Specific measures including the course programme, measures guiding the design and implementation of fieldwork in East Asia and specific or supplementary career development measures, span the four-year cycle. Courses and other formats with obligatory attendance are combined with electives for the researchers to choose from, for their individual advancement. As attendance is obligatory for most of these measures, the participating researchers, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers gain exposure to experts and research beyond their own discipline/country focus, thus acquiring a broader, interdisciplinary qualification.
Timeline of the Qualification Programme (Cohort I)
| Year | Milestones and Events | Didactic Programme | Thesis Writing and Supervision |
| 1
2023-24 | October 2023: Start of Programme for Cohort I | Obligatory: Seminar “Theories and Research Methods on Future Conceptions”, taught by all participating researchers Obligatory: Research Colloquium | First Formal Supervisory Meeting with both supervisors, submission of Draft Proposal |
| Electives: Key skills and complementary courses, see Table 4.2. Obligatory: | Literature Review and Research Question due January 15, 2024 | ||
| Research design and methods due May 15, 2024 Presentation practice one week before Proposal Workshop | |||
| June 2024 Proposal Workshop | Obligatory: Peer teaching on Fieldwork OR Archival and Library research (RUB, UDE) | ||
| Milestone 1: Completion of Full Proposal | Elective: Summer School (Europe, UK) on specific topic/ method of each doctoral researcher. | Second Formal Supervisory Meeting with both supervisors | |
| 2 2024-25 | September 2024: Fieldwork / Archival and Library Research in East Asia (6–12 months) including Two Virtual Field Retreats (Zoom video conference) of all doctoral researchers and the post-doctoral researcher with supervisors and hosts at the partner institutions in September 2024 and February 2025 | Elective: Seminar OR Workshop OR Workgroup attendance at guest University | Regular contact to be maintained with supervisors and/or scientific coordinator: Monthly Zoom Meetings |
| Obligatory: Language training in target region | Third Formal Supervisory Meeting after return from fieldwork | ||
| Obligatory: Research Colloquium | |||
| 3
2025-26 | Milestone 2: October 2025: Fieldwork Results Workshop [Cohort II starts the programme] | Obligatory: Research Colloquium for all participants of the RTG after return from fieldwork Electives: Advanced Key Skills, Workshops in Europe/ UK on specific topic / method of each graduate researcher (To be selected in consultation with the supervisor) | |
| February 2026: Joint Event (film series, exhibition): Cohort I and II | |||
| Milestone 3: June 2026 Preliminary Results Workshop | Voluntary / recommended: Conference attendance Obligatory: Participation in project-specific workshops on the four subthemes organized by postdoc, affiliated postdocs and doctoral researchers | Fourth Formal Supervisory Meeting | |
| 4
2026-27 | Milestone 4: Thesis Submission | Electives: Research Career Day, Mentoring Academic Research (RAR) | Writing up of dissertation, regular and frequent supervision meetings |
| June 2027: Final Presentation Workshop | |||
Timeline of the Qualification Programme (Cohort II)
| Year | Milestones and Events | Didactic Programme | Thesis Writing and Supervision |
| 1 2025-26 | October 2025: Start of Programme for Cohort II | Obligatory: Seminar “Theories and Research Methods on Future Conceptions”, taught by all participating researchers Obligatory: Research Colloquium | First Formal Supervisory Meeting with both supervisors, submission of Draft Proposal |
| Electives: Key skills and complementary courses, see Table 4.2. Obligatory: | Literature Review and Research Question due January 15, 2026 | ||
| Research design and methods due May 15, 2027 Presentation practice one week before Proposal Workshop | |||
| February 2026: Joint Event (film series, exhibition): Cohort I and II | |||
| June 2026 Proposal Workshop | Obligatory: Peer teaching on Fieldwork OR Archival and Library research (RUB, UDE) | ||
| Milestone 1: Completion of Full Proposal | Elective: Summer School (Europe, UK) on specific topic/ method of each doctoral researcher. | Second Formal Supervisory Meeting with both supervisors | |
