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SICSS
SCHOOL OF INTEGRATED
CLIMATE AND EARTH
SYSTEM SCIENCES

Photo: UHH/SICSS

Courses and Retreats

SICSS brings together doctoral candidates from diverse scientific backgrounds and promotes an integrated and innovative education in climate and earth system sciences. A key component of the program is the development of transferable skills through a wide range of soft skill courses, workshops, and seminars. These offerings – partly organized in collaboration with partner graduate schools and other institutions of the University of Hamburg – strengthen communication, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition, the SICSS curriculum provides targeted research training to support scientific excellence in Earth and Climate System Sciences.

The annual SICSS retreat provides an excellent opportunity for all doctoral candidates to connect, exchange ideas, and engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. New doctoral candidates introduce themselves, presenting their projects and research interests, while candidates in their final year give a talk on their work, receiving constructive feedback from their peers. Beyond individual presentations, participants also discuss overarching scientific topics or key skills relevant to their doctoral journey. The retreat fosters networking, collaboration, and a strong sense of community among the doctoral candidates.

Compulsory elements

Becoming a member of SICSS starts with the compulsory Introduction Course that gives an expert-based overview on the disciplines, dealing with climate and earth system sciences. The Introduction Course includes lectures and practicals on good scientific practice and intercultural training. The course covers foru days and takes place outside of Hamburg.

The annual retreat is a mandatory component of the doctoral program and provides an ideal platform for all candidates to connect, exchange research ideas, and expand their professional network. New doctoral candidates introduce themselves, presenting their projects and research interests, while senior candidates in their final year give talks on their work and receive constructive feedback from their peers. The retreat also offers the opportunity to discuss broader scientific topics or key skills relevant to the doctoral journey, fostering collaboration and a strong sense of community among all participants.

Elective elements

The elective Soft skill courses focus on a further qualification in general academic skills. This constitutes for example scientific writing, presentation or leadership skills, project management or media training.

Specific research skill courses are dedicated to programming skills, computer languages, modeling or visualization tools.

All courses in SICSS are announced regularly by e-mail and on the webpage for download. Besides our own program, the SICSS Office regularly announces also many other courses or lectures opened for SICSS members and offered by partner graduate schools or by University of Hamburg. The elective course offer can be found here.

If you want to register for an elective course please contact:

Berit Hachfeld

Dr. Berit Hachfeld
Tel.: +49 40 42838-8894
Mail: berit.hachfeld"AT"uni-hamburg.de

Credit points

SICSS expects its candidates to collect at least 12 credit points (CPs) during their doctoral phase. CPs are granted for all SICSS courses but also for many other external lectures, courses, workshops, symposia, summer schools etc.. Also for community services (teaching, course assistance, being doctoral representative) SICSS may grant CPs.

The doctoral candidates list all visited courses in their advisory panel meeting reports.

Overview of CP calculation

course durationhours (h)credit points (CP)
1 day 1x7 h 0.5 CP
1.5 days 1x7 & 1x4 h 1.0 CP
2 days 2x7 h 1.0 CP
3 days 3x7 h 1.5 CP
4 days 4x7 h 2.0 CP
1 week 5x7 h 2.5 CP
summer / winter school    
3-4 days > 60 h 2.0 CP
5-7 days > 90 h 3.0 CP
8-9 days > 150 h 5.0 CP
> 9 days > 200 h max. 6.0 CP
active conference* participation
(talk / poster / presentation)		    
2-3 days < 30 h 0.5 CP
>3 days > 30 h 1.0 CP

* We count the time allocation for the personal contribution.

Graduation

After finishing their doctorate (submission of thesis and disputation) all successful candidates receive a SICSS certificate stating that they’ve been member in SICSS. The certificate is completed with a transcript of records that lists all academic achievements and merits incl. earned credits during their doctoral phase.