Research Perspective
PhD students affiliated with this doctoral college investigate general biotic responses, but also how global changes (in climate and land-use) affect the biosphere (in the most general sense) in mountain areas. The research of IDC PhD students is focused on functioning and diversity and will cover a wide range of spatial and temporal scales - from genes, organisms, populations, ecosystems to landscapes and seconds to millennia. The thesis topics are part of cutting edge research in modern biological disciplines holding strong interdisciplinary incentives.
Aims of the IDC ABGC
The IDC Alpine Biology and Global Change intends to provide a fruitful multi-disciplinary environment for educational training of excellent national and international PhD students in the field of Alpine Biology and Global Change with international quality assurance standards. The IDC Alpine Biology and Global Change forms an outstanding platform for multi-disciplinary exchange between PhDs and their supervising researchers and affiliated Post Docs. It provides an opportunity for early career scientists to present research, and network with their peers in a supportive and inspiring environment.
Admission of new PhD students
The applicants have to be enrolled and registered at the University of Innsbruck or a university cooperating in the frame of the IDC program. The main PhD supervisor and one co-supervisor are members of the IDC and must have different research foci. To apply for the IDC, an expression of interest in the form of an exposé (contents, time, and finance plans) on the planned thesis topic has to be submitted to the Executive Board (EB) by the main supervisor. If the EB has no concerns about the feasibility of the PhD project, the EB invites the PhD students to present their PhD concept and motivation for joining the IDC in the frame of an “application-colloquium” (can be an independent event or part of another IDC event) offered by the IDC at least twice a year in case of pending applications. The final admission is decided by the EB.