Imrovement of support for iternational PhD students

As part of Göttingen's welcoming culture, the Graduate Schools offer support for international PhD students with their Helpdesks for international PhD students. The very good use of this offer illustrates the need of international PhD students and contributes significantly to the success of their doctorate in Göttingen. The availability and support of international doctoral students is an important and time-consuming field of work. In order to maintain the counselling service in the long term and since international doctoral researchers have an increased need for counselling regarding funding and perspectives during and after their doctorate, as evidenced by usage figures, the helpdesk in the GGG was merged with the Doctoral Funding Counselling. At the same time, the funding advice service for domestic doctoral students will be maintained.

To support this, a central contact person was assigned at the Welcome Centre in 2018 on the initiative of the graduate schools, who will sustainably improve the welcome culture of the university and the city by working out solutions to recurring problems with the residence status of international doctoral students. Firstly, she will maintain the university's contact with the Employment Agency and the Foreigners' Registration Office. Secondly, she will be available to the graduate schools as a contact person for residence issues. To this end, she will work with the graduate schools to prepare information on residence titles and rights for the graduate schools, research training groups and other university institutions. Thirdly, she will assist the doctoral researchers in social issues when accompanying international doctoral researchers - such as finding accommodation, childcare.