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Funding approved for the Bielefeld and Paris I Universities programme

As the German–French Chamber of Industry and Commerce announced in February, France is once again Germany’s most important trading partner in 2012. It is only appropriate that Bielefeld University and University of Paris I are working together to train students in quantitative economic research. The already established Master’s and doctoral degree programmes are to receive funding from the German–French University for five years starting in the next winter semester. The programme is called ‘PhD Track in Quantitative Economics’, TiQE in short. Funding was approved on 8 April.

The direct path to a doctorate: A precondition for funding from the German–French University was a design linking together the two-year Master’s programme with the three-year doctoral programme to form a five-year training course. The goal is to give outstanding students the chance to already aim towards their doctorate during their Master’s programme. The programmes should effectively integrate the German and the French parts of the courses and exhibit a highly structured training concept. The joint application by Bielefeld University and University of Paris I was able to convince the experts on the University Council of the German–French University. Professor Dr. Herbert Dawid and Professor Dr. Frank Riedel from the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics and the Center for Mathematical Economics (IMW) are responsible for the programme in Bielefeld.

Funding for TiQE is 15,000 Euro a year for infrastructure plus 200 Euro for each enrolled graduate student intending to also study in the partner country along with further mobility allowances and foreign scholarships. The project proposal was initially for twelve Master’s and eight doctoral students – one half in Paris and the other half in Bielefeld. The groups will be mixed right from the start so that some Bielefeld students will begin in Paris and vice versa. Several changes of study location are planned during the course of the Master’s and doctoral degree programme. Although courses will be taught in English, language courses in either French or German are an integrative part of the programme. Students passing their Master’s examinations will receive a double degree from TiQE. Doctoral students will be supervised by both universities and awarded a joint degree.

As well as gaining binational qualifications, students will profit from comprehensive supplementary training in the other country’s language. The long periods of study and research will give them a great opportunity to get to know another country and its customs in great detail. In addition, the double degree represents a significant additional qualification when applying for jobs in science or business. It will allow a good career start in both Germany and France.

The German–French University is an association of member universities from Germany and France. It promotes relations and exchanges between German and French universities in order to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in higher education and research.

For further information in the Internet, go to:
www.bigsem.de
www.wiwi.uni-bielefeld.de/lehre/studienberatung/studentisch/studiengaenge/master-quantitative-economics.html

Contact:
Dr. Ulrike Haake, Bielefeld University
Center for Mathematical Economics (IMW)/Bielefeld Graduate School of Economics and Management (BiGSEM)
Telephone: 0521 106-4922
Email: ulrike.haake@uni-bielefeld.de