Opening of the International Graduate School of the University of Graz and the Max Weber Kolleg of the University of Erfurt

 

The opening of the International Graduate School " Resonant Self—World Relations in Ancient and Modern Socio-Religious Practices" took place at the Karl Franzens University in Graz from 16^th to 18^th October. On the 1^st of October the joint International Graduate School (IGS) of the University of Graz and the Max Weber Kolleg of the University of Erfurt commenced its work under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jörg Rüpke (Erfurt) and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Spickermann (Graz). Over the next three years the first cohort of doctoral students from both locations will work on their PhD-thesis in various disciplines and also using Hartmut Rosas resonance theory.  
Together with members of the Erfurt and Grazer faculties Teresa Morgan (Oxford) and Hubert Knoblauch (Berlin) acted as key-speakers during the conference. The resonance theory was applied in various historical and theoretical contexts. The core of the conference was the presentation of the doctoral thesis of the erfurter and grazer PhD-Students - which were presented for the first time to the entire faculty.
The conference served as thematic, methodical and theoretical orientation of the research program. It also built a platform for all researchers who are involved in this program and will work together in the coming four years, to get to know each other. An essential element of the program is an one-year research stay at the respective partner institution.
As highlight of the autumn-conference an agreement was signed between the Karl-Franzen-University of Graz and the University of Erfurt, thus officially confirming the joint education of the young researchers. While the Prof. Dr. Spickermann (Graz-Speaker) underlined the will of academic cooperation between the researchers of Graz and Erfurt, Prof Dr. Walter Bauer-Wabnegg (President of the University of Erfurt) emphasized the importance of the signed joint agreement for doctoral studies. The agreement does not only emphasize the internationality of the institutions involved, but also expresses the demand for high quality standards in the participating humanities in Erfurt and Graz. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christa Neuper (Grazer Rector) spoke about the high expectations of the doctoral students of the joint program. The program is the first graduate-research-program in the field if humanities at the university of Graz.
The joint program is funded jointly by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). It will initially run for the next four years, with new work positions and PhD proposals every year.

The next IGS-Conference will be held in Erfurt in April.