PhD days 2026

Welcome to PhD Days at the University of Hohenheim!

We are pleased to announce that the PhD Days 2026 will take place on October 5-6, with most events held in a hybrid format (on campus and via Zoom), except for the social gatherings, which will be held in person only. 

PhD Days is a series of events organized by your fellow PhD students from the Graduate Council and the Graduate Academy. Designed for all doctoral candidates - whether you are new to Hohenheim or already part of the community - PhD Days will help you navigate university life, connect with peers, and share your experiences.

If the informational talks and lectures are not for you, we look forward to seeing you at our social events: Monday Pizza Oven Event and Tuesday Restaurant visit.

Venue talks and lectures: Aula (Hohenheim Palace 1 (central building) | 1st upper level)
Online participation: to be added

Venue Mensa lunch: in front of the Mensa main entrance (link to the location)

Venue Campus tour and City tour: in front of the Mensa main entrance 

Venue Monday Pizza Oven Event: Wood Oven (link)

Venue Tuesday Group Dinner: Restaurant "Platzhirsch", Geißstraße 12, 70173 Stuttgart

Please take a moment to register here: registration.

Note on Monday Pizza Oven event: this will feature pizza that we prepare together in the Wood Oven (link). We prefer the format "we make it together, we eat it together" because the size of the oven is limited, and we will have to load it multiple times. We will provide the dough, some basic toppings (vegan and vegetarian), and some non-alcoholic beverages. We encourage participants to contribute toppings of their choice! In case you have any dietary restrictions, please indicate it in the registration form.

Note on Tuesday Group Dinner: the restaurant visit is at participants' own expense.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the PhD Days team by email: phd-days@uni-hohenheim.de

Event description

Welcome & Introduction

You will get to know your PhD representatives and the Graduate Academy and learn how they support you. There will also be an introduction by the Welcome Center Stuttgart.

Publishing

Science without publishing is like music played in an empty room – its beauty exists, but no one else can experience it. From the beauty of sharing insights to publish or perish and predatory publishing, we will introduce scientific publishing alongside some of its downsides and have an open discussion about best practices.

Mensa lunch

We have reserved a table at Mensa – just join to meet fellow PhD students! Feel free to bring your own lunch or buy something from the Mensa.
Meeting point: Mensa entrance.

Your rights at the workplace (Labor rights)

Many PhD researchers are not only students, but also employees of the university. This event provides an introduction to your rights at work in Germany and helps you better understand your position as a university employee. We will discuss important topics such as working conditions, contracts, working hours, leave, and where to find support if you have questions or face problems at work.

Campus tour

Our volunteers will guide you to the most notable places on campus – from useful ones like the office of the Graduate Academy to the most popular places to hang out.

Pizza oven gathering

Join us Monday evening at the roofed, open-air Pizza Oven behind the central library for a make-your-own pizza social. We’ll provide dough and a selection of basic toppings, and some non-alcoholic drinks. Please feel free to bring your favourite toppings - or your own dough - to suit your dietary needs so that we bake and eat together! 
Note: please let us know in the registration form if you have any allergies/intolerances.

IT services and library facilities

We will start with a short introduction to the IT services. Next, we will focus on the practical services offered by the library, including literature research, databases, citation and publishing. Concise, informative and applicable straight away!

Hands-on support

Five institutions that provide practical support will introduce themselves: The Biostatistics group offers statistical consulting for the design and analysis of Experiments and surveys in life sciences. The module Data and Statistical Consulting (DSC) at Core Facility supports researchers in the areas of data collection and data analysis using statistical and econometric methods. The Research Support Department offers academics of all disciplines professional and practical support in applying for third-party funds for research projects. The Ethics Committee acts as a body for the ethical review (Ethical Approval) of research projects. Through Humboldt Reloaded you can integrate student research projects into your own research, e.g. to carry out preliminary tests, interviews, or try out new methods.

Graduate programs

Learn more about the graduate programs available at the University of Hohenheim and how they can support you throughout your doctorate. The session will introduce opportunities for structured doctoral training, academic exchange, and professional development, and provide guidance on finding a program that fits your research interests and career goals.

Job talks: Experiences of alumni in industry

What career paths are possible after a PhD? In this session, University of Hohenheim alumni will share their experiences of moving from academia into industry. Learn about their career journeys, the skills that helped them along the way, and their advice for PhD researchers considering opportunities beyond academia.

City tour

Discover the history and modern side of Stuttgart. Meeting point: in front of the Mensa.

Group dinner

Following the city tour, tables have been reserved for us in the restaurant Platzhirsch. Please note that registration is required as the restaurant needs to know the number of guests beforehand for the reservation. The expenses are covered by participants themselves.