The Science Council recommends that the right to award doctoral degrees be granted to the doctoral programme at the universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia. This brings the Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW) a step closer to their goal of awarding doctoral degrees independently of their cooperation with universities.
On 8 July 2022, the Science Council presented the results of its review of the ‘Doctoral Programme for Applied Research at Universities of Applied Sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia’. A press release from the Ministry of Culture and Science states that the Science Council recommends that the state government “grant the Doctoral College the right to award doctorates for an initial trial period of seven years”. The Doctoral College was founded in December 2020 and, as a central organisational unit for universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, is intended to enable independent doctoral procedures and the award of doctoral degrees in future. Until now, doctoral degrees have only been available to students at these universities in cooperation with a traditional university. At the end of the trial period, the Science Council intends to carry out a further assessment.”
The Minister for Culture and Science, Ina Brandes, welcomes this development and emphasises: “We need the innovative and application-oriented research carried out by universities of applied sciences to tackle challenges such as climate change and digitalisation. By granting the doctoral programme independent powers to award doctoral degrees, we aim to strengthen applied research in North Rhine-Westphalia and make studying here even more attractive. The Science Council’s recommendation gives us a real boost in this regard,” says Brandes.
Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen, President of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, also describes this recommendation as a milestone for North Rhine-Westphalia’s higher education landscape: “The NRW Doctoral College opens up the possibility for universities of applied sciences to award doctoral degrees independently. This sends a positive signal regarding the quality and importance of applied research.” Until now, doctoral degrees at universities of applied sciences were only possible as part of joint doctoral programmes with universities. “This recognises the achievements of our lecturers in applied research. At the same time, it represents a major step towards educational equity for our graduates,” said Locker-Grütjen.
The state government will now evaluate the Science Council’s opinion and examine the granting of doctoral degree-awarding powers to the NRW Doctoral College (PK NRW). The NRW Doctoral College is supported by 21 universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia. The basis for the work of the PK NRW is the Higher Education Act of 2019, which stipulates that the State of North Rhine-Westphalia may grant the PK NRW the right to award doctorates following a successful assessment by the Science Council.
Further information and sources
Press release from the Ministry of Culture and Science dated 8 July 2022
Press release from the NRW Doctoral College dated 8 July 2022
