International Doctorate

The a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School supports the internationalization of doctoral training. With the possibility of a joint supervision (cotutelle de thèse) on the basis of binational agreements and the supplementary certificate “Doctor Europaeus”, the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School hopes to contribute to the international visibility and mobility of research in the arts and humanities.

Attaining your doctorate in the model of a joint supervision (cotutelle de thèse) allows you to select  a professor or lecturer from the UoC’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and a professor or lecturer from an international university as your supervisors. After the successful defence of your dissertation, you will be awarded a doctorate mutually recognized by both universities.

In addition to the German doctoral degree, you can also attain the “Doctor Europaeus” certificate at the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School. This certificate is conferred in the framework of a cotutelle agreement with a partner university from another EU country. The certificate “Doctor Europaeus” is a supplementary title. It is not an internationally recognized, independent qualification. In 2005, the European University Association outlined conditions that candidates should meet. The a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School uses these conditions as a guideline.

Doctoral students of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities are also able to participate in the programme Erasmus+ which is established at the Center for International Relations (ZIB). The programme encourages linguistic and cultural exchange between European universities and promotes studying abroad. International doctoral students can turn to the UoC’s International Office as well as to the Albertus Magnus Center (AMC) for further assistance. In addition to the offers of the University of Cologne, numerous other institutions provide funding programmes which support international research.