The TRUST-/ARL Research Training Group: Excellence-oriented Promotion of Young Researchers in the Field of 'Spatial Transformation'

The research training group consists of up to ten PhD candidates who carry out research on “Spatial Transformation – phenomena, planning, control, design within the field of tension between rural and urban areas.” The individual PhD theses deal with aspects of spatial structural change from natural scientific, ecological as well as engineering and social scientific perspectives.  In addition, they are embedded in relevant theoretical discourses and relate to pertinent plans of action for planning and political purposes.

Next to creating the PhD theses, the promotion entails an extensive supporting programme including events with special focus (e.g. inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation, methods, etc.), intensive and soft skill courses, and the participation in joint colloquia as well as monthly meetings. In addition, the PhD candidates are encouraged to take on an active role in their respective institutes respectively the ARL.  Furthermore, by collaborating actively in one of the TRUST clusters, they become more familiar with the inter- and transdisciplinary work in TRUST, which increases the knowledge transfer between the research centre, the research training group, and the ARL.

Usually TRUST PhD candidates are supervised by professors of TRUST, respectively the Leibniz Universität Hannover. Their ARL counterparts are supervised by ARL employees. Participation in the research training group is limited to three years.