Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt

Training and Education

The Helmholtz Graduate School Environmental Health (HELENA) offers in-depth scientific training as well as training in leadership, management and communication. HELENA consists of three training activities mandatory elements, scientific training and professional skills training. Graduate students can select and set up their own individual curriculum from an offering of lectures, courses, seminars, retreats, summer schools and participation in scientific conferences.

In addition to the training program offered by HELENA, students may also take courses and seminars offered by the universities or other graduate programs. These training activities can also be accredited with HELENA Equivalents if the participation is certified by the respective institutions.

A Credit Point System, the “HELENA Equivalents (HE)”, enables the composition of an individual curriculum for every graduate student. HELENA Equivalents correspond to the workload of a training activity. 4 hours workload will be accredited with 1 HE.

Please note: As of January 2021, the Credit Point System the “HELENA Equivalents (HE)” will be replaced by working hours, corresponding to the respective workload of the training element. 

Important information

Exemplary Curriculum

1 term = 6 months (from the starting date of your working contract)

Completion of the mandatory elements

- Orientation Days (1 time) 
- Statistics and Reproducibility 
Good Scientific Practice
- Kick-off seminar TUM or HELENA Mid-Term Booster LMU


Completion of the scientific training: 270 hours

- Journal clubs (1h per week/6 terms): 84 hours 
- Institute seminars (1h per week/6 terms): 84 hours  
- 2 method courses (2x3 days): 48 hours  
- Introductory seminar (1h per week/1 term): 14 hours 
- Advanced seminar (1h per week/1 term): 14 hours
- Scientific training: 10 hours 
- Retreat (2 Days): 16 hours


Professional skills training: 40 hours

- 3 courses (1.5 days each): 40 hours

How do I complete my HELENA Training Program?

To complete your HELENA Training Program, you need to document your participation at external lectures, courses, conferences etc. and submit the "Form for external courses" with an agenda/time schedule and certificate/confirmation of participation. Courses which are organised by the thematic fields such as institute seminars, journal clubs, method courses etc. are accredited for each term and should be submitted to GSO via the "Form for HELENA lectures, seminars, courses etc.". After filling the forms, you will receive an email which should be signed by your supervisor. The signed email should be submitted to the GSO at the latest 3 weeks after submitting the form. The scientific training attendance forms should be submitted to the GSO after every term (1 term = 6 months (from the starting date of your working contract)).

270 hours in scientific training activities and 40 hours in professional skill courses are required in order to receive a HELENA certificate. The Graduate Student Office sends you a Transcript of Records once a year, which gives you an overview over the collected course hours. In case you need this information earlier, please send an e-mail to GSO.

When should I submit the participation/attendance forms?

The "Form for HELENA lectures, seminars, courses etc.and "Form for external lectures, courses, conferences etc.should be submitted to the GSO after every term (1 term = 6 months (from the starting date of your working contract)). A transcript of records (summary of HELENA Equivalents) will be provided once a year (April) to all HELENA graduate students.

For external courses please always submit an agenda/time schedule and certificate/confirmation of participation.

I did not receive a certificate of an external course, what should I do?

Please fill out the "Form for external lectures, courses, conferences etc.". After filling the form, you will receive an email listing the external lectures, courses, conferences, etc. which should be signed by your supervisor. Please include the agenda/time schedule of the lecture, course, conference etc. that you took part in. The signed email should be submitted to the GSO at the latest 3 weeks after submitting the form.