March 31, 2003 | Press Release

Focus on Young Scientists: International Max Planck Research School for Demography

The training of young scientists is of central importance for the future of science, research, and innovation in Germany. Together with various universities, the Max Planck Society has for this reason started an initiative to foster the new generation of scientists: the International Max Planck Research Schools. These institutions offer particularly talented German and foreign students the opportunity to prepare for their doctorate at a university within the framework of structured training under excellent research conditions.

The International Max Planck Research School for Demography opened its doors in the winter semester 2000/2001. Since then, the school has become Europe's largest international training program for doctoral students in population science. In collaboration with the University of Rostock and further European universities and research institutions, the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research has assembled a team of scientists who work together to offer a diverse range of advanced courses and scientific advising that no single institute could provide. Under the patronage of the Research School, the members of this cooperative effort provide instruction and advising for doctoral students. Students can migrate within the group of cooperating institutions or come from outside. They can attend lectures on family dynamics and fertility, aging and mortality, formal demography, and event history analysis. In addition to participating in the course program, doctoral students conduct their own research work, which is closely supervised by scientists at the Research School.

One of the main focuses is on international cooperation. The Research School wishes particularly to attract foreign applicants for doctoral studies in Germany, to familiarize them with German research institutions and to awaken their interest in pursuing future work in cooperation with these German institutions. In the winter semester 2002/2003 there were 14 doctoral students from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and 20 doctoral students from other universities and research institutions registered at the Research School. More than half the students come from abroad. Among the countries of origin are Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norway, Austria, Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Turkey, and the Ukraine.

For further information, please visit: www.imprs-demogr.mpg.de.