Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to design the project plan for your application?
A ”project” is understood as a task that you are confronted with at your place of work. This project should be aimed directly at your activity and be of advantage for your institution. For a succesful realization you need relevant contacts in Germany or the EU and you are interested in their experiences.
Together with your application, the idea for your project will be handed in as a ”project plan”. It should not exceed 3000 characters and answer the following questions: What is the content and the aim of the project? What shall the project change? What are the expected results? How is the project related to your work? What do you plan to achieve during your stay in Germany? Furthermore, the project should be structured in a manner that achieves its first results within a period of one year.
At the interview you will present your project plan to a selection commission. Your project will not have to be perfect then. Rather, your considerations and ideas will be important to us to hold a good conversation with you.
Examples: Your project result might be, for example, the enhancement of communication structures in your team or the organization of a seminar that transfers the knowledge on Good Governance that you have obtained throughout the Kolleg. Also, you might deliver new ideas on Good Governance or international relations in a policy paper that will be distributed afterwards or in a blog. Another option could be the monitoring of a policy field or a collection of best practice examples. Not least, an impact on the society could be of interest: e.g. your office aims to introduce e-Government and you would like to conduct research on German experiences, or you might be interested in an advancement of the relationship between your national administration and the third sector (NGOs). Beyond that, all ideas devoted to effective management through Good Governance and advanced communication are highly welcomed.
I have graduated with a Bachelor degree. Will this be recognized?
A baccalaureate or bachelor’s degree from a state-approved university is accepted as a university degree.
I currently work abroad and would like to participate in the program. It this possible?
The Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg mainly focuses on persons who have gained first professional experience in their home countries and have the center of their life there. You need your employer’s support in your home country. If you work for your employer abroad, you may apply.
I am a lawyer, may I apply?
Yes, the program is open for lawyers.
I am a teacher/lecturer at a university. May I apply?
This occupational group is not a focus area of the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg. However, you can apply if you work in the administration of an educational or research institution (i.e. not in research or education). The program is not, however, open to teachers and researchers.
I am currently unemployed, but I have gained first professional experience in the public sector. May I apply and if so, how do I deal with the missing required information in the online form?
Unfortunately, the program is only open for employed persons.
How advanced should my German skills be when applying?
The working language of the program is German. In detail, you have to be able to speak German fluently at the beginning of the Kolleg (at least C1-level). At the time of the application, the applicant should have sound language skills which may be improved thereafter. The interviews will be held in German. If you are chosen for the program, you may participate in a refresher course that is offered by the Stiftung from August 29 to September 9, 2011. The Robert Bosch Stiftung decides about the need for the language course.
How should the letter of recommendation look like, which aspects should it include?
The letter of recommendation has to be written by the current employer (at least the immediate superior). Letters of recommendation by private persons, friends or relatives are not accepted. Form and content are not predefined. However, the letter of recommendation should include: First and last name, place and date of birth (for exact identification), information about the form and duration of the cooperation and, of course, the recommendation itself, about the applicant’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, his or her area of responsibility and opportunities for development. Additionally, the letter of recommendation should explicitely be written for the application for the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg and should therefore be as current as possible. Please use official paper with signature and the stamp of the institution.
A ”project” is understood as a task that you are confronted with at your place of work. This project should be aimed directly at your activity and be of advantage for your institution. For a succesful realization you need relevant contacts in Germany or the EU and you are interested in their experiences.
Together with your application, the idea for your project will be handed in as a ”project plan”. It should not exceed 3000 characters and answer the following questions: What is the content and the aim of the project? What shall the project change? What are the expected results? How is the project related to your work? What do you plan to achieve during your stay in Germany? Furthermore, the project should be structured in a manner that achieves its first results within a period of one year.
At the interview you will present your project plan to a selection commission. Your project will not have to be perfect then. Rather, your considerations and ideas will be important to us to hold a good conversation with you.
Examples: Your project result might be, for example, the enhancement of communication structures in your team or the organization of a seminar that transfers the knowledge on Good Governance that you have obtained throughout the Kolleg. Also, you might deliver new ideas on Good Governance or international relations in a policy paper that will be distributed afterwards or in a blog. Another option could be the monitoring of a policy field or a collection of best practice examples. Not least, an impact on the society could be of interest: e.g. your office aims to introduce e-Government and you would like to conduct research on German experiences, or you might be interested in an advancement of the relationship between your national administration and the third sector (NGOs). Beyond that, all ideas devoted to effective management through Good Governance and advanced communication are highly welcomed.
I have graduated with a Bachelor degree. Will this be recognized?
A baccalaureate or bachelor’s degree from a state-approved university is accepted as a university degree.
I currently work abroad and would like to participate in the program. It this possible?
The Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg mainly focuses on persons who have gained first professional experience in their home countries and have the center of their life there. You need your employer’s support in your home country. If you work for your employer abroad, you may apply.
I am a lawyer, may I apply?
Yes, the program is open for lawyers.
I am a teacher/lecturer at a university. May I apply?
This occupational group is not a focus area of the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg. However, you can apply if you work in the administration of an educational or research institution (i.e. not in research or education). The program is not, however, open to teachers and researchers.
I am currently unemployed, but I have gained first professional experience in the public sector. May I apply and if so, how do I deal with the missing required information in the online form?
Unfortunately, the program is only open for employed persons.
How advanced should my German skills be when applying?
The working language of the program is German. In detail, you have to be able to speak German fluently at the beginning of the Kolleg (at least C1-level). At the time of the application, the applicant should have sound language skills which may be improved thereafter. The interviews will be held in German. If you are chosen for the program, you may participate in a refresher course that is offered by the Stiftung from August 29 to September 9, 2011. The Robert Bosch Stiftung decides about the need for the language course.
How should the letter of recommendation look like, which aspects should it include?
The letter of recommendation has to be written by the current employer (at least the immediate superior). Letters of recommendation by private persons, friends or relatives are not accepted. Form and content are not predefined. However, the letter of recommendation should include: First and last name, place and date of birth (for exact identification), information about the form and duration of the cooperation and, of course, the recommendation itself, about the applicant’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, his or her area of responsibility and opportunities for development. Additionally, the letter of recommendation should explicitely be written for the application for the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg and should therefore be as current as possible. Please use official paper with signature and the stamp of the institution.
How do I find out whether I am invited to an interview?
The invitation letters are sent out at the beginning of April 2011. The interviews are going to take place from May 13-15, 2011 in Berlin.
Are the cost for the interviews in May covered?
Yes. The Robert Bosch Stiftung will cover the costs for accommodation, board and travel expenses from your home city to Berlin and back.
The invitation letters are sent out at the beginning of April 2011. The interviews are going to take place from May 13-15, 2011 in Berlin.
Are the cost for the interviews in May covered?
Yes. The Robert Bosch Stiftung will cover the costs for accommodation, board and travel expenses from your home city to Berlin and back.
Do I receive a certificate after the program?
Yes, you obtain a certificate after the program about your participation in the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg.
Yes, you obtain a certificate after the program about your participation in the Carl Friedrich Goerdeler-Kolleg.