Orientation Handout
Doctoral College
Dynamics of Inequality and Difference in the Age of Globalization
Welcome to the Doctoral College "Dynamics of Inequality and Difference in the Age of Globalization"!
We are very pleased about your interest and look forward to working with you. This handout is intended to provide orientation regarding communication channels and important dates. Although participation in the events is not mandatory, we hope for regular exchange where as many people as possible come together, offer constructive criticism, and support each other in the dissertation process. Writing a dissertation doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor — the Doctoral College sees itself as a space for cooperation, networking, and feedback from peers and faculty!
Below we list a few points to help you get started with our Doctoral College (DK):
Contacts:
Our DK is currently led by Andreas Oberprantacher (Spokesperson) and Silke Meyer (Deputy Spokesperson). In addition to our coordinator Zeus Hans Mendez, our elected doctoral representatives are also available to answer any questions or listen to any ideas you may have.
Website:
Zeus Hans Mendez is in charge of our website. Please send him all the necessary information for your personal subpage on the site. The existing doctoral student pages can serve as a reference. On the homepage under “News,” you can also announce your own activities, such as new publications or conferences you are co-organizing.
Our DK office is located on the 11th floor of the GeiWi tower (Room 4DG25). To find out whether a workspace is currently available there, please check with Zeus Hans Mendez.
Throughout the semester, the following regular events take place in our DK:
- Jour Fixes (twice per semester)
- Retreat (once per semester): Full-day event where doctoral candidates can present their dissertation projects (approx. 15–20 minutes plus Q&A and feedback from the DK)
- Faculty Meeting (once per semester, for faculty, spokesperson, and coordinator only)
- Doctoral Candidate Meetups (Stammtische): Regular gatherings and thematic meetups focusing on specific dissertation projects or research interests.
- DK Teaching
A Signal group has been set up for communication among doctoral candidates, where we also coordinate lunch breaks. Additionally, we have a group on the platform Keybase, which we use for exchanges. If you’re interested, our coordinator will be happy to add you to one or both groups.
Participation in the DK comes with several funding opportunities:
Access to the Excellence Scholarship for Doctoral Colleges
“At the University of Innsbruck, dissertation scholarships are offered for Doctoral Colleges (DKs). These provide structured training at the highest academic level for doctoral candidates. Scholarship duration: up to a maximum of 24 months. Funding is available for early-career researchers who are integrated into the research operations and scientific community of a DK.”
Subsidy for participation in conferences and research trips:
Up to a maximum of €400 per year per doctoral candidate. Condition: other university funding opportunities must be exhausted first.
Application: Send an email to Andreas Oberprantacher with a short description of the planned project.
Reimbursement: Original receipts plus the travel expense reimbursement form.
PSP element for the DK “Inequality and Difference”: P1974-015-011
Automatic membership in the research area “Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts,” which includes access to its funding and participation opportunities.
After completing your doctoral studies within the DK, you will receive a certificate confirming your participation in the DK, along with a list of all activities completed within the DK. This certificate must be requested from the DK leadership before your final doctoral examination (Rigorosum).