Effective and Innovative Policymaking in Contested Contexts

The graduate centre „Effective and Innovative Policymaking in Contested Contexts“ (EIPCC) is an EPPP-certified graduate centre at the University of Erfurt which was founded by the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy with the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences and the Max Weber Centre.

The graduate centre supports young academics in a structured way according to the specifications of the PhD and PostDoc Programme “Erfurter Promovierenden- und Postdoktorand*innenprogramms” (EPPP) at the University of Erfurt. The graduate centre supports the young academics in their specialist, methodical and interdisciplinary training, provides close supervision and networking opportunities, and encourages their academic independence. It promotes interdisciplinary exchange with fellow collegiates and members and facilitates participating in national and international conferences or research trips. For these purposes, the graduate centre offers individual budgets to the collegiates.

The structural units of the graduate centre comprise the members’ general meeting and two representatives, as well as the collegiates’ general meeting and two collegiate representatives.

The members’ general meeting consists of all members of the graduate centre.

• The two representatives convene the general meeting at least once a year.
• The general meeting elects two representatives by simple majority for terms of three years.
• The general meeting discusses and decides o the programme of the graduate centre.
• To constitute a quorum, at least two members of professorial status or equivalent have to be present, as well as at least one other member.

The representatives of the graduate centre have the following responsibilities:

• Representing the graduate centre internally with university boards and committees, as well as externally;
• Managing the tasks and responsibilities of the graduate centre according to EPPP rules;
• Convening and heading the members’ general meeting;
• Writing annual reports in consultation with the collegiate representatives;
• Coordinating the budget and resources of the graduate centre;
• Deciding on the acceptance of new members and collegiates.

Only members who are professors or equivalent at the University of Erfurt can be elected as representatives.

Collegiates of the graduate centre are all predoctoral students, doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers who successfully applied and were accepted as collegiates at the EIPCC.

The collegiates‘ general meeting consists of all collegiates of the EIPCC.

• The two collegiate representatives convene the general meeting at least once a year.
• The general meeting elects two collegiate representatives by simple majority for one year.
• The general meeting collects feedback and suggestions about the qualification programme of the graduate centre and ensures it is closely aligned with the needs and interests of the collegiates.

The collegiate representatives have the following responsibilities:

• Acting as contact person and spokesperson for the collegiates and as such an intermediary between collegiates and members;
• Supporting the representatives in managing the tasks and responsibilities of the graduate centre according to EPPP rules;
• Convening and heading the collegiates’ general meeting;
• Supporting the representatives in writing the annual reports;
• Supporting the representatives in coordinating the budget and resources of the graduate centre.

The essence of the graduate centre is the research colloquium, at which all collegiates present their research on a regular basis. The research colloquium usually takes place during the lecture period. It is mandatory to participate at the colloquium regularly and to present one’s research. If collegiates cannot attend a session, they are expected to excuse themselves in advance. Repeated unexcused absence can lead to collegiates losing their full membership status, at the discretion of the representatives.

Additional to the mandatory research colloquium, the graduate centre offers Peer Support Group (PSG) meetings on demand. During these informal meetings, collegiates can exchange experiences, discuss their research with each other, jointly develop new ideas and support each other when facing challenges.

The graduate centre further organises a yearly EIPCC retreat for disciplinary and cross-disciplinary exchange among members and collegiates. In various workshops, collegiates prepare for participating in international conferences, receive support for their academic career planning, build a personal network, and develop their academic skills within a common research environment.

Collegiates are encouraged to propose and organise further guest talks and events that complement the qualification programme, e.g. on academic best practice and career advancement.

It is also part of the qualification programme to gain teaching experience at the Brandt School, the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences or at a similar institution, where appropriate. Details about the teaching arrangement should be decided jointly with the supervisor or the supervisory panel, respectively.

We are looking for predoctoral students, doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers with a keen research interest in effective policymaking, policy solutions and social innovation in contested contexts. Ideal candidates should have an excellent academic record in a related field, excellent English-speaking skills, a sound background in research methods, evaluation techniques and research design, or be willing to gain these in the first year at the EIPCC. Professional experience in the world of policy-making is a plus.

All predoctoral students, doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers whose supervisor is a member at the EIPCC are eligible to apply as collegiates at the EIPCC. Prior to becoming a collegiate at the EIPCC, applicants first need to be accepted as a doctoral student and enrol as such at the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Erfurt. For their application as a collegiate at the EIPCC, applicants should submit an informal application with wbs.eipcc@uni-erfurt.de.

Please find further information on the acceptance and registration as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Erfurt here.