DocMase

international PhD

The Joint European Doctoral Programme in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering (DocMASE) is an international PhD programme with the participation of universities in Germany, France, Spain and Sweden.

The DocMASE Programme was funded with Erasmus Mundus scholarships. The last intake with this funding started in 2015 and expired in 2019.

Within this programme, PhD students studied at:

UdS – Universität des Saarlandes, Germany
LTU – Luleå tekniska universitet, Sweden
UPC – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
UL – Université de Lorraine, France
LiU – Linköping University, Sweden

Although the DocMASE Programme does no longer get a financial support by the EU, the DAAD provides each year a number of scholarships within the Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP). These scholarships are intended for students starting doctoral thesis work at the Saarland University in Germany.

The Materials Science and Engineering Department (MSE) of Saarland University is recognised as one of the leading centres of Materials Science in Germany. The department is formed by 11 chairs covering the wide spectrum of this field. Scientific research at the university is particularly enhanced by intensive collaboration with distinguished research centres established on the university campus, such as the Leibnitz Institute of New Materials (INM), the Fraunhofer Institute for Non-Destructive Testing (IZfP), and the Material Engineering Center Saar (MECS).

Former research topics of PhD candidates can be found here.

Application and funding

Applicants have to use this application form. Applications must be received through our online application system.

DocMASE is aimed at candidates with a Master’s (or equivalent) degree in Materials Science and Engineering, or other related subjects such as Physics or Chemistry. Very good English knowledge is required, German knowledge will be an advantage. The DAAD scholarships are available for non-German candidates that have not lived more than 15 months in Germany.

The DAAD funding is for up to three or (in the case of developing and emerging countries) for up to four years and will cover:

a monthly scholarship rate of currently 1000 €,
a country-dependent travel allowance,
a combined health, accident, and liability insurance,
if necessary, a rent subsidy and family allowance

Aims

The aim of DocMASE is to provide a high-level research structure for the best students from Europe and the world. Research projects in close cooperation with two universities of the consortium are available. Co-mentorship is an integral part of the project, thus students will be assigned an advisor from each university where he/she carries out the research work.

Students can opt for an academic or an industrial focus in their research. Throughout the PhD, doctoral students are required to go to one of the partner universities for at least six months, and additionally to one of the associated partners for at least two weeks.