Former Graduate Center for Life and Natural Sciences

The Graduate Center for Life and Natural Sciences was initiated in 2008 by a founding Board of Directors, with representatives from the Departments of Economics, Psychology, Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Biology, Geography, and Medicine. The Center was officially established in August 2009. As an institution of the MArburg University Research Academy (MARA), it supported junior scholars and scientists from the life and natural sciences departments. In 2015, the Graduate Center for Life and Natural Sciences was integrated into MARA.

The aims of the Graduate Center were:

• In accordance with the recommendations of the Wissenschaftsrat (German Council of Science and Humanities) of November 15, 2002, and the HRK (German Rector's Conference) of February 17, 2003, the Graduate Center is to provide the conditions – across disciplines, in terms of content, and at the structural level – for structuring the dissertation period in the life and natural sciences at Philipps-Universität Marburg, and to support the structured doctoral programs in the life and natural sciences departments. The doctoral candidates should be given the best possible opportunity to acquire the qualifications for careers in academia or science-related professions.

• The Graduate Center provides research support and engages in the promotion of junior scholars across disciplines and provides doctoral candidates a forum for intense interdisciplinary dialogue. It offers a cross-disciplinary training program that supports the structured doctoral programs, contributes to improved mentoring, and facilitates compatibility with other international programs. The Center encourages the integration of doctoral candidates in larger research units as well as their early involvement in national and international research discourses, and supports networking among doctoral candidates. The Graduate Center aims to continuously develop its offerings in constant dialogue with the departments, those responsible for the doctoral programs, and the doctoral candidates.

• The Center contributes to quality assurance in the doctoral phase at three levels:
   
  • By continuous development of all relevant processes of the Graduate Center by the Board of Directors of the Graduate Center and the Board of Directors of MArburg University Research Academy (MARA)
  • Through recommendations proposed by the MARA Council
  • By reviews of the individual support programs through third-party funding agencies

• The Graduate Center promotes equal opportunity as well as the reconciliation of family and scientific career. The childcare services and supporting infrastructure of Philipps-Universität Marburg are open to all members of the Graduate Center.

Membership with the Graduate Center for Life and Natural Sciences was open to all members and affiliates of Philipps-Universität Marburg and other universities as well as non-university research institutes who were advisors or doctoral candidates and whose focus of research was in the life and natural sciences. Members of the Graduate Center automatically became members of MARA. They were organized in scientific divisions that coordinated and supported academic programs and individual events.

Responsibility in matters of fundamental importance was with a Board of Directors, comprised of professorial representatives from the nine life and natural science departments, two doctoral representatives from these departments, and one postdoctoral scholar from these departments who was also to be active as doctoral advisor. The professorial representatives of the departments were represented on the Board of Directors through the scientific divisions. The Center's Managing Director participated in an advisory capacity. The Graduate Center was headed by an Executive Director and her/his deputy.

The Center offered a diverse program of continuing education aimed at imparting key professional skills and was continuously developed and kept current in consultation with doctoral candidates and their advisors.