#Q&A 2: What is an Integrated Research Training Group?

February 15, 2019 /

The #Q&A series that helps to understand SFB 1313 related questions

General information
Integrated Research Training Groups (IRTGs) are institutions that can be established within universities to provide structural support for doctoral researchers right from the beginning of their academic careers. They are funded by the DFG for between 4.5 and 9 years and are usually established within the framework of third-party funded projects such as Collaborative Research Centres (in German: Sonderforschungsbereiche, SFB's). Since SFB's conduct interdisciplinary research on major framework topics, the doctoral researchers of the IRTGs also focus on these topics. Doctoral researchers who do a Ph.D. within an IRTG of an SFB have to follow predefined structural guidelines to obtain a certificate of the IRTG.


SFB 1313 IRTG-IMPM
SFB 1313 has established an IRTG entitled "Interface-Driven Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media" (IMPM) with the following guidelines:

  • They have to collect a certain amount of credit points, attending seminars, workshops, short courses etc. that are organized specifically for members of the IRTG
  • They have to give a milestone presentation after one year to present first results to their supervisors and a jury
  • They have to attend the annual status seminars where they present their work and research steps
  • They also are encouraged to go abroad for a three-month research stay at a partner university and to attend international conferences


SFB 1313 has an IRTG with more than 20 doctoral researchers doing their Ph.Ds. In addition to the structured doctoral programme, IRTG-IMPM offers a scholarship programme for Master's students to promote their qualification for research in the field of porous media.

SFB 1313 IRTG-IMPM

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