The Technical University of Munich (TUM) faces challenges in attracting a diverse pool of doctoral candidates due to an inefficient and fragmented application process. The current portal lacks user-friendliness and accessibility, making it difficult for applicants and supervisors to engage effectively with the doctoral application system. Existing workflows are burdensome and create unnecessary barriers that particularly affect underrepresented groups in academia.
This thesis presents the design and development of a modern, inclusive, and efficient application management module for the TUMApply platform. The project focuses on building a robust application submission system, a centralized application database, and an intuitive applicant dashboard aimed at improving the overall recruitment experience for all candidates while supporting efforts to foster greater diversity in technical disciplines.
The methodology follows a systematic software engineering approach incorporating requirements analysis, system design, and object-oriented implementation. The solution adopts a modular, service-oriented architecture that integrates seamlessly with parallel thesis modules within the broader TUMApply ecosystem, utilizing modern web technologies to ensure scalability, accessibility, and user-centered design principles.