Graduate Academy LUH

What Graduate Academy LUH does

The Graduate Academy (Graduiertenakademie) is a centralized service institution of Leibniz University Hannover, established in 2012 to support doctoral candidates and postdocs across all LUH faculties. It is not a standalone company but an institutional unit operating under the Vice President for Human Resources Development, with a staff of approximately 5 based at Wilhelm-Busch-Straße 22 in Hannover. Its mandate covers guidance on doctoral supervision, qualification programs, career coaching, mentoring, funding administration, and conflict mediation for early-career researchers.

The Academy's core offerings include the Promotion plus+ program family — qualifiziert (two-semester management competency program), KarriereCoaching (using Life/Work Planning methodology), Alumni network, and socialising-with-partners events — alongside One-to-one-Mentoring, the NachwuchsFragen podcast, and a cross-faculty Arbitration Board (Schiedsstelle) for resolving doctoral supervision conflicts. Funding programs include the Expos Scholarship (1,250 EUR/month for up to 6 months), Travel Grants, Research Stay Abroad Scholarships, Networking Initiatives (up to 4,000 EUR), Completion Grants, and the biennial Lindemann Scholarship (600 EUR/month for up to 24 months) co-funded by the Dr. Heinz Lindemann Stiftung. Approximately 100 regional employer partners, including Volkswagen AG, Continental AG, TÜV Nord AG, and BASF, participate in career networking activities.

The business model is overwhelmingly non-commercial. The Academy is funded through public university budget and government education allocations as part of a public law corporation (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) under Lower Saxony state supervision. The only paid offering disclosed is the Promotion plus+ CareerCoaching at 60 EUR per participant; all other services are provided free of charge to enrolled researchers. Distribution occurs exclusively through LUH institutional channels — faculty contacts, registration offices, and departmental coordinators — supplemented by a newsletter, podcast, and social media presence.

Name

Graduate Academy LUH

Legal name

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover

Website

https://graduiertenakademie.uni-hannover.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Graduate Academy (Graduiertenakademie) is a centralized service institution of Leibniz University Hannover, founded in 2012 to provide guidance, qualification programs, career coaching, mentoring, and funding support to PhD candidates and postdocs at the university.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Support Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Graduate & Professional School Preparation (EDALABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research, Innovation & Fellowship Prep (Labs, Competitions, Publications) (EDAMAKAI), Portfolio, Capstone & Project-Based Program Support (EDAMAKAD)

Keywords

• Doctoral researcher support
• Postdoc career development
• Academic qualification programs
• Research funding scholarships
• University graduate services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hannover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. University Public Funding: As a department of Leibniz University Hannover, the Graduate Academy is funded through public university funding and government education budgets. Services for PhD candidates and postdocs are largely free.
2. Program Fees: Some programs such as Promotion plus+ CareerCoaching charge a participation fee of 60 EUR. Most other services including workshops, mentoring, and networking events are provided free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Graduate Academy provides structured qualification, career development, mentoring, and funding programs for PhD candidates and postdocs at Leibniz University Hannover. Core offerings include the two-semester Promotion plus+ qualifiziert program, Promotion plus+ CareerCoaching using Life/Work Planning methodology, one-to-one mentoring, multiple scholarship and travel grant programs, an Arbitration Board for supervision conflicts, and the NachwuchsFragen podcast. Most services are delivered free of charge, with select paid programs (e.g., CareerCoaching at 60 EUR).

Product overview

Graduate Academy LUH is a unified academic support platform for PhD candidates and postdocs at Leibniz University Hannover, offering structured programs including Promotion plus+ qualifiziert (a two-semester management competency program), Promotion plus+ CareerCoaching (using Life/Work Planning methodology), and One-to-one-Mentoring. The platform provides multiple funding programs such as the Exposé Scholarship, Travel Grant, Research Stay Abroad Scholarship, Networking Initiatives, Completion Grant, and Lindemann Scholarship. Additional services include podcast series (NachwuchsFragen), an Arbitration Board for conflict resolution, and the Promotion plus+ Alumni network. The offerings are designed to support researchers throughout their doctoral journey and facilitate transition to careers outside academia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Promotion plus+ qualifiziert: Two-semester qualification program for Ph.D. candidates focusing on management competencies for careers outside academia.
• Promotion plus+ KarriereCoaching
• Promotion plus+ Alumni
• One-to-one-Mentoring
• NachwuchsFragen

