The graduate school is partially embedded in the University of Hamburg, where the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences is one of our major hosts; the other host is the GIGA German Institute for Global and Area Studies. These two bodies are assisted by the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), the Faculty of Humanities, and the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, all of which are part of the University of Hamburg. This collaboration on the part of these institutions provides the stimulating academic environment that enables the graduate school to flourish. Area studies and expertise on non-European regions are two particular strengths that emerge from this intra- and inter- institutional cooperation.

At the GIGA and the IFSH, and also within the University of Hamburg’s faculties, students are actively encouraged to work in the programmes and projects that are closest to their dissertation topic. This work may also include teaching assignments.

Furthermore, the GIGA and the IFSH are situated near the University of Hamburg campus. The libraries of all three institutions are open to our students and offer excellent research resources for the extensive study of regional powers. Access to data analysis and quantitative tools is also provided by the GIGA and the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences.

The graduate school has excellent connections to other major research institutions and universities around the world. Student exchange programmes, which already exist with four international partners (Claremont Graduate University, Cornell University, University of Oxford, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris) are gradually being extended to include other overseas institutions. We actively encourage each student to spend part of the degree programme at one of our partner institutions if their research topic does not already require fieldwork abroad. In exchange, we offer researchers and students from our partner institutions the opportunity to come to Hamburg and assist with our research and teaching at the graduate school.