Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG)

An integrated research training group (IRTG) is a necessary and indispensable ingredient of the ICRC. It will strengthens and extends the cooperation between the Russian and German teams and establishes a new generation of young, skilled scientists. All PhD students of the ICRC are envisaged to participate also in the IRTG. The research aspect of the IRTG will be covered by the scientific projects of the ICRC. An essential contribution from the IRTG to the research work is the demand that every PhD student involved has to spend in total at least 6 months at an institution of the partner country. As most projects are collaborative, the mutual visits will be organized in a complementary way, so that the candidates will work together for at least one year at one side. The IRTG will also associate PhD candidates who work on thematically related topics but are financed through other sources such as university grants or third party funding.

The key add-on of the IRTG to the ICRC is the qualification program providing several key features: Supervision of the PhD candidates will be warranted by a team of supervisors, two from the home country and one from the host country. A lecture series is being offered as well as a weekly seminar covering two aspects, presentation of the status of the own work as well as presentation of current research related to but outside of the ICRC. For other seminars and workshops the IRTG will utilize the offers of the ICRC with appropriate extension of the events for internal retreats. Furthermore, we broaden the vision of the participants through the lecture program by covering aspects of spin physics and magnetism that are not central focus of the ICRC research. Corresponding expertise is only partly covered within the ICRC, but will be imported through guest speakers in addition to the local senior personal. Also the improvement of soft skills will be handled by the IRTG. In particular through the mandatory 6 months stay at the partner institution, PhD students are being exposed to another country, language and culture providing an invaluable international experience. International team work is essential for the success of each project.

Prof. Dr. Mirko Cinchetti (TU Dortmund)
Prof. Dr. Ivan V. Ignatiev (St. Petersburg State University)