The TUM International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (IGSSE) is sponsored by the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments with more than 15 million Euros in funds for the period 2006-2017.

The IGSSE integrates Natural and Engineering Sciences through graduate and postgraduate education strongly rooted in TUM´s internationally renowned research environment. So far, IGSSE´s research areas have included Computational Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, as well as Energy, Geodynamics & Environment.

In the second funding phase of the German Excellence Initiative, the IGSSE is set to evolve into a strategic instrument for the medium- to long-term development of the Technische Universität München with the introduction of Focus Areas. Given the model of IGSSE Project Teams, a Focus Area includes up to 7 teams comprising about 30 doctoral candidates, 15 PIs, 7 postdoctoral researchers acting as Project Team Leaders (PTLs) and a number of Master's students from associated study programs. This accumulated research force is expected to generate outstanding scientific value for the university, as it does not only enable effective interdisciplinary research within a single project team but also creates significant synergy between all teams of a Focus Area.

All courses and seminars accompanying the individual doctoral research project offer interdisciplinary and team-oriented approaches to scientific work, with special regard to the needs of doctoral candidates.