Write around the Clock and Globe: Bayreuth Global PhD community wrote for 19.5hrs together

The Gateway Offices in Bordeaux, Melbourne and Shanghai together with the University of Bayreuth Graduate School hosted the workshop series “Write around the Clock and Globe” for doctoral candidates of the global Bayreuth network.

In four workshops more than 45 international Phd candidates based in Germany, France, China and Australia came together to focus on writing skills and learn from professional writing coaches as well as from their peers.  

Sessions focused on:

• How to regain momentum after a writing break

• How to set realistic and motivating writing goals

• How to overcome perfectionism

• How to get into the right mental space and find your motivation

• How to write a concise literature review

• How to deal with distractions and set the scene for a perfect/productive workspace

• How to improve productivity

• How to nourish your brain and body

The final event was a hybrid writing event around the globe adding up to a 24 h writing relay across time zones. Participants chose their most productive time and wrote in a group setting via Zoom or on campus in Bayreuth or Melbourne. Focused writing sessions alternated with short breaks, a relaxing yoga session, snacks and networking. We are proud to say that we managed to keep the relay going for 19,5 hours straight. 

About the Hosts:

The University of Bayreuth’s Gateway Offices in Bordeaux, Melbourne and Shanghai serve as contact points to support the exchange of Bayreuth’s students, researchers and instructors. They enhance cooperation in research and teaching, establish and maintain contacts with institutions in science and industry, and manage the University of Bayreuth’s networks in their respective regions.

The University of Bayreuth Graduate School supports doctoral candidates of all disciplines and provides necessary services surrounding a doctorate. Membership is open to all doctoral candidates of the faculties and graduate centres of the University of Bayreuth. The aim of the University of Bayreuth Graduate School is to foster an international, national and interdisciplinary network and to ensure and further develop university-wide quality standards during the doctorate.

18 PhD positions in International Research and Training Group available

Together with two Australian partner universities, the University of Melbourne and Monash University, the University of Bayreuth is establishing a new International Research Training Group (IRTG) in the field of semiconductor research. The graduate school will start in spring 2023 and will be funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) for an initial period of five years with more than six million euros. Outstanding young talents from the fields of physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering can apply for admission to the International Research Training Group and associated positions as research assistants with the aim of obtaining a doctorate.

18 PhD Scholarships in optoelectronic semiconductors

Semiconductor materials are the cornerstone of modern electronic and photonic technology, and central to sustainable economic growth. So far, the functions of semiconductors are mainly defined by chemical and physical properties of their components, and organic and inorganic semiconductors are treated as separate research areas. We want to overcome the divide in material systems and tailor unprecedented optoelectronic properties by the

International German-Australian Research Training Group:

Optical excitations in organic and inorganic semiconductors (OPTEXC) -

Understanding and control through external stimuli

The University of Bayreuth (Germany), the University of Melbourne (Australia) and Monash University (Australia) together have constituted an interdisciplinary International Research Training Group in the areas of experimental and theoretical physics, synthetic, physical and computational chemistry, electrical engineering, material sciences and related areas.

We are looking for highly talented, compassionate graduate students with excellent track records interested in pushing forward our understanding of nature and its application in technology. The project builds on our established, supportive scientific network and includes research stays at a German and an Australian partner, leading to Joint PhDs with degrees from two universities. You can find below a description of the topic areas and the PhD projects on offer.

First Publication emerging Bayreuth's International Summer School

‘Regional Human Rights: International and Regional Human Rights: Friends or Foe?’ is the first publication out of the Bayreuth International Summer School

‘Regional Human Rights: International and Regional Human Rights: Friends or Foe?’ is the first edited volume emerging the Bayreuth International Summer School. Co-edited by Prof. Dr Bernd Kannowski from the University of Bayreuth and Prof. Dr. Kerstin Steiner from La Trobe University in Melbourne, the volume brings together international voices on regional approaches to human rights. As outlined by Prof. Kannowski in the Foreword to the volume:

‘The volume now in your hands is meant to provide a comprehensive overview of the various regional perspectives on human rights. It presents a snapshot of global human rights, against which different regional human rights systems across five continents are juxtaposed.’ (p.10).

Five experts from five continents are showcasing what regional human rights mean in their geo-political context thereby illustrating the wider theoretical framing with tangible case studies and examples.

Following Bernd Kannowski’s Foreword, Bahame Tom Nyanduga (African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights) looks at The African Human Rights System in chapter 1, followed by a focus on Inter-American protection of economic actors’ human rights by Carolina Olarte-Bácares (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia) in chapter 2. Chapter 3, by Kerstin Steiner focuses on Malaysia and the challenges for Human Rights in Asia, her colleague Emma Henderson (La Trobe University, Australia) scrutinizes human rights in Australia and the final chapter bookends the volume Olivier Dubos (University of Bordeaux) and Victor Guset (Universtié De Rouen) by focusing European Protection of Human Rights.

