ACTIVITY LINE A
ACTIVITY LINE A
ACTIVITY LINE A
ACTIVITY LINE A
PhD STUDIES
PhD STUDIES
Structure and Bologna follow
Structure and Bologna follow--up in the up in the competitiveness issues competitiveness issues Aris Avdelas Aris Avdelas Aristotle University Aristotle University Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Greece Greece Jean Berlamont Jean Berlamont CESAER and CESAER and K.U.
K.U. LeuvenLeuven Belgium
Main question: are PhD studies in
Main question: are PhD studies in
Engineering and Technology in Europe
Engineering and Technology in Europe
effective/innovative/competitive enough?
According to recent statistics, the number of According to recent statistics, the number of researchers in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) per researchers in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) per thousand labour force amounted to 5.4 in the EU thousand labour force amounted to 5.4 in the EU in 2003, compared to 10 and 9 in Japan and the in 2003, compared to 10 and 9 in Japan and the
US respectively and remains essentially US respectively and remains essentially
unchanged since 1999. Of the estimated total of unchanged since 1999. Of the estimated total of
1,180,000 researchers (FTE) in the EU
1,180,000 researchers (FTE) in the EU--25 in 25 in 2003, about 50% were employed in the business 2003, about 50% were employed in the business sector. This compared to some 68% in Japan sector. This compared to some 68% in Japan
and about 80% in the US. and about 80% in the US.
On the other hand, EU countries still produce On the other hand, EU countries still produce more science and engineering graduates and more science and engineering graduates and train more researchers for a doctorate than the train more researchers for a doctorate than the
US and Japan. But, the EU shows serious US and Japan. But, the EU shows serious levels of unemployment among researchers, levels of unemployment among researchers, and lower salary levels of researchers in and lower salary levels of researchers in
comparison with other employment sectors. comparison with other employment sectors.
Further, lack of attractive research and career Further, lack of attractive research and career prospects cause a drain of researchers to other prospects cause a drain of researchers to other countries, in particular to the US. At the same countries, in particular to the US. At the same
time, women remain under
time, women remain under--represented, represented, particularly in some fields of science and particularly in some fields of science and
engineering and in positions of responsibility. engineering and in positions of responsibility.
How EUGENE is going to
How EUGENE is going to
answer this?
By trying to establish a European common set By trying to establish a European common set of Excellence Standards and Principles in order of Excellence Standards and Principles in order to make the PhD training in Engineering and to make the PhD training in Engineering and
Technology in Europe more effective, Technology in Europe more effective,
competitive and innovative. competitive and innovative.
It is an established fact that acceptance criteria, It is an established fact that acceptance criteria,
mentoring and monitoring various aspects of mentoring and monitoring various aspects of
PhD training are important for excellence.
PhD training are important for excellence. This This has been identified by, among others, EUA, has been identified by, among others, EUA, CESAER and SEFI but also as an outcome of CESAER and SEFI but also as an outcome of
the activities of the
Taking into account that PhD training, being Taking into account that PhD training, being closely related to research, is different from the closely related to research, is different from the
two other cycles of higher education, the two other cycles of higher education, the
challenges for European engineering
challenges for European engineering HEIsHEIs are are among others to:
among others to: •
• Raise the quality standards of PhD programsRaise the quality standards of PhD programs •
• Raise the competitiveness of their PhD training Raise the competitiveness of their PhD training and foster the mobility of PhD students by
and foster the mobility of PhD students by
focussing on PhD programs based upon inter focussing on PhD programs based upon inter-
-national, inter
national, inter--sectoralsectoral and interand inter--institutional institutional cooperation
cooperation •
• Train, retain and attract world class Train, retain and attract world class researchers
In order to realize the above, many European In order to realize the above, many European
HEIs
HEIs have established in recent years Doctoral have established in recent years Doctoral Schools and offer structured PhD programs.
