PhD

The PhD study is rated at 180 ECTS points which is equivalent to 3 years full time study and consists of:

• an independent scientific project
• courses totaling 30 ECTS points, which is the equivalent of one semester
• up to 420 hours of teaching and dissemination activities
• an international research stay for 2-6 months
• a PhD thesis and a public defense.

All PhD students at DTU Bioengineering have a principal supervisor and at least one co-supervisor. This fosters collaboration across the department and with other departments, and provides the PhD students with access to multiple research environments.

In order to experience another scientific environment, build their own network, and benefit from expertise supplemental to that available at DTU, PhD students a DTU Bioengineering will spend 2-6 months with a foreign research group and/or a company.

We also encourage PhD students to build their own national and international network of collaborating researchers during their project period primarily by attending conferences and presenting their research to an international audience.

The gender balance of the PhD students at DTU Bioengineering is approximately 50/50 of whom approximately 40% are internationally recruited and 60% nationally recruited.

Values

The PhD school shares the department values: Transparency, engagement, collaboration, and mutual respect and recognition.

We focus on creating a good learning environment for our PhD students. All PhD students start with a mandatory PhD course including information on the PhD programme, scientific practice, work/life balance, and project and supervisor management.

PhD students are represented in the department’s Work Environment Committee and Liaison Committee and we continuously work on ensuring the best supervision of the PhD students.

PhD & Postdoc Organization at DTU Bioengineering (PoB)

PoB is the main organizational platform for PhDs and postdocs in the department and represents the interests of the PhDs and postdocs. PoB holds annual meetings with the Head of PhD School, where all PhD students are invited to discuss quality and possibilities for improvement of the PhD programme.

PoB arrange various initiatives, which fall into three categories:

• Career events develop useful skills and career opportunities through lectures, company visits, and workshops.
• Social events is the foundation for our strong network and sense of unity in the department.
• Scientific events such as lectures and workshops develop valuable skills, give new insights, and inspiration.

How to become a PhD student at DTU Bioengineering

In order to qualify for a PhD scholarship at DTU Bioengineering you have to have an educational background with an academic level equivalent to a master's degree in a relevant research field. The department’s research points towards the UN Sustainability Goals and we work to better society through science and expect our PhD students to do the same. 

We use multiple channels to attract and recruit the best qualified PhD students. All positions are advertised through open calls, available through the DTU job database as well as international pages such as NatureCareers and EURAXXES.