I spoke to Prof. Kerstin Steiner as the co-editor of the book and as the author for the chapter entitled ‘The Challenges for Human Rights in Asia: Islam and the Patchwork System for Freedom of Religion in Malaysia’.

Prof. Dr. Steiner has been researching and living in Melbourne for many years, but is originally from Germany, where she also completed her Law Degree. She is an expert in Southeast Asian socio-legal studies researching at the intersection of law, politics, economics and society, especially with regard to Islam.  Kerstin has been teaching into the human rights course at the Bayreuth International Summer School and is collaborating closely with the Faculty of Law, Business and Economics.

She explains the theoretical framing of the book, and why human rights – whilst universal – also have to be scrutinized within their particularly regional context. At the heart of the volume stands ‘one of the biggest challenges of human rights nowadays: if they are international or do they have to culturally entrenched?’

Prof. Dr. Steiner’s contribution focuses on Malaysia as a case study for the various roles that religious laws – in the case Malaysia, Islamic Law – means for human rights approaches. In the video below, she provides the example of religious freedom as a human right, which also includes the freedom to leave one’s religion.  In her case study, she highlights, that even within one country, different regional approaches to secular and religious law mean that this ‘human right’ can be interpreted in very different ways. In this context, she addresses the question if a regional approach to human rights can be a mediator between global, local and regional human rights discourses.   – A question that certainly ties together the volume, which is available directly from its publisher Nomos, Amazon and of course at your University’s library.

New and third MOOC 'Immigration and Labour Markets in Economic History' launches on Edx

We’re happy to announce that our MOOC „Immigration and Labour Markets in Economic History“ will be available on edX starting September 30th.

Professor Sebastian Braun and other selected experts will guide you through topics like ‚effects of immigration on wages and employment‘.

Watch the short video below to get a first impression.

New Joint PhD program with Deakin University

The University of Bayreuth and Deakin University have signed an agreement enabling joint PhDs at the two institutions in Germany and Australia.

PhD candidates at Bayreuth and Deakin now have the opportunity for an international, joint PhD in Bayreuth and at Melbourne’s Deakin University. This means that a candidate will be jointly enrolled, supervised by one supervisor in either country and will finally graduate with two PhD testamurs. During the candidature each joint candidate will spend at least 12 months at the other institutions and thus have the opportunity to gain international experience an exposure in two different linguistic, cultural and research environments.

Prof. Dr. Leible, president of the University of Bayreuth with Dr Arnim Heinemann (Director, International Office) with the signed joint-PhD agreement

Deakin University is a longstanding partner of the University of Bayreuth and has campuses in Melbourne and the western part of Victoria. Focus of the collaborations have so far been in the areas of sport science, health economics and law with participation in Bayreuth’s international summerschool, joint workshops and visits. The joint PhD program will add to this partnership and hopefully allow many PhD candidates to take advantages of this international program,  as well as strengthen and further the relationship between the two Universities.

The first joint PhD candidate will arrive in Bayreuth October, before heading to Melbourne in twelve months. His research is concerned with non-pharmaceutical interventions for dementia and he will be supervised by Prof. Dr. mult Eckard Nagel and Prof. Cathy Mihalopoulos, Chair and Head, Deakin Health Economics.

Bayreuth panel at the African Studies Conference in Melbourne

A panel from Bayreuth’s African Studies presented at the annual African Studies Conference held at the University of Melbourne. Organised by the African Studies Group, the conference spanned five days and topics ranging from cultural studies and legal studies to de-colonialisation, diaspora and community engagement.

The panel from Bayreuth was chaired by Dr. Christine Vogt-William and hightlighted the interfaces of research, solidarity and de-colonial care in African and Afro-diasporic. contexts from various angles and demonstrated well the investment of Bayreuth’s African Studies scholar in reconfiguring the research field, in its dual trajectory of critical inquiry and critical praxis. The panel included three presentations by current doctoral candidates and was concluded by Dr. Vogt-Wiliam’s contemplations on COVID-19 and the need for intersectional modes of care politics.

Dikko Muhammed (from Northern Nigeria) analyzed the deeply engrained presence of racialised thought in the works of Nigerian poets. As these works still remain within the framework of hierarchies, binaries and concepts established by the colonial order, his contribution highlighted the need to free literary expressions from exclusionary and disparaging colonial epistemologies.

