The NRW Research Colleges are concerned with applied research in subject areas of high socio-political relevance. Characteristic of their research approaches is a high degree of complexity. The application of inter- and transdisciplinary research methods is expected to lead to more balanced and better implementable solutions. The Graduate Schools are intended to teach and develop appropriate research methods.

The Graduate Schools aim for a broad interdisciplinary approach, which does not only consist of the longstanding cooperation with familiar disciplines. Engineering and natural sciences are particularly to be linked with the humanities and social sciences. The Graduate Schools also work transdisciplinarily. This means that they work actively and with defined roles with non-scientific social actors as carriers of practical and regional knowledge (stakeholder involvement). The involvement of partners is intended to further strengthen the application relevance of the doctoral programs. Furthermore, Doctoral students will be enabled to research and manage complex interdisciplinary and solution-oriented projects.

The Graduate Schools are located at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. If universities of applied sciences are part of a university consortium, cooperative doctorates are possible. Between ten and 15 doctoral students are to conduct research in one Graduate School. Doctorates are awarded in the participating disciplines. The individual doctorate is responsibility of the respective faculty. The Graduate School must create the conditions for the individual doctorate to be completed in three to three and a half years.

The Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of NRW