GRADE - straight into science

GRADE was established in 2009 (as a merger of the Otto Stern School for Integrated Doctoral Education (OSS) and the Frankfurt International Research Graduate School for Translational Biomedicine (FIRST) to serve the area of the Life Sciences and Natural Sciences and it was expanded in July 2010 over the whole University and is now - after a merger with the Frankfurt Graduate School for the Humanities and Social Sciences (FGS) - a unit for all faculties with the aim of establishing a standardized basis of integration as well as Quality Management for Junior Scientists. GRADE was founded by the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main to specifically improve the education and research conditions for its junior researchers. The new facility follows international standards and uses innovative elements to set priorities for postgraduate education at its location in Frankurt.

"The course of a scientific career should not be left to chance. That is why GRADE individually and flexibly helps the junior researchers to create a personal roadmap to success. Our academy provides diverse and high-quality offerings that not only improve academic qualifications, but in addition can help develop personality or - as is becoming ever more important today - can provide orientation in a foreign cultural environment.

It is our goal and aspiration to offer doctoral candidates and recent postdocs the best chances for top qualifications and the development of leadership skills. The environment and society are in a state of rapid change; this is also true for the scientific community. If we are to actively shape this change, we need the intelligent minds of young people who generate new ideas, communicate and finally are in the positions to implement  those ideas.

Our purpose is to qualify innovative scientists and leaders to manage the upcoming challenge!"

Volker Mosbrugger
Director