Valerie Gruber (from Germany), spoke about her experience with transdisciplinary research among Afro-diasporic communities in Brazil and Colombia, where she developed an approach to producing valid and mutually beneficial knowledge. in collaboration with marginalized communities.

In a joint presentation, Eileen Jahn (from Germany), Patricia Pinky Nkete (from South Africa) discussed the prospects and challenges of the solidarity, diversity and inclusion nexus in the light of their research on access to electricity and the presence of women in the taxi industry in South Africa.

The panel motivated a critically engaged discussion and added to conversations bringing together Bayreuth’s African Studies scholars and the scholarly community in the same field in Australia.

MOOC 'Biomaterials and Biofabrication: Design, Engineering and Innovation'

Different materials and different processing techniques have revolutionized the medical field. From artificial hips that keep people mobile to wound dressings that can replace the need for a skin graft, the field of biomaterials and biomedical engineering has refocused the emphasis from the length of a lifetime to the quality of life. Seeking to completely heal wound and cure diseases, cutting edge research in biomedical engineering has drifted towards smart drugs, smart materials, tissue engineering and biofabrication.

Are you interested in multidisciplinary studies that combine engineering, technology, chemistry, materials science, biology, and medicine come together and form a new emerging sector? Are you curious how you can harness the power of natural resources to solve modern day problems? Biofabrication, the simultaneous processing of cells, biomaterials and other biological factors into tissue-like structures, covers all of these topics and more.
 
This MOOC leads you through videos that build on a storyline where you will watch the characters solve their unique medical problems. Our interactive videos enforce all theoretical concepts with an entertaining storyline, examples, and in-video quizzes. By taking this course with the University of Bayreuth, you will have the opportunity to meet international field experts who will offer you highly practice-oriented content in an interactive way that will sharpen your theoretical and practical skills. You can enrol in the course for free, or you can enrol in a paid version to receive a certificate.

Two international master’s courses so commence 2021 - applications now open!

Two new master courses have opened applications for the summer semester 2021. Both courses are held entirely in English and at the new Campus of the University of Bayreuth in Kulmbach. The small town has been a focus of the food industry for hundreds of years and the campus is embedded the rich history of the town and in proximity to its famous brewery.

Food Quality and Safety is unique in Germany and addresses some of the greatest challenges of the 21st century from an interdisciplinary perspective: the sustainable production and distribution of healthy food of the highest possible quality, feeding a steadily growing world population, and optimizing existing supply chains while developing new ones.

Global Food and Nutrition aims to provide the skills required to deal with these global challenges. The focus is on teaching health science skills. In addition to relevant theoretical knowledge in the fields of natural sciences, economics, ethics, law, cultural studies and sociology, the focus is on interdisciplinary competences.

If you’d like to find out more, have a look at the short lectures and course overviews provided by the professorial team at Kulmbach and don’t hesitate to contact us directly at: studyservice-kulmbach@uni-bayreuth.de.

MOOC 'Value Co-Creation in Sport Management' goes into the first round

With 240 participants from more than 50 countries, the first MOOC at UBT in collaboration with EdX goes into its first round. Congratulations Professor Herbert Woratschek and the dedicated MOOC Team!

If you’re interested in learning more about the MOOC and how to enrol, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and click on the image below to see the teaser video.

The MOOC ‘Value Co-Creation in Sport Management – A New Logic in a Changing Society’ covers the following topics:

• Overview the traditional logic – the logic of sport products – used to analyze sport events

• Discover an innovative logic in sport management – the logic of value co-creation – and its advantages in practical use

• Contrast the traditional logic with the value co-creation approach

• Analyze authentic examples and case studies conducted by international researchers

• Learn about sport sponsorship, branding, and ticketing

• Analyze the role of social interactions in sport events, and obtain key management knowledge for a changing society

• Check your acquired understanding for sport management through interactive exercises

Australian-German Research Network Conference 2020

The Australian-German Research Network is a join initiative by the German embassy in Canberra and the Australian embassy in Berlin and offers a forum for researchers from both countries. This year the conference was held online and as part of the Brisbane German week.

The University of Bayreuth organised a roundtable discussion on the topic of Planetary Health co-chaired by Univ.-Prof. Dr. mult. Eckhard Nagel and Martin Hensher from Deakin University. The researchers provided an overview into their research topic drawing also on their collaborations at at the international summers school in Bayreuth.

Situating the Economics of Health and Healthcare in its wider environmental and planetary context challenges economic models and stresses the interdependence and interrelatedness between health, the health care system, the planet and finally the economic evaluations of health interventions. A focus on planetary health fosters a holistic, scientific understanding of the complexities of sustainability related to people, planet and economics.