Products and services

• Promotion plus+ qualifiziert
• Promotion plus+ CareerCoaching
• One-to-one-Mentoring
• Arbitration Board (Schiedsstelle)
• Exposé Scholarship
• Travel Grant
• Scholarship: Research Stay Abroad
• Networking Initiatives
• Completion Grant
• Lindemann Scholarship
• Podcast NachwuchsFragen
• Socialising with Partners

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-semester qualification program prepares PhDs for careers outside academia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Promotion plus+ Program Partners (100+ Regional Companies)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2009Approximately 100 partner companies from regional economy and non-profit sector support the Promotion plus+ program through career talks, company visits, speed dating events, workshops, mentoring, discussion forums, internships, and program sponsorships. Partners gain direct access to approximately 3,700 PhD candidates and postdocs for employer branding and talent acquisition. Key partners include major employers such as Volkswagen AG, Continental AG, TÜV Nord AG, BASF, and regional organizations.
• International Office - Leibniz University HannovercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation with the International Office for supporting international PhD candidates and postdocs. Joint provision of counseling and support services for researchers coming from abroad or planning research stays abroad.
• Dr. Heinz Lindemann StiftungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dr. Heinz Lindemann Stiftung cooperates with the Graduate Academy to award the Lindemann Scholarship (600 EUR/month for up to 24 months) to PhD candidates in technical or natural science fields every two years.
• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Regional Development Fund (ERDF) provided initial funding (2009-2014) that supported the establishment of the Promotion plus+ program and official cooperation with regional partners.
• Welcome Centre - Leibniz UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelcome Centre for International Researchers provides support services for international PhD candidates and postdocs coming to Hannover, including housing assistance, visa guidance, and integration support.
• German University Association (UniWIND)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGraduate Academy is a member of the German University Association (Universitätsverband), supporting networking among German universities.
• German Postdoc NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporter of the German Postdoc Network (GermanPostdoc.net), contributing to the national postdoc community.
• HRK Campaign 'Weltoffene Hochschulen'minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporter of the HRK campaign 'Open Universities Against Xenophobia' (Weltoffene Hochschulen gegen Fremdenfeindlichkeit).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bonn Graduate School (BIGS): Structured graduate school at the University of Bonn offering qualification, funding, and career development support for doctoral researchers. Comparable in mission and program structure to Graduate Academy LUH's offerings.
• Friedrich Schiller University Jena Graduate Academy: Graduate Academy at Friedrich Schiller University Jena providing structured support, qualification, and career programs for PhD candidates and postdocs. Directly comparable in scope and offerings to Graduate Academy LUH.
• TUM Graduate Academy: Graduate Academy at Technical University of Munich serving PhD candidates and postdocs with qualification, funding, and career programs. Closely comparable in mission, structure, and target audience to Graduate Academy LUH, with overlapping program types (qualification, mentoring, industry networking).
• Heidelberg University Graduate Academy: Graduate Academy at Heidelberg University offering qualification programs, funding opportunities, and career support for doctoral candidates and postdocs. Highly comparable service model targeting the same researcher population at another major German research university.
• Hamburg Research Academy: Cross-university graduate academy in Hamburg offering qualification programs and career services for doctoral researchers and postdocs. Comparable as a structured academic support service for early-career researchers with similar program components.
• RWTH Aachen Graduate Academy: Graduate Academy at RWTH Aachen University providing structured support for doctoral researchers and postdocs, including qualification programs, funding, and career services. Directly comparable as another major German technical university's graduate support unit with similar service portfolio.

Others

• Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft: German science and higher education funding association supporting innovation, talent development, and structural reform in academia. Adjacent in mission around researcher support and qualification, with a national policy and funding role.
• DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst): German Academic Exchange Service supporting international academic mobility and researcher development. Adjacent/complementary in mission (supporting PhD/postdoc researchers), with broader international scope than Graduate Academy LUH.
• UniWiND (German University Association for Early-Career Researchers): German association of universities focused on early-career researcher support, of which Graduate Academy LUH is a member. Functions as an ecosystem/peer-network body rather than a direct service provider, but codifies best practices across the same population.

Emerging players

• International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS): Network of structured graduate programs run by Max Planck Institutes offering PhD training, mentorship, and funding. Comparable as a structured support and qualification environment for doctoral researchers, though operating outside the public university system.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Graduiertenakademie.LUH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/graduiertenakademie-luh
• Instagraminstagram.com/graduiertenakad_unihannover

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Graduate Academy LUH