Europa bundelt ‘doctoral education’

EUA President, prof. Georg Winckler onderstreept daarbij: “The EUA Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE) has been created in response to the growing demand from universities in Europe for a more structured approach to promote cooperation and exchange of good practice between doctoral schools and programmes in Europe. Doctoral education will play a key role in achieving Europe’s ambitious goals to strengthen its research capacity and international competitiveness, and the new Council will be crucial for the development, advancement and improvement of these goals.”

The objectives of the new Council include: 
–   Enhancing the quality of doctoral education in Europe by fostering debate and promoting the exchange and dissemination of good practice;
–   Encouraging and supporting the development of institutional policies and strategies as well as the introduction of effective leadership and management practices; 
–   Strengthening the international dimension of doctoral programmes and research training through improved cooperation among its members and by establishing dialogue with partner organisations in other world regions;
–   Identifying and monitoring emerging trends in doctoral education inside and outside Europe;
–   Promoting the doctorate as a key professional qualification and underlining the importance of young researchers for a knowledge-based society.

The new EUA-CDE is an integral part of the EUA. It will function as an independent membership service under the responsibility of a Steering Committee that will be responsible for organising annual activities including conferences and workshops,  preparing reports and studies, and disseminating information on latest trends in doctoral education in Europe and beyond. Professor Jean Chambaz, Vice President Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris VI, and Mary Ritter, Pro Rector at Imperial College London, have been elected Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the Steering Committee while EUA Vice President Professor Jean Marc Rapp will be an ex officio Committee member thus ensuring the link  to the EUA Board and Council.

Membership will be open to EUA full members and also to universities awarding doctoral degrees that are not members. EUA-CDE will also seek active cooperation with partner organisations with similar interests such as national associations of doctoral education and young researchers’ associations and other stakeholders.