The immediate objectives of the MGK graduate school are (1) to reinforce the Ph.D. candidates' specialized knowledge and place it on a broader basis, (2) to support the networking and cooperation between the doctoral students of various SFB sub-projects, (3) to promote the scientific autonomy of the participants, (4) to communicate basic knowledge and skills regarding academic teaching, and (5) to further develop key competences of the Ph.D. candidates (including so-called "soft skills").