The 2027 annual topic supports doctoral research on levers for sustainable urban mobility transformations. DLGS is jointly operated by IOER and TU Dresden, where fellows pursue doctorates while contributing to relevant IOER research.
Projects may address public policy, viable business models, data-driven integrative tools, or perspectives linking public, private and civil-society approaches. The programme starts in Dresden on 1 March 2027 and provides structured doctoral support in spatial sustainability science.
Benefits & funding
- A full-time scholarship of €1,515 per month for three years.
- €3,000 in conference travel funding over three years.
- Limited research-travel support, including one international round trip for fieldwork and a daily allowance, plus a round trip between the recipient’s country of origin and Germany.
- No DLGS tuition fee; TU Dresden charges a semester enrolment fee. No additional family supplement is available.
Eligibility
- Hold a first Master’s degree awarded within the three years before the application deadline, with an overall grade of “good” or higher, equivalent to German “gut”.
- Have a background relevant to spatial and mobility transformations; examples include transport studies, planning, geography, data science, urban informatics, economics, business, sociology, political science, and transition or innovation studies.
- Submit an original proposal aligned with IOER’s research profile and identify up to three potential supervisors at TU Dresden or IOER; applicants should not contact those supervisors before applying.
- Transdisciplinary proposals must connect to ongoing IOER work in Dresden or Saxony and require German at C1 level.
- Applications are accepted regardless of nationality, gender, disability, religion, or race, and no age limit is stated. Applicants who already hold a PhD are not admitted.
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Education required
Master
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Application process
- 1Review IOER and TU Dresden expertise and identify up to three potential supervisors without contacting them.
- 2Prepare an original, well-founded research proposal and the complete application materials.
- 3Submit everything through the online application system by 1 September 2026; email and postal applications are not accepted.
- 4Applications undergo eligibility review and Management Board evaluation. Selected candidates attend an online interview, and offers remain conditional on acceptance by the relevant TU Dresden faculty.
Program timeline
Application deadline
1 September 2026
Programme starts
1 March 2027