The International Graduate School “Agri-Explore” is part of the AgriPoly II – International Graduate Schools in Plant and Polymer Sciences at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. With funding from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) we offer a structured PhD program in the field of crop research.
Embedded in the internationally visible plant research landscape of Saxony-Anhalt, the graduate school addresses urgent challenges in agriculture posed by climate change and environmental stress. The acronym Explore emphasizes our mission to train a new generation of scientists who will lead efforts in academia and industry to improve crop productivity and resilience by exploring new scientific fronts.
The strength of Agri-Explore lies in the integration of diverse research areas—from plant physiology and genetics to biotechnology and genome editing—to investigate and combine natural resilience mechanisms in crops. Projects focus strongly on economically important crop plants, supported by model species and a state-of-the-art Plant Transformation and Genome Editing core facility at the MLU Biocentre. This infrastructure not only enhances scientific innovation but also plays a central role in training doctoral students in modern plant biotechnology. Together, we are building the foundation for sustainable, resilient agriculture in a changing world.