Your path to a doctorate. Securely guided. Clearly structured. Legally recognized.
Ascendius AG supports experienced professionals and executives on the path to a doctoral degree (PhD). We help you prepare for official enrolment at a university and accompany your project step by step. Our goal is your success in line with the legal rules in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
The doctorate as a protected milestone in your career.
An academic degree is based on your own scholarly achievement. Ascendius does not sell titles and does not replace a university. We support you in finding a suitable academic route, understanding formal requirements and preparing your doctoral project in a clear, traceable and compliant way.
- The university alone decides on admission, examination and conferral of the doctoral degree.
- The dissertation remains entirely your own scholarly work.
- Our guidance provides orientation, structure and support for independent work.
“The most valuable part was the clear methodological structuring of my research project. The guidance helped me formulate my exposé more precisely, understand the university requirements and prepare the next steps with academic care.”
The 4 steps to your title.
A clear system from beginning to end: our support programme follows the progress of your work. You receive help exactly where you need it.
Preparation.
We identify a suitable topic with you and prepare the first research plan for the university.
Application.
We review the relevant requirements so that your application can be carefully prepared and submitted to the university.
Guidance during the dissertation.
This module can be booked optionally. It supports you while you are in the active writing phase of your dissertation. We help you organize your data, avoid logical gaps and present your argument clearly. This gives you more confidence in discussions with your professor.
- Method support: Support with collecting data and comparing texts.
- Logic review: We review your chapters and check whether the red thread is clear.
- Format review: We check whether citations and references are formally structured correctly.
- Timeline support: We help you keep your own milestones on track.
Examination training and completion on request.
The final stage of the doctorate requires focus. This optional additional module guides you through the last steps: from the finished manuscript and submission to the oral examination. We simulate the examination situation with you, reduce uncertainty around the process and advise you on later publication.
- Examination simulation: We practise the oral doctoral examination one to one.
- Question training: We prepare you for difficult questions from professors.
- Final text check: Editing of your text before submission to the university.
- Publisher guidance: Tips on selecting a suitable publisher for your dissertation.
Support exactly where you need it.
The phases are modular. You use only the guidance that fits your current stage. Academic decisions, examinations and the conferral of the title remain entirely with the university.
Fields.
Fit between topic, faculty, doctoral regulations and supervisory environment is decisive.
Management and business studies
Organization, strategy, leadership, entrepreneurship, finance and accounting.
Economics and finance
Economics, risk, controlling, corporate governance and applied modelling.
Legal studies
Governance, compliance, business law and jurisprudential questions.
Engineering & technology management
Engineering, systems, digitalization, innovation and applied research.
Health, care and social sciences
Health, nursing, prevention, family, social services and care systems.
Further academic fields
Natural sciences, medicine, social sciences, humanities and education.
Four pillars of academic integrity.
The cooperation is structured so that independent scholarly work, university authority and good research practice remain visibly at the centre.
100% authorship and independent work
Every examinable result must arise from the doctoral candidate’s own academic contribution. Ascendius strictly rejects ghostwriting, text generation in another person’s name and outsourcing of scholarly work.
Faculty-level fit
The relevant doctoral regulations, admission requirements and supervisory context are treated as the decisive framework.
Methodological expertise
Optional mentoring focuses on research logic, methodology, structure, academic argumentation and examination-appropriate presentation.
Orientation toward good research practice
Communication and mentoring are guided by established principles of academic integrity in the DACH region, including DFG, swissuniversities and ÖAWI.
Who decides on your doctoral title?
The legal rules for your title are determined solely by your university. Ascendius AG is your personal service provider and companion from the first idea to successful enrolment at the university. Our coaching takes place flexibly online, so the dissertation can be combined with your professional life.
Step 1. First information call
We discuss your starting point, career goal, possible topics and existing documents.
Step 2. Topic and research plan
We help you identify a suitable topic and turn it into an initial research plan for the university.
Step 3. Suitable university
We assess which academic route fits your field, qualification and doctoral goal.
Step 4. Enrolment and university procedure
Admission, supervision, examination and conferral of the doctoral degree are governed exclusively by the university.
Step 5. Online guidance
Cooperation takes place flexibly by video call. This makes it easier to combine the doctorate with work and everyday life.
Step 6. Examination preparation
On request, we prepare you for discussions, questions and the oral examination.
Academic review of your texts.
Have you already written down ideas or older drafts? We review your existing texts for grammar, readability and academic style. On request, we support you in arranging your drafts so that they follow the formal rules of the university. This additional service is billed separately based on effort.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ).
I have been working for many years. Can I still learn academic work?
Yes. This is one of the main reasons executives contact us. Academic work is not secret knowledge; it is a craft that can be learned step by step. Our mentoring meets you where you currently stand and explains university rules in a clear, practical way.
Does Ascendius AG write parts of my dissertation?
No, never. Third-party text writing, commonly called ghostwriting, can lead to loss of the title and is strictly rejected by us. Every word of your dissertation comes from you. Our role is that of an adviser and mentor: we provide feedback, review the logic of your texts, help with structure and prepare you for university examinations.
How much time should I plan per week?
The system is designed to be flexible for busy professionals. Since guidance can take place digitally, many work steps can be divided into manageable blocks. Many clients plan several hours per week depending on the phase. The actual effort depends on topic, university, doctoral regulations and your own progress.
Who confers the doctoral title at the end?
The academic degree, for example Dr. or PhD, is conferred exclusively by an authorized university. Ascendius AG is a private service provider that can guide you up to enrolment and support your project methodologically. We do not sell titles. We help you meet university requirements through your own work.
Is the doctoral title valid throughout the DACH region?
The relevant university, doctoral regulations and national rules on title use are decisive. We therefore align your doctoral route with the official requirements in Switzerland, Germany and Austria from the beginning. Legal use of the title ultimately depends on the specific university procedure and applicable rules.
How does the cooperation work in practice?
The cooperation is straightforward. We discuss your project in flexible online video sessions. You receive clear milestones and tasks, so you know at each point which step comes next and do not feel left alone in the process.
When do I know the costs?
After the first information call, you receive a transparent offer. Placement, advisory services and optional mentoring are clearly separated.
Request research consultation.
Book a first information call. We review your starting point, possible topic, suitable field and next steps toward official enrolment.
Contact.
Send us a brief summary of your starting point, goal, field and possible topic ideas. You will receive an initial assessment of the next step.