The document discusses the diverse landscape of doctoral education in Europe. It notes that doctoral education serves to prepare candidates for a variety of careers through original research and the acquisition of research and transferable skills. Institutions establish various parallel structures for doctoral education, including doctoral schools and programs, based on disciplinary, faculty, and university-level organization. Key strategic priorities for doctoral education address both structural questions and broader policy issues to serve the needs of doctoral candidates, institutions, and external stakeholders.

1. The diverse landscape of
doctoral education
EUA-CDE ANNUAL MEETING
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Alexander Hasgall
Head of EUA Council for Doctoral Education
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2. Introducing
EUA-CDE
2
Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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• Serves as a memberhip service of the European University
Association
• Unites a community of academic leaders and professionals
from 243 universities in 35 countries
• Drives doctoral education policies and good practices of
common interest to our members
• Organises regular conferences, workshops, focus groups,
webinars and thematic peer groups, addressing fundamental
and emerging topics of doctoral education
• Participates in policy dialogues on the European and global
levels
• Provides as the “one-stop-shop” for doctoral education in
Europe

3. Background of
reforms of doctoral
education in
Europe
• Salzburg Principles 2005 – Salzburg II 2010 – Salzburg III 2016
• Increased importance for the European Research Area
• Innovation Union 2010
• Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training 2011
• National legislation
• Much of this is connected to the discourse regarding the
knowledge society as a driver for growth
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The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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4. Excellent research
as a base for
doctoral education
in Europe
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The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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• The core component of doctoral training is the advancement
of knowledge through original research
• Doctoral candidates must be allowed independence and
flexibility
• Doctoral candidates need to be prepared for careers inside
and outside of academia
• Institutions are responsible for their doctoral candidates

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A «meeting
place» ...
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
EUA-CDE ANNUAL MEETING

6. A «meeting place»
between...
6
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
EUA-CDE ANNUAL MEETING
• Research and higher education
• Doctoral Candidates (different backgrounds: Social,
cultural, national)
• Within the institution (Doctoral education as shared
responsibility)
• Institutions (Inter-institutional collaboration. Joint
doctoral programmes)
• Within/Between Disciplines
(disciplinary/multidisciplinary/Interdisciplinary doctoral
programmes/schools)
• Sectors (private, public)
• ...

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Lets start with
some Numbers
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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8. The diverse landscape of doctoral education
Numbers of doctoral candidates in Europe
2013: 853.360 | 2016: 884.353
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Source: Eurostat
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2013
2016
0
20.000
40.000
60.000
80.000
100.000
120.000
140.000
213.200 197.000

9. International mobility of doctoral candidates
9
1
Non-mobile doctoral candidates (2016) Mobile doctoral candidates (2016)
Source: Eurostat
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%

10. Gender distribution of doctoral candidates in Europe (2016)
(Total: 48% female doctoral candidates)
10
Source: Eurostat
Male doctoral candidates (2016) Female doctoral candidates (2016)
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%

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Survey on
doctoral
education in
Europe
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12. Survey on doctoral
education in
Europe
Background
• Together with researchers from the Ghent University (Prof.
Jeroen Huisman)
• November 2017 – February 2018
• For all European Universities addressing institutional
leadership
• 292 valid responses
• 1 response per institution
• Covers 40% of all doctoral candidates in Europe (according
to ETER data)
• Final report in beginning of 2019
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The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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13. Graduates (ISCED 6) per 1 000 of the
population aged 25-34
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0,0
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
3,5
4,0
Source: Eurostat

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Common goal:
Research
Excellence in
Doctoral Education
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The diverse landscape of doctoral education

15. Doctoral candidates
are early career
researchers...
15Thursday, June 7, 2018
To what extent does an average doctoral candidate in your
institution spend her/his time on the following activities?
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Scientific/academic research
Research related administration
Teaching
Internships, workplace training or experience
Science communication
Teaching related administration

16. and (mainly) seen as
future academic and
scholars,
16Thursday, June 7, 2018
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
To what extent is doctoral education in your institution conceived
as preparing the future generation of…
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Academics/scholars
Highly skilled knowledge workers
researchers outside of academia
Leaders/managers

17. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Academics/scholars
Highly skilled knowledge workers
researchers outside of academia
Leaders/managers
but also increasingly
seen as the research
professionals of
tomorrow.
17Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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To what extent is doctoral education in your institution conceived
as preparing the future generation of…
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent

18. They focus on
research
competencies
18Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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In your institution, how important are the following elements of
doctoral training?
(Extremely) important
Somewhat important
(Somewhat) unimportant
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Specific research competencies
Generic academic competencies
Knowledge valorisation
Teaching competencies
Management and leadership competencies

