International Winter School: TGU Ph.D. in Business Administration Students in Bielefeld
23.12.2025
A comprehensive Winter School program for doctoral students was successfully held in Bielefeld between December 1–5, 2025, through a collaboration between the Turkish-German University (TGU), Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI), and Bielefeld University. Supported by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), the program provided Ph.D. in Business Administration students with the opportunity to expand their international academic networks, enhance their methodological competencies, and gain in-depth insights into industrial doctoral processes.
© HSBI/ K. Starodubskij
The first day of the program at HSBI began with welcoming speeches by the Vice Dean, Prof. Dr. Peter Hartel, and the Vice President for Research, Prof. Dr. Anant Patel. Following these remarks, Prof. Dr. Rıza Öztürk and Prof. Dr. Hermann provided a general framework regarding the goals and schedule of the Winter School. In the doctoral colloquium session held later in the day, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Semih Emre Çekin delivered the opening presentation, while PhD students from HSBI presented their ongoing research projects.
The second day of the program focused on industrial doctorates and university-industry research collaboration. As part of a technical visit to Nobilia, one of Europe’s largest kitchen manufacturers, our doctoral students gained insights into industrial PhD processes within the company and the practical applications of academic research. The visit concluded with a factory tour and a mutual evaluation session.
The third day of the program was dedicated to quantitative and qualitative research methods. In a training session led by Dr. Hüseyin Doluca from the University of Augsburg, widely used methods such as PLS-SEM and CB-SEM were discussed, including the criteria for selecting these methods and issues regarding methodological validity and reliability. During the hands-on sessions, analyses were conducted on sample datasets using software such as SPSS, R, and NVivo.
The fourth day of the program continued at Bielefeld University. The morning sessions covered literature search strategies, effective management of research processes, the use of BASE and Google Scholar, as well as the publication process and journal selection. In the afternoon, during the BiGSEM (Bielefeld Graduate School of Economics and Management) doctoral colloquium, Prof. Dr. Ela Sibel Bayrak Meydanoğlu delivered the opening presentation. This was followed by presentations from Bielefeld University PhD students regarding their doctoral research
The fifth and final day of the program commenced at HSBI with a session on Academic Writing and Doctoral Coaching conducted by Dr. Nilgün Dağlar-Sezer. This session addressed core topics such as the planning and structuring of thesis work, common challenges in academic writing, methods for developing effective research questions, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance during the doctoral process. The Winter School concluded with a panel discussion and closing ceremony featuring contributions from Prof. Dr. Hermann Jahnke, Prof. Dr. Rıza Öztürk, Prof. Dr. Rainer Lenz, Prof. Dr. Vivian Carstensen, Prof. Dr. Andreas Uphaus, and Dr. habil. Ulrich Tamm. During the panel, the academics shared their own doctoral experiences and offered valuable advice for navigating the PhD journey.
The inaugural International Doctoral Winter School, successfully completed this year, once again demonstrates the importance the Turkish-German University (TGU) places on international academic collaborations and the concrete contributions it provides to the scientific development of Business PhD students. The interdisciplinary and international nature of the program has fostered sustainable scientific interaction between doctoral students and academics from diverse academic cultures. In light of the positive feedback received, the aim is to continue the Winter School regularly in the coming years and to establish a foundation for new and deepening academic partnerships, particularly with our partner university, HSBI. In this regard, the program serves not merely as an educational activity, but as a permanent international platform contributing to the development of long-term strategic academic partnerships.
