Dual doctorate at QAware: excellence in theory, practice and support

The beginning: From Master’s to doctorate

For Dr. Veronika Dashuber, software architect and PhD in Computer Science at QAware, it was clear early on that she wanted to pursue an academic career. After completing her dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, she decided to take the next big step – a dual doctorate.

The decision was finally made during a university fair at which QAware was represented. Veronika had previously attended a lecture on cloud computing with Dr. Josef Adersberger, one of the founders and managing directors of QAware, as part of her master’s degree. “In addition to the exciting lecture, he told me how things work at QAware, and I found that very convincing.” At the fair, she learned that QAware offers doctoral opportunities – the start of a part-time doctorate.

The challenge of the dual doctorate

Veronika started her dual doctorate at QAware straight after completing her Master’s degree. But the path was not always easy. “The doctorate dragged on a bit,” Veronika admits openly. That’s no surprise when you consider how much time and energy such scientific work takes.

Veronika particularly remembers a difficult phase during her doctorate: “I had a joint research project in cooperation with my university at the time.” She worked together with a doctoral student at the university on a topic that was split into two parts: Veronika concentrated on the analysis with a focus on artificial intelligence, while her colleague took on the visual and optical implementation. But then came the setback: “My colleague decided against the doctorate and went into industry, so he was suddenly completely out of the picture.”

This situation almost derailed her promotion. But QAware did not let her down. Johannes Weigend, then Managing Director, co-founder of QAware and computer scientist specializing in software architecture and distributed systems, took the time to develop a new topic together with Veronika. “It was simply unbelievable that a managing director would take so much time,” she says enthusiastically. Thanks to this support, Veronika was able to successfully complete her doctorate.

The advantages of a part-time doctorate at QAware

For Veronika, a decisive advantage of her dual doctorate at QAware was the close connection between academic research and practical experience. While many doctoral students at universities work exclusively in theory, Veronika had the opportunity to apply her research directly in practice. “After five years of doctoral research, I also had five years of professional experience,” she emphasizes. This not only enabled her to develop in-depth technical know-how, but also to take on a project management position during her doctorate.

The combination of scientific work and practical application proved to be invaluable. “I successfully completed my doctorate and am now a team leader at QAware,” she says proudly. This dual development – academic and professional – was possible in part because QAware gave her the freedom she needed. “You have to give yourself the freedom, but it’s also respected,” she explains. “When I said I was working on my dissertation, everyone accepted it.”

Support at all levels

The support Veronika received at QAware went far beyond pure research work. She was particularly impressed by the high number of academics at QAware. “The density of PhDs at QAware is extremely high,” she says. This enabled her to exchange ideas at any time with colleagues who had similar experiences and could understand her challenges.

Another big advantage was the access to real data and real problems. “Doing a PhD at university often means working only theoretically for years without having any insight into the real world,” Veronika explains. At QAware, on the other hand, she had access to real projects, with real deadlines and real challenges. “The academic world often lacks that,” she says. This practical experience not only helped her in her research, but also made her work more relevant and valuable.

Support and mentoring: a key role

Today, Veronika herself supervises final theses at QAware and passes on her experience to the next generation. She attaches particular importance to regular exchanges and support at eye level. “It’s super exciting to brainstorm ideas with students and act as a sparring partner,” she says. She knows from her own experience how important it is to be supported not only professionally, but also personally. “It’s crucial that you regularly exchange ideas and make plans together.”

Advice for future doctoral candidates 

Veronika advises prospective doctoral students to look for a topic that really excites them. “That’s the most important thing,” she emphasizes. QAware offers the flexibility to customize topics to ensure that they are not only academically relevant, but also personally interesting.

Veronika’s story shows how important a supportive and flexible working environment is to successfully complete a PhD and progress professionally at the same time. This is where QAware offers the perfect combination of academic depth and practical experience.

Conclusion: A unique combination of practice and research

Veronika’s path at QAware is an inspiring example of how to successfully combine professional practice and academic research. Her story illustrates that a PhD is not only an academic challenge, but also an opportunity to develop professionally and gain valuable experience. QAware has supported her at every level – from developing her PhD topic to taking on a management position. An experience report that can certainly encourage many aspiring academics to go their own way.

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