The Austrian Excellent Brains PhD Program is a nationwide initiative that brings together the strengths of five leading research institutes with their associated PhD programs  – Medical University of Vienna (MUV), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), University of Vienna (UNIVIE), Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC) –  under a single framework. The MUV, MUI, UNIVIE, and ISTA represent the legal bodies enrolling and awarding the PhD title to the students of this program. As credits will be collected within the underpinning PhD-programs, a fundamental principle of Excellent Brains will be the mutual recognition of all student credits collected within the framework of one of these curricula. In addition, unifying cornerstones (joint recruitment, lab rotations, seminars, retreats, workshops) will shape the Excellent Brains PhD Program, which will bring together the PhD students of this Cluster of Excellence (CoE) under a common umbrella of education, training, mentoring, and shared social activities designed to foster community and collaboration.

Designed to provide world-class education in neuroscience, the program promotes collaboration between the five CoE partner institutions (MUV, MUI, UNIVIE, ISTA, IMBA), aiming to recruit and train exceptional PhD candidates while establishing a permanent structure for advancing neuroscience education in Austria.