The Einstein Foundation Berlin’s new award honors doctoral programs at Berlin universities and Charité university hospital that have already proved particularly successful in practice. The prize money is designed to open up new a scope both for promoting young researchers and for structural development. It is also intended to contribute to giving the quality of doctoral training in Berlin yet greater international visibility. In his welcoming address, the Governing Mayor of Berlin said, "I am very pleased that today we are able, for the first time, to confer Einstein Doctoral Program Awards for outstanding doctoral programs at Berlin universities and Charité university hospital. Science and scholarly research are the key to innovations in Berlin that can change our entire city and our society. Science and scholarly research are the key to a good future for Berlin. That is why the two belong together. The Einstein Foundation embodies this combination in a very special way."

The Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School at Freie Universität Berlin and the Berlin School of Mind and Brain at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin won the top prize (summa cum laude). The second prize (magna cum laude) went to the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies, which is jointly operated by Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, and is the doctoral training program for young researchers within the Excellence Cluster Topoi. "The selected programs are excellent examples of the importance of structured doctoral programs for an academic career," said Prof. Dr. Olaf Kübler, vice chairperson of the Foundation Council of the Einstein Foundation. "We want to support these successful programs as a means toward establishing high standards for high-quality doctoral education." The prize money can be used for items such as fellowships, doctoral or post-doctoral positions, leave for professors to work on the doctoral programme, travel, and extending invitations. During the three-year period of the grant, the winning programs are designated "Einstein Doctoral Programme."

Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School for Literary Studies

The research done at the graduate school focuses on an internationally oriented study of literature that involves comparing texts from various languages and cultures. Based at Freie Universität Berlin, it is the only graduate school devoted specifically to literary studies that has been funded within the German Excellence Initiative since 2007. During the second funding period, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin was added at a cooperating partner. The high number of degrees being awarded and the internationality of the program were deemed particularly noteworthy. The award money will be used to further strengthen the school's international visibility and networking, for example, through summer schools or by awarding short-term scholarships.

Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies

The Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies is the only permanent graduate school in ancient studies worldwide. It is organized jointly by Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In addition to being interdisciplinary, international networking is an important element of all the doctoral programs offered at the graduate school. In particular, efforts to establish long-term collaboration, regular evaluations, and the high proportion of women were considered noteworthy. The award money will be used, among other things, for scholarships to go abroad, exchange of faculty, and the introduction of a new focus on the topic "ancient economy."

Link to Pictures of the Conferral and Award Winners:

www.einsteinfoundation.de/index.php?id=1095