Study and research in Germany

"It is definitely an advantage for international students to do a doctorate in Germany " says Dr. Tiemo Kracht, Managing Director at Kienbaum Executive Consultants.

Dr. Kracht, how important is a doctorate for professional success?

A doctoral degree continues to have considerable status because it reflects a high standard of achievement. If you study for a doctorate, you demonstrate a strong interest in keeping up with the times and understanding complex subject matter. That also indicates a healthy sense of ambition. Additionally, doctoral students develop a network within the world of research that is of interest to companies.  

In which areas is a doctorate a precondition for getting ahead?

In all research-oriented disciplines – for example, pharmacy, information technology and engineering – senior positions are only filled with researchers with doctorates. In other sectors – for example, banking, in large law firms or in business consultancies – a doctorate is not a requirement, but employers do very much look for one.  

Does that also have an effect on starting salaries?

The gap between high potentials with and without doctorates is somewhere between 10 and 20%. That’s because researchers who have already spent three or four years working at a university and taught as lecturers can offer valuable professional and life experience. Beginners with a doctorate have a special status in business consulting. They tend to be assigned to broader subjects and very quickly assume full ­responsibility for discrete project areas.  

Can it be said that the smaller and more practice-oriented the business, the less important a doctorate is?

There are sectors in which a doctoral degree would tend to have only a decorative function. For example, a family business that is looking for someone with practical experience. But it depends on the industry. In mechanical and plant engineering, for example, even small companies need highly qualified experts.  

International qualifications like the MBA are becoming increasingly popular. Is the Master’s superseding the doctorate?

An MBA is now considered equivalent to the training as a Diplomkaufmann in Germany and it represents an interesting option for companies that want to   integrate staff at an earlier age. That doesn’t rule out a doctorate, which can also be completed part-time outside work. The doctoral title retains its significance – especially against the background of the current economic and financial crisis.  

What do you mean by that?

Character deficits also led to this economic imbalance. Many top-class CVs that were presented were just facades. That has led to personality now being more highly rated than formal education. And the process of gaining a doctorate is an important aspect here. Doctoral students are not obsessed with titles and status. It’s all about the ­challenge of getting to grips with complex subject matter. That represents a value
in itself.  

How are doctorates "made in Germany” regarded internationally?

Germany has an outstanding reputation as a business location. When I look at the top group of German institutions of higher education, they can match world-class universities in any international comparison. In any event, it is definitely an advantage for international students to do a doctorate in Germany – the more international the programme, the better. In an international environment up-and- coming researchers develop a global network that improves their ability to act in management. Collaborations between universities and businesses are also attractive. Structures in this area are changing considerably. A doctorate from an institute that cooperates with SAP or Siemens, for example, has an extremely high status.