HAW Hamburg opens doctoral programs: New chapter for research!

HAW Hamburg opens doctoral programs: New chapter for research!

On November 14, 2025, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) presented itself with a significant step in the academic landscape: the official start of its own doctoral program. This event was celebrated with a ceremonial opening in the auditorium at Berliner Tor, where the focus was on the new opportunities for doctoral students.

The freshly founded Research School and that Center for Postgraduate Studies (CPS) will enable doctoral procedures in the future and thus mark a new phase in Hamburg's research landscape. Science Senator Maryam Blumenthal congratulated the opening and emphasized the importance of application-oriented research. Also Prof. Dr. Ute Lohrentz, President of HAW Hamburg, emphasized the strategic importance of the right to award doctorates and emphasized the creation of an infrastructure for excellent research.

Research projects in the spotlight

During the opening ceremony, three doctoral students presented their innovative research projects that address various social challenges. Tabea Rosenthal is dedicated to interdisciplinary social and health research and examines the long-term consequences of intensive care treatment. Her focus is on the functional health of patients after discharge. In his work Sustainable Technologies and Systems, Martin Grasenack addresses storage and sector coupling technologies in energy shortage situations and develops recommendations for minimum capacities. Finn Dohrn, on the other hand, works on adaptive learning systems in the field of computational engineering and applied data science that can adapt to changing conditions.

The Vice President Prof. Dr. During the celebration, Peter Wulf looked back on the development of doctoral law since 2010 and explained that strong scientific areas have been created at HAW Hamburg during this time. A decisive step towards the introduction of the right to award doctorates was the positive assessment of the university by the Science Council in 2023, which confirmed the innovation potential and research quality. The approval of the introduction of the right to award doctorates by the Authority for Science, Research and Equal Opportunity took place on March 1, 2025.

A new path for students

With its doctoral program, HAW Hamburg is aimed at a broad audience that goes beyond traditional prospective students. The university not only informs and supports students and employees, but also company representatives and teachers. The HAW Hamburg website offers comprehensive information about courses of study, application and financing your studies, and provides resources to help you choose your course of study.

The introduction of our own doctoral program not only represents a milestone for the university, but also offers future researchers the opportunity to produce excellent scientific work under optimal conditions. In this respect, it remains to be seen what new findings and innovations will emerge from this research initiative.