19. but also acquire
transversal
competencies
19Thursday, June 7, 2018
In your institution, how important are the following elements of
doctoral training?
(Extremely) important
Somewhat important
(Somewhat) unimportant
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Specific research competencies
Generic academic competencies
Knowledge valorisation
Teaching competencies
Management and leadership competencies

20. 20
Funding for
doctoral education
comes from a
variety of
ressources
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
To what extent are doctoral candidates at your institution
financially supported by the following sources?
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Ministry, research council, etc.
University employment
University grant, scholarship, etc.
Mix of several sources
No financial support
Employer (private, public, NGO)
Non-domestic (International) source

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Diversity in the
organisation of
doctoral education
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22. Institutions establish
diverse, often
parallel structures
for doctoral
education …
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To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
To what extent is doctoral education in your institution organised
as…?
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Doctoral education is organised in programmes
Doctoral education is managed through an
organisational unit doctoral school
Doctoral education is managed through an inter-
organisational unit
Doctoral education is led by individual supervisors

23. ... based on the
different levels of
University governance
(university, faculty,
discipline)
23Thursday, June 7, 2018
To what extent is doctoral education in your institution organised
at or around …?
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
The disciplinary level
The faculty level
Themes or societal challenges

24. Variety of criteria
to institutionally
evalute doctoral
education
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In your institution, to what extent are the following aspects/criteria
used to assess/evaluate doctoral education?
To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Academic publications by doctoral candidates
Completion rates of doctoral candidates
Staff qualifications
Satisfaction of doctoral candidates
Qualitative indicators
Level of internationalisation
Level of competitive funding received
Careers of doctoral graduates
Relevance for society
Relevance for the economy

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Supervision
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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26. Key aspects of the
supervisor-
supervisee relation
are regulated
26Thursday, June 7, 2018
In most/all doctoral programmes
In about half of doctoral programmes
Never/in some doctoral programmes
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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In your institution, are there rules or guidelines regarding the
following aspects of doctoral supervision?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Appointment of supervisor(s)
Formal reporting by doctoral candidate
Formal feedback by supervisor(s)
Written agreements
Supervisor-doctoral candidate conflicts
Minimum number of meetings
Voluntary training for supervisors
Maximum number of doctoral candidates
Obligatory training for supervisors

27. The practice of the
supervision is
highly diverse
even within a
single institution
27Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
EUA-CDE ANNUAL MEETING
To what extent are doctoral candidates in your institution
supervised by …?
In most/all doctoral programmes
In about half of doctoral programmes
Never/in some doctoral programmes
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
A supervisory team - internal to this institution
A single supervisor
A supervisory team including other universities

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Strategy
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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29. There are multiple
strategic priorities
within a single
institution...
29Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
To what extent are the following issues currently considered a
strategic priority in doctoral education within your institution
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Funding
Research ethics
Attracting DC from abroad
Gender equality
Career development
Open Access / Open Science
Increasing the number of DC
Health/wellbeing of DC
University-business cooperation
Societal engagement of DC

30. ... addressing the
structural
questions of
doctoral education
as much as
broader policy
issues
30Thursday, June 7, 2018
The diverse landscape of doctoral education
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To a great extent/always
To some extent
Not at all/to a small extent
To what extent are the following issues currently considered a
strategic priority in doctoral education within your institution
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Funding
Research ethics
Attracting DC from abroad
Gender equality
Career development
Open Access / Open Science
Increasing the number of DC
Health/wellbeing of DC
University-business cooperation
Societal engagement of DC

31. The diverse landscape of doctoral education
Conclusions • The production of knowledge through original research is
at the centre of doctoral education.
• Doctoral education serves to prepare doctoral candidates
for a variety of careers.
• An overwhelming majority of institutions (about 90%) have
established structures for doctoral education.
• Doctoral schools and programmes coexist simultaneously
with other support structures.
• Doctoral education is an endeavour for all of the
institutions – rooted in the different levels of governance.
31Thursday, June 7, 2018
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32. Conclusions • Supervisors remain primus inter pares, increasingly working
in tandem with colleagues from in- and outside the
institution.
• In most institutions, formal reporting and feedback between
the doctoral candidate and supervisor(s) is required.
• Doctoral education is evaluated based on the multiple – and
potentially conflicting – criteria which reflect diverse
demands from external stakeholders.
• Key strategic policy prorities of doctoral education are
similar to the key issues of European research policy today,
while also addressing the specificities of early stage
researchers.
32Thursday, June 7, 2018
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Thank you for your attention
Alexander Hasgall
Head of EUA Council for Doctoral Education
alexander.hasgall@eua.eu
www.eua-cde.org
33Thursday, June 7, 2018