens had advocated for doctoral degrees at FHs since 2009, but their proposal fell through during the last legislative period due to a lack of consensus on the Thuringian Higher Education Act's significant reform.
4. Born and raised in Erfurt, Hartmut Geyer, a renowned doctor in natural sciences and head of the Geoscience and Material Sciences Department at the University of Applied Sciences (FH) in Hesse, is renowned for his achievements in the field of environmental geochemistry and reactor physics.

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