See, what our students and faculty members say
Stephanie from Brazil
"As an international student from Brazil, the CGA coordination supported me in every way. Academically and personally, their assistance was essential in all matters, including visa and accommodation, so my PhD could start as smoothly as possible, allowing me to be fully dedicated to my studies."
Stephanie de Alcantara Fernandes
Doctoral candidate, class 2017
Paulo from Portugal
"Being from abroad, the CGA Buddy Programme was essential during the start of my PhD. I find it very useful to receive advice based on another student's perspective and experience. In addition, having a student from another class assisting you from the very beginning, highly facilitated my adaptation to Cologne and Germany."
Paulo da Silva Lopes
Doctoral candidate, class 2017
Javier from Spain
“Thanks to the comprehensive set of workshops and seminars that make up the CGA curriculum, not only am I broadening my scientific knowledge about the ageing field, but I am also honing a wide range of soft skills. Altogether, I feel like this training is preparing me for my future scientific career in an exceptional way.“
Javier Morón Oset
Doctoral candidate, class 2016
Sophie from Germany
"At the CGA I am experiencing tailor-made support: Reconciling ambitious PhD studies and raising a child at the same time previously seemed almost impossible to me. The excellent infrastructure and family support provided at the research centre contribute tremendously in successfully organising my PhD and private life!"
Sophie Kaspar
Doctoral candidate, class 2015
William from England
"The student representative system gives students a voice at every level of grad school administration. From the selection workshop to day-to-day commitments, student concerns have a major impact on how the grad school is designed and run."
William Bradshaw
Alumnus
Isabelle from Germany
“The structured CGA graduate programme not only offers excellent scientific training in an outstanding, collaborative research environment but it also provides you with numerous soft skill courses such as grant writing, presentation skills or career development. Thanks to the CGA, I benefited from great mentoring, I feel prepared for my future career and last but not least I found many new friends in my peer students.“
Isabelle Schiffer
Alumnus
Amirabbas from Iran
"During my graduate studies at the CGA, I was not only provided with unique research opportunities in the field of ageing, but also received full-spectrum training and support for my future career steps at the same time. The skills I gained through the unique programme features gave me a clear advantage in the job-hunting process in comparison to other applicants."
Amirabbas Khodakarami
Alumnus
Chiara from Italy
"Cologne is a real epicentre for ageing research and hosts outstanding institutes and scientists from all over the world. Due to its cosmopolitanism, I have found it very easy to make new friends from all around the globe. Interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds highly improved my communication skills and continuously helps me to grow both as a person as well as a scientist."
Chiara Calabrese
Doctoral student, class of 2015
Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher
"The CGA program attracts the most talented Ph.D. students from around the world to our research center. Together with our CGA graduate students we are breaking new grounds in understanding the aging process and contribute to a healthier society.”
Björn Schumacher
Principal Investigator, CECAD
Dr. Constantinos Demetriades
"In the context of the CGA, we aim to recruit highly motivated, outstanding, and ambitious junior scientists from all over the world. Successful candidates will become part of an excellent, international, enthusiastic and collaborative research community, working on diverse aspects of ageing research."
Constantinos Demetriades
Principal Investigator, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing
Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic
Our vision is to make significant contributions in the field of ageing research; our mission is to conduct outstanding science and provide high quality education for excellent junior scientists from all over the world. With the CGA we offer a breadth of academic and extracurricular opportunities for motivated young researchers who reciprocally enrich our scientific environment with their creative ideas and enthusiasm.
Aleksandra Trifunovic
Principal Investigator, CECAD
Prof. Dr. H. Christian Reinhardt
The CGA is localized at the dynamic interface between cutting-edge basic research and effective clinical research. This environment makes the graduate school a fantastic place to drive translational research in ageing associated diseases, such as cancer. The international visibility of the CGA has been instrumental in attracting the most talented students from different countries and disciplines into our reseach programme.
Christian Reinhardt
Principal Investigator, CECAD
Find more experiences and reports in our CGA Stories.