Institutional Strategies and Structured Programmes in

Doctoral Education

Researchers in Europe without Barriers

Czech Presidency Conference28-29 April 2009

Thomas Ekman Jørgensen (EUA-CDE)

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The Council for Doctoral EducationA membership service continuing EUA initiatives on doctoral education

Research projects• Doctoral programmes projects• DOC-CAREERS

Policy initiatives• Salzburg principles

Not least: The accelerated interest in doctoral education Third Cycle in Bologna Widespread reforms

Acceleration of reformsPolitical ’opening of the field’ Inclusion in the Bologna Process 2003 Salzburg Principles 2005

Institutional reform:

TRENDS IV (2005): ”Most institutions are waiting to finish the implementation of the first and second cycle before taking on the third cycle, but some are trying to tackle research training simultaneously with the ongoing educational reforms” (p. 35)

TRENDS V (2007) ” “Even if nothing else were happening in European higher education the speed of change within doctoral education would amount to a mini revolution” (p. 26)

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Towards structured programmesThe classic model of individual supervision has largely been imbedded in structured programmes

• Situation 2006 (TRENDS V)

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Diversity in models

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Fostering talents within structured programmes

Salzburg: Doctoral education embedded in institutional strategies

Institutional strategies should contain clear priorities

There should be a connection between institutional priorities and the structure of the programme

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Examples ITransferable skills

Awareness of skills acquired through the research itself is important for career development

Common core competencies in management, creativity, dealing with complexity etc

Transferable skills as a part of a skills portfolio where the institution offers a range of courses

Specific transferable skills associated with the institutional profile (intercultural skills at a highly internationalised institution for example)

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Examples IICritical mass

Creating regional or national doctoral schools (Denmark, Finland, Norway)

Joint programmes (inter-institutional co-operation)

Career guidance

Clear responsibilities – institutions can offer the framework, but the doctoral candidate is ultimately responsible

Mentoring schemes

Mobility (inter-sectoral and international)– builds network and increases employability

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Examples IIIPartnerships

Partnerships between universities and industry – the open innovation model profiting from exchange of knowledge

Many models: industrial PhD, on-campus colloboration, institutional partnerships

Importance of long term perspective and responsibility

Benefits from support from policy making bodies

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What is needed?Autonomy for institutions to define strategies

Top down priorities can be counter productive

The importance of faculty and student involvement

Adequate funding

Realising and funding the full cost of structured programmes

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Thank you for your attention

www.eua.be/cde

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