General Information

The Ruhr Graduate School of Economics (RGS Econ) offers research and higher education in economics. Emphasis is on analytical theories and advanced methods.

The RGS Econ is 1 of 17 NRW Graduate schools, a programme which started in 2008. These Graduate Schools provide young researchers with the opportunity to follow their doctoral studies as members in leading research teams at the various universities in Northrhine-Westfalia (NRW).

Roots

In the early 1990s, researchers from the universities of Bochum and Dortmund submitted a proposal to the German Research Council (DFG). The idea was to setup a joint graduate school which deals with key issues of allocation theory. Due to the emphasis on empirical analyses, researchers from the RWI Essen were asked to participate. The DFG Graduate Programme "Allokationstheorie, Wettbewerbspolitik und kollektive Entscheidungen" started in 1996 and has been evaluated to be a very successful collaboration.

The Ruhr Graduate School in Economics is based on the competences and experiences of this DFG Graduate Programme. The collaboration with RWI Essen has been strengthened and the University of Duisburg-Essen joined the alliance as a new partner. On this basis, the RGS Econ aims at a continuation of research and education at an internationally advanced level.

Goals

Combining research and higher education in the field of Economics is the core objective of the RGS Econ. Both, research and higher education are based on an application and advancement of sophisticated research methods. They are related to international standards of excellence, and both deal with issues which are of paramount importance for practical problems and their solution.

The RGS Econ wants to attract students to conduct research, pass their exams and finish their Ph.D. thesis within three years. This requires a selection of the best candidates as well as close supervision and coaching. The RGS Econ does not charge fees and offers a limited number of scholarships (1,300 Euro per month) for a maximum of three years.