The Max Planck PhDnet (PhDnet) is a platform for exchange among the about 5000 PhD candidates working at 86 Max Planck Institutes (MPIs) of the MPG across all three sections Biology & Medicine (BMS), Chemistry, Physics & Technology (CPT), and Humanities & Social Sciences (HS). The PhDnet was founded in 2003 at its first meeting in Heidelberg to improve interdisciplinary cooperation, optimize doctoral education and scientific exchange, and strengthen academic solidarity.
The PhDnet consists of all doctoral researchers of the Max Planck Society. Doctoral researchers are represented by their institute representatives. Internal representatives take care of the communication between PhDs and other organs within their institutes, while external representatives are responsible for the communication to the other PhDnet and MPS organs. Furthermore, institutes are clustered in regional hubs to foster exchange and communication between geographically close institutes.
The PhDnet organs are the workgroups and the Steering group. The Steering group functions as the main communication channel between PhDnet and other organs within the Max Planck Society (like general administration, general works council, scientific staff representatives, PostdocNet, Max Planck Alumni Association, and more).