Where research meets responsibility
The Doctoral Academy hosted by the WCGE and the Friede Springer Chair of Business Ethics and Management Accounting at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg is an interdisciplinary training and research community for doctoral candidates working on diverse questions of ethics, responsibility, and sustainability.
The Academy combines academic “schools” on key research and methodological topics with “writing retreats” designed to foster focus and exchange:
- Spring School: Experimental Research– exploring empirical methods and their ethical dimensions (6 ECTS),
- Summer School: Normative Arguments and Practical Implications– engaging with moral theory and its relevance for real-world decision-making (6 ECTS), and
- Writing Retreats– providing space for structured feedback, peer exchange, and concentrated writing time.
Doctoral candidates from philosophy, economics, management, the social sciences, and related fields are invited to join and participate according to their individual research phase. The modular design allows researchers to engage with specific academic weeks that best support their projects.
Key Dates for the 2025/26 Term
- 9-13 November 2025 – Writing Retreat (Application closed)
- 8-12 March 2026 – Spring School (Experimental Research)
- 7-11 April 2026 – Writing Retreat
- 30 August - 3 September 2026 – Summer School (Normative Arguments & Practical Implications)
Application forms for each academic week (max. 20 participants per event) are released sequentially throughout the year, allowing candidates to apply for individual modules that match their research needs.
The Academy is funded by the Karl Schlecht Foundation.
What Participants Gain
- Opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary academic courses
- Skill training on experimental research design
- A vibrant international community of emerging scholars committed to ethical inquiry and social impact
- Dedicated writing time and peer feedback on research projects
- Opportunities to network of scholars and practitioners