Project Details
Projekt Print View

GSC 209:  Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science

Subject Area Computer Science
Term from 2007 to 2019
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 39071815
 
Final Report Year 2020

Final Report Abstract

The Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science encompasses all doctoral training and research in computer science on the Saarbrücken university campus. The school currently involves over 350 doctoral students working with about 80 advisors and some 120 other early-career computer science researchers spread over several large, interconnected and closely cooperating research institutions all located next to each other on the campus. The school set out with the ambitious goal of aiming to provide doctoral training of such quality and to attract students of such caliber so that it is competitive with the top ten computer science doctoral programs in the world in the long run. We have installed a PhD program that includes many traits common to top North American programs: entry directly after a Bachelor’s degree; a competitive central admission procedure; a preparatory phase of coursework preceding the dissertation phase; continual monitoring of students’ progress and supervision; guaranteed financial support during the entire program. All our doctoral candidates go through this program. Depending on their exact academic background and qualifications, parts or all of the preparatory phase may be waived. Passing a qualifying exam is compulsory for all candidates in order to enter the classical dissertation phase. The working language is English. The Graduate School has implemented a shift away from the traditional German frame of mind where doctoral education in all its aspects (recruitment, scientific preparation, research training, advising, quality control, financing, networking, etc.) is the sole responsibility of each professor. Doctoral education is now viewed as a common undertaking of the entire faculty and each of its aspects is taken as a particular combination of joint and individual responsibility. We have found the shift in the frame of mind rewarding, sometimes challenging, and remain convinced of the overall approach. It has brought many talented students to Saarbrücken seeking the kind of PhD education afforded by it. During the overall funding period, 510 doctoral dissertations were submitted. The Graduate School is now a permanent structure at the university. It will continue to adapt, incorporating lessons learned and meeting new challenges. Given the high quality of research in Saarbrücken computer science and the great concentration and wealth of talent as represented in all its research institutes, we are optimistic that we can become even more competitive with our combined efforts as we keep striving towards our original goal.

Publications

 
 

Additional Information

Textvergrößerung und Kontrastanpassung