gms | German Medical Science

At first glance the situation in SE Europe seems to be almost hopeless for young med/bio scientists honestly interested to invest their engagement, their own money, and valuable life-time into research. So the first point of the workshop is an overview over some opportunities for PhD candidates in Germany and neighboring countries. In addition the urgent needs for PhD education in SE Europe Med Faculties will be listed and discussed.

This includes:

• Improvement of equipment and providing (modest) stipends
• A political independent committee in the Ministry of Science evaluating research proposals according to the international standard
• Development of a master plan for graduate & postgraduate science education
• Funding of research in the country according to European recommendations and promises
• Founding and financing competitive graduate schools

Having in mind that SE Europe governments as well as EU in fact do not take care of a competitive PhD education with the consequence that many young students will go to centers of excellent in Aachen, Amsterdam, Cambridge, Copenhagen,…Vienna, Zurich, brain drain is resulting. However, instead of resignation with a small budget a lot can be done locally to improve the situation:

• Start founding core facilities so that the often valuable equipment is available to all researchers – the fight against the door lockers
• Concentrate the research to few, precise topics, find your research niche
• Start a benefit program by allocation of research money to the successful groups, obvious by publications, external funding and successful international cooperation
• Start twinning PhD Programs with elected international partners in order to improve the science level
• Develop a master plan for research at the faculty level.