Hessen celebrates ten years of independent doctoral rights

Hessen celebrates ten years of independent doctoral rights for Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW). Since the law was introduced in 2016, nearly 100 students have successfully completed their doctoral procedures at these institutions without needing to cooperate with a traditional university.

Science Minister Timon Gremmels described the policy as a “success model” that has served as a template for other German federal states. Currently, there are eight doctoral centers established across various Hessian HAWs, including institutions in Fulda, Darmstadt, and Mittelhessen, covering fields such as Public Health, Sustainability Science, and Life Science Engineering.