Alongside its research activities, the development of human resources is important for the long-term success of the REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence. Overall, around 140 new jobs (with salaries paid from REBIRTH funds) have been created in connection with REBIRTH, with another 110 researchers receiving financial assistance from other funding sources. A total of 250 people are involved in REBIRTH work groups. Since the project was launched in November 2006, two W3 professorships have been successfully filled, with one other W3 vacancy (for which the appointment process is underway) provisionally filled. These professorships are currently held on an administrative basis. Within the same period, four W2 professorships have been established. The fact that these positions have been successfully filled enabled the final three of the 40 work groups to commence their work in 2008.
Last but not least, the development of ongoing long-term training and diversity programmes is an important aspect of the idea behind REBIRTH. Over the three years that it has been running to date (2007-2009), a total of 54 students (23 males and 31 females) have been enrolled into the Ph.D. programme Regenerative Sciences. Of these, 33 have received (or are receiving) a REBIRTH scholarships, with the rest being funded by their respective workgroups. There are a total of 25 international students from 14 different countries (Bulgaria, China, India, Iran, Columbia, Austria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia and Montenegro, Syria and Tanzania).
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Report by the Area Manager (R. E. Schmidt)
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AREA D – Managers
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Prof. Dr. Reinhold R. Schmidt
MHH – Clinic for Immunology and Rheumatology
Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover
E-Mail: schmidt.reinhold (at) mh-hannover.de
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Prof. Dr. Birgit Glasmacher
LUH – Institute of Multiphase Processes
Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover
E-Mail: glasmacher (at) imp.uni-hannover.de
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| Introduction:
This Area has greatly benefited from the fact that an interdisciplinary graduate programme, the Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS), had already been established for five years prior to the Excellence Initiative, under which it eventually received funding (as did the REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence). The coordinator of HBRS is also the coordinator of Area D in REBIRTH. These circumstances led to highly productive cooperation and interaction between both of these ‘institutions of excellence’. This was strengthened all the more by the decision to hire an experienced coordinator, Dr. Daniela Pelz, to both organize the graduate programme Regenerative Sciences and to carry out personal development projects in both institutions. This jointly taken internal organizational decision enabled a number of activities to be established:
1. The Ph.D. programme Regenerative Sciences
Established in 2007, the new Ph.D. programme enables participants to forge a career in the field of regenerative medicine; it combines different research activities and fosters communication within the Cluster of Excellence. This programme was integrated within HBRS and has benefited from this graduate school’s considerable experience in designing and implementing an international graduate course. It has now adopted the successful modular structure for its curriculum, the recruitment strategy & the organization of the student´s examinations, as outlined below.
2. ‘Reception/welcome office’ for foreign scientists
In conjunction with the graduate programme, Dr Daniela Pelz and Dr Susanne Kruse (the coordinator of HBRS), have introduced specific ‘consultation hours’ for foreign Ph.D. students and post-docs. They provide guidance on the employee welfare situation at MHH and, in particular, on health insurance, pregnancy, and other aspects of life in Germany.
3. Gender equality and diversity programmes
A well-established gender equality programme is already in existence at MHH and Leibniz University. In this context, cooperative activities for the Cluster of Excellence have been developed, and a regular workshop for female scientists will be offered within REBIRTH. REBIRTH has already participated in the first phase of the project entitled ‘Frauen in der Spitzenforschung’ (‘Women in Cutting-Edge Research’), and has taken part in the most recent workshop held in Frankfurt. The Cluster of Excellence will also be involved in the second phase of this project, which is investigating how gender equality is implemented within the three funding lines of the Excellence Initiative. MHH, for example, offers an excellent mentoring programme available to all interested female scientists working at any REBIRTH institution.
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