FTH Giessen Cooperates with the ETF Leuven Doctoral Program

The Evangelische Theologische Faculteit (ETF) in Leuven and the Freie Theologische Hochschule (FTH) in Giessen, Germany, have signed a cooperation agreement for cooperative promotions. This initiative is an intensification of the current good and long-standing cooperation on training German PhD students.

Cooperative doctoral programs give higher education institutions without a doctoral degree, such as FTH, the opportunity to participate in a doctoral program of a recognized institution such as ETF. PhD students will be supervised by two promoters, one attached to ETF Leuven and one to FTH Giessen. Upon successful completion of the PhD project, the doctoral degree will be awarded by ETF Leuven.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Beck, Dean of ETF Leuven and at the time of signature also Rector of this institution: “Through this cooperation agreement with ETF Leuven, FTH Giessen can offer an international, evangelical and academic doctoral training to talented researchers in the evangelical movement. FTH is a strong academic partner and has several professors with an excellent research profile.”

ETF Leuven and FTH Giessen have been working together on a number of research projects for many years. This has led, among other things, to the creation of post-doctoral positions for FTH employees at ETF. A number of professors from FTH Giessen also have an appointment at ETF Leuven. Since 2006, they have been involved as promoters or co-supervisors in eight ETF promotions. In addition, Prof. Dr. Andreas Beck is Chairman of the Supervisory Board (Hochschulrat) of FTH.

Photo: Prof. Dr. Stephan Holthaus, rector of FTH Giessen, and Prof. Dr. Andreas Beck, dean of ETF Leuven (and at the time of signature also Rector).