Brussels, 12/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The Council for Doctoral Education (CDE) and the European University Association (EUA) has prepared new recommendations on doctoral education in European universities, five years after the launch of the “Salzburg Principles” put on track reforms in this field. The five new recommendations (“Salzburg II”) will be presented to the European universities during the annual EUA conference in Palermo on 20-23 October.
The new recommendations are expected to confirm the 2005 Salzburg Principles but will integrate new elements more adapted to the current situation, as well as define the obstacles currently preventing universities from pursuing their reforms in doctoral education. The new elements to be included in these new recommendations cover several subjects, ranging from research capacity to ensuring quality in universities. Nonetheless, they all converge on three major points of broad consensus at the European universities. Firstly, the doctorate should be based on research activities: courses must be structured in a way that provides doctoral students with a high-quality, inclusive research environment. Secondly, the individual aspect of doctoral education must be stressed, as researchers and doctoral candidates have highly individual paths and this requires significant structural flexibility. Thirdly, European universities have been the main driver of the reforms and can well be said to be at the forefront of doctoral education globally. It is important to take note of the progress made by universities and give them the autonomy necessary to continue developing doctoral education.
The doctorate is the third stage of three cycles set up by the Bologna Process in 1999 to harmonise the higher education area in Europe. En 2005, the Salzburg seminar reaffirmed the importance of the doctorate and research education for a knowledge-based society. It listed ten principles for guiding their implementation and development. In June, the members of the CDE produced the first balance sheet of the reforms begun on the basis of the Salzburg principles. Overall, these demonstrated their relevance and consolidation through several different experiences. Nonetheless several more years will be necessary to see their real impact. The CDE also reaffirmed, in Berlin, the importance of doctoral education for the future of European research. (I.L./transl.fl)