HCE College

The HCE College is an interdisciplinary program that equips young researchers with the skills to understand and address the impacts of climate change on society and the environment. It draws on insights and expertise from diverse concepts and disciplines. The initiative aims to foster innovative thinking and improve communication between different research cultures. The program includes regular meetings, workshops, interdisciplinary courses, and colloquia.

The HCE College is aimed at doctoral candidates from the entire field of environmental research in the natural & life sciences, social sciences & economics, and cultural studies.

The application period for the academic year 2025/26 has been closed. 
Inquiries and expressions of interest for the next academic year are possible at any time.

The college's core program includes regular meetings throughout the academic year and an integrative summer workshop. In addition, the HCE College organizes additional courses and workshops tailored to participants' priorities and needs, provides direct access to the interdisciplinary 4EU+ training program Collegio futuro, and offers participants the opportunity to invite a guest speaker.

CORE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES:

Networking and Community Building: Provide a space for participants to get to know one another and develop a collegial, trust-based atmosphere.

Research Communication Across Disciplines: Encourage participants to explain their own research to colleagues from different fields in accessible language.

Collaborative Engagement with Literature: Pairs of participants from different disciplines jointly present and discuss an interdisciplinary publication from the field of environmental studies.

“Lens Shift”- Broadening Research Perspective: Create opportunities for participants to reframe their own research questions by exploring them through other disciplinary lenses, thereby integrating new perspectives and approaches.

The summer workshop allows participants to dive deeper into a topic of shared interest, synthesize insights gained during the program, and engage with an invited guest speaker who brings additional expertise.

To be able to build up one's own professional network and to make one's research visible in the community, the HCE provides funds for networking activities. These funds can be used to attend conferences or workshops or to meet with potential collaboration partners (e.g., in the context of preparing a joint proposal). Regular participation in the core program is a prerequisite for getting the grant. 

For each academic year, participants may receive a Letter of attendance (including the ECTS or SWS).