Thesis (representative body)

THESIS - Interdisciplinary Network for PhD students and postdocs eV is a multidisciplinary association of PhD students and young researchers in Germany. The association organizes via mailing lists and local Stammtische the mutual exchange of experience and information exchange of its members, organizes conferences and seminars, and are in addition to his magazine out thesis advisor and other publications.

Thesis is one of the founding members of the European Doctoral umbrella organization EURODOC and introduced in 2008 with Karoline Holländer also its President.

Development

The beginnings of thesis goes back to 1991, when for the first time, a group mostly external doctoral students met in the Rhine -Main area, to discuss possibilities of a continuous exchange of experience and mutual assistance. The association was founded followed a year later, and in 1995 the official entry in the register. Meanwhile thesis organized in 30 regional and local groups around 650 members from 70 departments in 150 universities in Germany and abroad. Here, the circle of members gradually extended to salaried graduate students, doctoral fellows, postdocs and others have PhDs.

Activities

The focus of the thesis work is on the activities of the regional and local groups. They organize regular meetings to (over - ) professional and private exchange. Promotion Relevant lectures, writing workshops and related training events are held on their own initiative by the participants or organized with professional seminar leaders. In addition, however, see also cultural and recreational activities on the part of nation-wide level instead ( sightseeing, sailing, hiking, sports).

Nationwide Thesis works in various working groups on issues such as higher education policy, Doctorate with polytechnic degree, a Doctorate with child ( ren), Humanities and Social Sciences or transdisciplinary science. These subject-specific mailing lists and group meetings are organized, partly also conducted conferences and published conference proceedings.

Every year an assembly of delegates held at Burg Bodenstein. This also elects the Executive Board, which represents the association in the public and on science policy conferences and hearings.

Higher Education Policy Advocacy

University policy, pursued the club in recent years, among other things, the following priorities:

• Labor and employment law for young researchers ( junior professorship, easing the "Twelve Years " clause in the Higher Education Act ),
• Redesigning the promotion phase in the framework of the Bologna Process
• Improve the care situation, inter alia, through promotion agreements (PDF)
• Social insurance for graduate students

PhD survey

In summer 2004, THESIS led first by a Germany -wide survey on the social and economic situation and the quality of care for doctoral students. Following the example of the thesis survey went in winter 2008/2009, the first Europe-wide survey of graduate students, initiated and carried out by EURODOC, the European umbrella organization of young scientists, in collaboration with the International Centre for Higher Education Research (INCHER ) of the University of Kassel online.