About Us

TUM Graduate Council

The TUM Graduate Council is the official representative body of all doctoral candidates at the Technical University Munich. It consists of elected doctoral representatives – at least two from each Faculty and Thematic Graduate Center who are usually elected on a yearly basis – and communicates the opinion of as well as acts on behalf of all TUM doctoral candidates in university politics and beyond.
The TUM Graduate Council meets on a regular basis to discuss all topics relating to the doctoral studies at TUM, to advance various own projects via its Working Groups, and to be informed on current issues of university politics at TUM.
Moreover, the TUM Graduate Council organizes on a yearly basis the legendary doctoral networking event TUMblue, a yearly retreat to Raitenhaslach, the TUM Supervisory Award, a biennial survey among the doctoral candidates, as well as regular “Doktorandenstammtische” and other smaller events.

In case you want to run for the office of doctoral representative at your Graduate Center, you want to get involved with our work, you want to participate in our meetings that are open to all members of TUM, or you just want to stay informed on the latest developments of the TUM Graduate Council contact us via the online contact form or send an email to the Speakers of the TUM Graduate Council.
For regular updates on the TUM Graduate Council, you can also like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Download Official Regulations of the TUM Graduate Council:
[Deutsch]
[English]

Objectives

Representation in university politics
The TUM Graduate Council and particularly its speakers as the officially elected representatives of all doctoral candidates participate in the meetings of various councils and boards of the Technical University of Munich. In this way, the speakers ensure that the views of the doctoral candidates are considered before important decisions.

Developing opinions about university politics
The TUM Graduate Council discusses during its regular meetings all areas of university politics that are important for doctoral candidates, for instance the resolution on new doctoral regulations and financing for external members of the Graduate School. All topic suggestions by doctoral candidates for the TUM Graduate Council are welcome and can be submitted via the contact form.

Exchange and networking
The TUM Graduate Council aims at providing doctoral candidates with a platform to develop and intensify a wide range of academic, professional as well as social networks. For this reason, the meetings and the subsequent social events of the TUM Graduate Council are open to all doctoral candidates. In addition, the TUM Graduate Council organizes on a yearly basis a large networking event, namely TUMblue.

Support and help
While conducting doctoral studies, many issues can come up. These include but are not limited to misconduct regarding Good Scientific Practice, (sexual) harassment, financial problems, difficulties with the supervisors and many others. In this case, doctoral candidates can contact the doctoral representatives at their respective Graduate Centers or the Speakers of the Graduate Council (either via email or the contact form).  All requests will be handled with the utmost care and the highest level of confidentiality.

Activities

Retreat to Raitenhaslach
Once a year, usually during the spring semester break, the TUM Graduate Council holds its retreat at the TUM Science & Study Center in Raitenhaslach. During the three-day retreat, the members of the TUM Graduate Council discuss current topics, advance their ongoing projects and exchange the experiences they encounter during their daily life as doctoral representatives.

TUM Graduate Council Meetings
Approximately every two months, the TUM Graduate Council holds a meeting at one of the different TUM locations. During these meetings, the speakers provide a summary of the topics of the recent meetings of the various councils and boards, the current status of the Working Groups is discussed and the doctoral representatives report current issues from their Graduate Centers. After the official part of the meeting, there is usually a small social event with drinks and food during which further ideas are exchanged and discussed.

TUM Graduate Council Summer Meeting
Besides the regular meetings of the TUM Graduate Council, each year in July there is a special summer meeting which is usually held at the TUM campus in Weihenstephan. During this meeting, the speakers provide an account of the work done during the previous election period and give an outlook on possible future opportunities and tasks. The summer meeting is combined with a barbecue jointly organized with the representatives and the managers of the Graduate Center Weihenstephan.

TUMblue
Sometime around June hundreds of doctoral candidates come to TUMblue, an annual networking event for TUM doctoral candidates hosted by the TUM Graduate Council. It enhances the interaction, communication and thus cooperation of doctoral candidates from all Graduate Centres in a casual setting. Furthermore, TUMblue raises the awareness for the TUM Graduate Council itself and promotes the identification of doctoral candidates with the TUM.