| 2 2026-27 | September 2026: Fieldwork / Archival and Library Research in East Asia (6–12 months) including Two Virtual Field Retreats (Zoom video conference) of all doctoral researchers and the post-doctoral researcher with supervisors and hosts at the partner institutions in September 2026 and February 2027 | Elective: Seminar OR Workshop OR Workgroup attendance at guest University | Regular contact to be maintained with supervisors and/or scientific coordinator: Monthly Zoom Meetings |
| Obligatory: Language training in target region | Third Formal Supervisory Meeting after return from fieldwork | ||
| Obligatory: Research Colloquium | |||
| 3 2027-28 | Milestone 2: October 2027: Fieldwork Results Workshop | Obligatory: Research Colloquium for all participants of the RTG after return from fieldwork Electives: Advanced Key Skills, Workshops in Europe/ UK on specific topic / method of each graduate researcher (To be selected in consultation with the supervisor) | |
| Milestone 3: June 2028 Preliminary Results Workshop | Voluntary / recommended: Conference attendance Obligatory: Participation in project-specific workshops on the four subthemes organized by postdoc, affiliated postdocs and doctoral researchers | Fourth Formal Supervisory Meeting | |
| 4 2028-29 | Milestone 4: Thesis Submission | Electives: Research Career Day, Mentoring Academic Research (RAR) | Writing up of dissertation, regular and frequent supervision meetings |
| June 2029: Final Presentation Workshop | |||
Course Overview
| Courses Specific to the RTG | ||||||
| Type | Duration / Frequency | Contents | Target Group | Location | Prospective Instructors | Participation |
| Seminar | 2 h / weekly (year 1) | Theories on Future conceptions and research methods | doctoral researcher | RUB/UDE | all participating researchers | Obligatory |
| Workshop | 2 h / 4 times (year 1) | Fieldwork/ archival and library training | doctoral researcher | RUB/UDE | RUB/OAW and UDE/IN-EAST Postdocs | Obligatory |
| Complementary Courses | ||||||
| Type | Duration/Frequency | Contents | Target Group | Location | Prospective Instructors | Participation |
| Summer Schools | approx. 3 weeks in July/August (year 1 and/or 2) | individual/ specific topic/method of each doctoral researcher | doctoral researchers | Europe, UK | Elective | |
| Seminars | 2 h / weekly (year 1 and/or 3) | Methods in humanities (history, philosophy, linguistics, religious studies) and social sciences (sociology, political sciences, economics) | doctoral researchers | RUB and UDE | Faculty (professors and teachers) | Elective |
| Language Course | 4 h / weekly (year 1 and/or 3) | English for colloquial and academic communication | doctoral researchers (for non-native speakers) | RUB and UDE | Language teachers | As required |
| Language Course | 4 h / weekly (year 1 and/or 2) | Specific language training for academic communication and for fieldwork (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) | doctoral researchers (non-native speakers) | target region of fieldwork | Language teachers | Obligatory |
| Key Skills Training Courses | ||||||
| Type | Duration/Frequency | Contents | Target Group | Location | Prospective Instructors | Participation |
| Workshop | 4 h / 3 days (year 1) | Reading and writing skills | doctoral researchers | RUB | RUB RS | Elective |
| Workshop | 6 h / 3 days (year 1 and/or 3) | Academic writing skills | doctoral researchers | UDE | UDE GC Plus | Obligatory |
| Workshop | 8 h / 2 days (year 3) | Advanced and effective communication | doctoral researchers | RUB | RUB RS | Elective |
| Workshop | 6 h / 3 days (year 3) | Scientific presentations | doctoral researchers | RUB | RUB RS | Elective |
| Workshop | 8 h / 2 days (year 3) | Networking strategies | doctoral researchers | UDE | UDE GC Plus | Elective |
| Workshop | 8 h / 2 days (year 3) | Academic posters | doctoral researchers | UDE | UDE GC Plus | Elective |
| Workshop | 6 h / 1 day (year 3) | Academic Careers | doctoral researchers / postdoc | RUB | RAR/RUB RS | Elective |
| Mentoring programme | 2 years (year 3 and 4) | Academic careers for female researchers | female doctoral researchers / postdoc | RUB / TUD / UDE | RAR | Elective |
| Workshop | 4 h / 1 day (year 1 and/or 3) | Training course on the collec-tion, storage, editing and sustainable provision of research data | doctoral researchers / postdoc | RUB | RUB Workgroup Research Data Management | Obligatory |
| Training on Good Scientific Practice | ||||||
| Type | Duration/Frequency | Contents | Target Group | Location | Prospective Instructors | Participation |
| Workshop | 2 full days / once (year 1) | Good scientific practice | doctoral researchers | UDE | UDE GC Plus | Obligatory |