With our focus on internationalisation, we at CERes aim to

• support international doctoral researchers at Münster (e.g. by needs-oriented advice and offers of further training and networking – to a large extent in English)
• strengthen internationalisation at home (e.g. by means of a selection of our training offers with an international alignment and the inclusion of international researchers in all of CERes’ offers, so that international networks can be set up at the local level)
• participate in international cooperations (e.g. develop, and make available, offers of further training in the context of the Ulysseus European University)
• promote international mobility (e.g. by providing doctoral researchers with information on stays abroad, funding options and ideas to foster long-term connections and benefits)

We see a constant process of internationalisation as an indispensable lever for optimising the conditions for further training for doctoral researchers and postdocs.

Cotutelle de thèse

Cotutelle or Cotutelle de thèse is the name given to bi-national research, in which

• supervision, throughout the entire doctoral phase, takes place at the University of Münster and at a partner university abroad,
• research stays take place at both universities (ideally in a balanced ratio, with at least 12 months in Münster)
• both universities are involved in the assessment and examination procedure (ideally by means of equal representation on the examination committee)
• a joint doctoral degree certificate is issued (or two certificates, each referring to the other and only valid in conjunction with each other)

For a cotutelle doctorate, the universities involved must sign an individual agreement in which the details are specified. As a rule, this agreement should be drawn up and signed in the first year of doctoral research.

• The right choice for me?

  Bi-national supervision enables doctoral researchers not only to have access to specialist expertise and excellence from two different countries and research groups, but also to get to know different academic systems. At the same time, joint supervision of doctoral research offers a good basis for further research cooperation between the supervisors and their research groups.

  For doctoral researchers, a cotutelle doctoral degree presents an opportunity to acquire a doctorate from two universities from different countries. Negotiating an individual agreement and organising a bi-national doctorate (e.g. fulfilling two universities’ requirements for a doctorate; planning and funding research stays at two universities and putting them into practice) is generally more time-consuming than in the case of doing a doctorate in the home country with a “normal” stay abroad.

  It makes sense to consider doing a cotutelle doctorate especially for doctoral researchers who

  • have a research topic for which joint supervision would be an advantage,
  • wish to ensure that they have connections with both countries for their research,
  • want to build up and intensify their academic networks at both universities,
  • are aiming at a career outside university in the international or bi-national fields,
  • are good at organising themselves.

  Do you have any questions relating to cotutelle? Do feel free to contact us!

• Initiating the process

  You would like to do your doctoral research in a cotutelle process with the University of Münster and a partner university? And you have the support of your supervisor in Münster? If it is clear who will be undertaking the supervision of your research at the partner university, the individual cotutelle agreement should be negotiated and signed.

  This process may take a few months and can be started either in Münster or at the partner university. A draft agreement will be drawn up. The relevant doctoral regulations laid down in Münster and those of the partner university must all be complied within the cotutelle agreement.

  Supervisors should contact the Abteilung für Hochschulrechtliche Angelegenheiten (Department of Legal Issues in Academic and Student Affairs) in order to start the process for an individual cotutelle agreement at Münster University. Concrete contact persons are indicated in the business distribution plan and on the website of the department.

• Partner universities

  The University of Münster has individual cotutelle agreements with various universities around the world. In addition, with some universities there are framework agreements for cotutelle doctorates, thus reducing the administrative hurdles for a bi-national doctorate.

  • Ilia State University (ISU), Tbilisi, Georgia
  • Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
  • Universiteit Twente (UT), Enschede, Netherlands

  An additional individual cotutelle agreement has to be signed in most cotutelle doctorates with partner universities.