Doctoral Education

At the Leuphana Center for Organization and Social Transformation (LOST), we offer high-quality training to future researchers interested in the intersection between organization, innovation, entrepreneurship, and management studies. We offer doctoral courses in the philosophy of social science, research methods, and paper writing workshops. The training includes supplementary offers to enhance the doctoral experience and provide a kick-start for the academic career. The four core components are a bi-weekly research colloquium, a compulsory doctoral program curated by the graduate school, regular LOST sessions with international guest researchers, and a yearly doctoral conference day. The supplementary offers involve a research stay at an international partner university and a mentoring program. The goal is to train doctoral students for research positions at leading universities or advanced research careers in consulting, government, or industry. LOST PhD students learn to advance theory, develop rigorous research designs, and publish their research in top international outlets in our field. 

Research colloquium
During the semester, doctoral students attend a biweekly research colloquium. The colloquium allows students to present their research projects, discuss research questions as well as practical matters with professors and fellow doctoral students, and receive feedback on their work progress. 

Compulsory PhD curriculum
During the first two years, doctoral students attend courses as part of the program offered by the Leuphana Graduate School. The courses advance students’ theoretical, methodological, and practical skills. The compulsory curriculum includes courses on research methods or scientific ethics and practice. External PhD classes, such as summer and winter schools abroad, can also count towards this curriculum.

LOST sessions and workshops
PhD students from the doctoral program in Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation (EMI) are invited to join our LOST sessions and workshops. Internationally renowned guest researchers are invited to share their experiences and point of view on current and emerging topics in organization studies. In addition, we offer specific workshops related to contemporary research in organization studies, such as workshops on the philosophy of social science, more recent research methods, or timely debates in organization studies. Invited guest speakers have been, for example, Prof. Dr. Howard Aldrich, Prof. Dr. Joep Cornelissen, Prof. Dr. Ann Langley, Prof. Dr. Dan Kärreman, and Prof. Dr. Majken Schulz, who are leading experts in their field. 

PhD conference day
Once a year, the faculty organizes a doctoral conference day in collaboration with other research units. Before the conference, doctoral students submit their current research papers. Doctoral students are assigned to a mentor (a senior researcher) during the conference to discuss their papers. The in-depth discussions with the mentors lead to advanced writing skills and higher-quality papers. Furthermore, invited guests give talks about their academic careers and provide practical tips for successfully publishing research in international journals. 

Leuphana is a member of the European University Network on Entrepreneurship (ESU). Leuphana doctoral students are invited to submit their papers to and participate in workshops at the yearly PhD summer school hosted by one of the ESU member universities. 

Other events for doctoral students with the involvement of LOST scholars:
Austrian Early Scholars Workshop in Management
EGOS PhD and Pre-Colloquium-Workshops

International research stay
LOST collaborates with renowned universities worldwide, such as the Aalto Business School, Copenhagen Business School, McGill University, Oxford University, Queensland University, Rotterdam School of Management, and the University of Glasgow. In addition, the research center has ties to various international research networks, such as ESU, ECSB, GBSN, and ICSB. Doctoral students are encouraged to use this broad international network and undertake a research stay or fieldwork abroad. 

Additional support and resources from Leuphana Graduate School
Leuphana Graduate School offers several highly valuable resources for doctoral students. These include, among others, conference funding, a wide range of courses for developing interdisciplinary skills (GradSkills), the ProScience program, and opportunities to network with the wider Leuphana Graduate Community.