Doing a Doctorate in Cooperation with PK NRW

Would you like to do a doctorate at HSBI? We are delighted about your interest! As of 1 September 2023, in addition to the previous option of doing a doctorate at HSBI in cooperation with an Universität, you can also do a doctorate with PK NRW as a partner. Below, we will describe who can do a doctorate at PK NRW, how registration works, what you have to consider and where to find more information. Please make sure to read our FAQ on doctorates, which will answer many basic questions in advance.

What is PK NRW? 

PK NRW stands for Promotionskolleg NRW (Graduate School NRW). It’s a scientific institution of a network of 21 universities of applied sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften, HAW) in North Rhine-Westphalia. HSBI is part of that network. PK NRW was founded in 2020. In addition to extensive interdisciplinary qualification offers, it also provides opportunities to go through structured doctoral programmes, as it received the right to award doctorates in November 2022. This means that PK NRW can confer doctoral degrees independently, while in the past, only Universitäten had the right to do so. As of 1 September 2023, it is possible to register for a cooperative doctorate between HSBI and PK NRW.

Who can do a doctorate at PK NRW?

NRW’s Higher Education Act regulates who may be accepted for a doctorate in Section 67. As a rule, you will thus have to provide proof of a master’s degree or a comparable degree. Further requirements and the doctorate process are stipulated in the Rahmenpromotionsordnung (RPO, general doctoral guidelines) and in the Promotionsordnung (APO, departmental doctoral guidelines) of the respective department in which you do your doctorate.

• Current guidelines of PK NRW

Do you have any questions on the individual departments’ admission requirements or guidelines? Please do not hesitate to use the consultation offers of PK NRW.

•  Service and consultation offers of PK NRW

Two paths to a cooperative doctorate

As a university of applied sciences, HSBI does not have the right to award doctoral degrees in principle. Therefore, a doctorate must always be done in cooperation with an Universität or with PK NRW. In this model, the right to award the doctorate will always lie with PK NRW or the cooperating Universität.

Doctoral programme at PK NRW

PK NRW offers you the opportunity to do a doctorate within a structured doctoral programme. During the doctorate, you will be registered as a doctoral student at one of PK NRW’s member universities – for example, at HSBI. The member university should be the one that the doctoral supervisor works at. In addition, you will enrol in one of PK NRW’s doctoral programmes offered by the department that fits your profile. HSBI does not offer its own doctoral programmes; they are anchored at PK NRW exclusively.

• Doctoral programmes at PK NRW

Cooperation with a university

Haven’t found a doctoral programme that suits you? Then you also have the option to do a cooperative doctorate with an Universität. In this model, the cooperating university awards you with the doctoral degree, while your supervisor is a professor at a university of applied sciences, e.g. at HSBI. Please have a look at the information we have gathered on this form of cooperative doctorate.

•  Questions and answers on doctorates
• Overview of all topics regarding doctorates

You will also find helpful information on cooperative doctorates on PK NRW’s website.

•  Cooperative doctorates at PK NRW

How does registration for the doctoral programme at PK NRW work?

First, you should do some research on who could supervise your doctoral project. The professors who are members of PK NRW and their research foci are presented on the departments’ websites.

Feel free to directly contact the professor who may be suitable as a supervisor. For the first contact, we recommend you send an e-mail to the professor, asking for an appointment, presenting yourself briefly and outlining your doctoral project. If possible, attach a project proposal to your e-mail.

At the same time, do some research on the potential supervisor’s department, the doctoral programme(s) it offers and the requirements for admission as a doctoral candidate.

Once you have found a supervisor, complete the respective department’s confirmation of supervision together with them and let them sign it. Please find a binding confirmation of supervision template of the respective department to download on PK NRW’s website.

Please send the completed confirmation of supervision, as stated on the form, to PK NRW for an advance assessment. After the assessment, you can use it to register at the university.

Please make sure to talk to your doctoral supervisor about the other members of the supervising team. The (non-binding) templates for confirmation of the other supervising persons can be downloaded from the above-mentioned website, too.

Frequently asked questions on doctorates at PK NRW

Do you have any specific questions on doing a doctorate at PK NRW? PK NRW’s FAQ are continuously updated and will provide you with a helpful overview.

•  FAQ on doctorates at PK NRW

Registration at the university as a doctoral candidate

You have taken the first step towards your doctorate! Now registration at the university, e.g. at HSBI, is your next step. Apply for registration (matriculation) at the university at which you would like to do your doctorate (usually the university of your first doctoral supervisor). Provided that you fulfil the requirements for a doctorate, you will be registered there. Registration at the university will be conditional until you have been admitted at PK NRW.

Registration for a doctoral programme at HSBI 

Do you have any further questions on registration at HSBI?

If you need advice, please don’t hesitate to contact the administrative assistants responsible for you. Please find their contact details in the contact box on the left-hand side. However, we kindly ask you to refrain from enquiring after the status of your registration. If any changes occur, you will be informed through the application portal.