In the past
In the past, PhD training consisted exclusively , PhD training consisted exclusively of individual research.
of individual research. Now
Now, trainings are organised, (advanced) , trainings are organised, (advanced) courses are offered to PhD students, who also courses are offered to PhD students, who also participate in projects with industry etc. The participate in projects with industry etc. The
proportion of these activities with respect to the proportion of these activities with respect to the
individual research effort varies. In many individual research effort varies. In many
places there exists already some experience places there exists already some experience with structured PhD programs and activities of with structured PhD programs and activities of
doctoral schools. doctoral schools.
Taking into consideration
Taking into consideration that individual that individual research
research is and should remainis and should remain the backbone the backbone and the main constituent of PhD work and that and the main constituent of PhD work and that
a
•
• Support individual research workSupport individual research work •
• Broaden the intellectual horizon of the PhD Broaden the intellectual horizon of the PhD candidate, bring him in contact with relevant candidate, bring him in contact with relevant
future collaborators future collaborators •
• Provide the candidate with additional Provide the candidate with additional technical, scientific and social skills, or technical, scientific and social skills, or
improve on them, so that the PhD holder improve on them, so that the PhD holder
becomes more valuable for industry and more becomes more valuable for industry and more
prone to innovation prone to innovation
The
The
purpose of Activity Line A will be:
purpose of Activity Line A will be:
To collect information and to identify indicators To collect information and to identify indicators by which different models of PhD training will by which different models of PhD training will be compared, in order to produce a common be compared, in order to produce a common
set of excellence standards and principles. set of excellence standards and principles.
Proposal:
Proposal:
Workpackage
Workpackage NumberNumber 1188 Leading partners involved: Leading partners involved:
•
• Aristotle University of ThessalonikiAristotle University of Thessaloniki Aris Avdelas Aris Avdelas • • CESAERCESAER Jean Berlamont Jean Berlamont
Deliverables
Deliverables
Guidelines for the introduction of a common set Guidelines for the introduction of a common set
of excellence standards and principles on: of excellence standards and principles on:
•
• Content, organisation, structure of PhD programsContent, organisation, structure of PhD programs • Acceptance criteria
• Acceptance criteria • Mentoring
• Mentoring
• Monitoring the progress of PhD candidates, the • Monitoring the progress of PhD candidates, the
quality of the supervision, the quality and quality of the supervision, the quality and
innovative nature of the thesis innovative nature of the thesis
• The introduction of appropriate structures for • The introduction of appropriate structures for
interdisciplinary PhD training and the interdisciplinary PhD training and the
development of transferable skills. development of transferable skills. • Financing
Supporting Documents Supporting Documents Lisbon Agenda
Lisbon Agenda
Berlin Communiqu
Berlin Communiquéé: : Realising the European Higher Education AreaRealising the European Higher Education Area
Bergen Communiqu
Bergen Communiquéé: : The European Higher Education Area The European Higher Education Area -- Achieving the Achieving the Goals
Goals
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the Europea
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European n Parliament:
Parliament: Delivering on the Modernisation Agenda for Universities: Delivering on the Modernisation Agenda for Universities: Education, Research and Innovation
Education, Research and Innovation
London Communiqu
London Communiquéé: : Towards the European Higher Education Area: Towards the European Higher Education Area: responding to challenges in a
responding to challenges in a globalisedglobalised worldworld
Green Paper:
Green Paper: The European Research AreaThe European Research Area-New Perspectives-New Perspectives
LERU: Doctoral studies in Europe: Excellence in researcher train
LERU: Doctoral studies in Europe: Excellence in researcher traininging SEFI:
SEFI: Position on the Doctorate in EngineeringPosition on the Doctorate in Engineering
CESAER:
CESAER: Corner Stones for a Doctorate in EngineeringCorner Stones for a Doctorate in Engineering
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, th
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the e Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Comm
Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee ittee of the Regions:
of the Regions: A New Partnership for the Modernisation of Universities: the A New Partnership for the Modernisation of Universities: the EU Forum for University Business Dialogue
Indicators Indicators Open to discussion Open to discussion Quality Tools Quality Tools Open to discussion Open to discussion
Would you like to cooperate with us? Would you like to cooperate with us?
COME TO THE LINE A MEETING OR SEND AN COME TO THE LINE A MEETING OR SEND AN
EMAIL TO EMAIL TO
