The European Doctorate

Dr Thomas Ekman Jørgensen

EDAMBA Annual Meeting 2009Warsaw School of Economics

What is the European Doctorate – really?

Four criteria (original wording): The PhD thesis defence will be accorded [recognised] if at least two professors

from two higher education institutions of two European countries, other than the one where the thesis is defended, have given their review of the manuscript;

At least one member of the jury should come from a higher education institution in another European country, other than the one, where the thesis is defended;

A part of the defence must take place in one of the official languages, other than the one(s) of the country, where the thesis is defended;

The thesis must partly have been prepared as a result of a research period of at least one trimester spent in another European country.

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Jury requirements – very common also in other programmes

Language requirement –Not uncommon, varies with discipline

Mobility minimum – average minimum is about ⅓ of the study period (max ½ for all cycles)1

1 Kuder, Matthias & Daniel Obst (2009) Joint and Double Degree

Programs in the Transatlantic Context, Institute of International Education p. 23

Is it a joint programme?

Strictly speaking, no:

The criteria does not directly speak of formal, institutional arrangements – it could theoretically be based exclusively on the personal network of the supervisor

There are no requirements of integrated structures or common curriculum development

It is however used as the basis for a number of joint programmes

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AdvantagesAlmost 20 years of use – in itself a success A part of the European doctoral landscape

Transparent, comparable degree Guarantees a well-defined international (European) element in the doctoral

programme

Recognition Informally recognised by those that know the title

’Cultural capital’-element in cultures with traditional use of complex, hierarchical systems of titles or that value systems with centralised guarantees

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Disadvantages

Too much procedure, not enough content

The real important issues of the actual outcome are not dealt with (EUA’s ´Golden rules for new joint masters programmes’)

No definition of the actual added value beyond the title

Not enough procedure where you need it

No mention of quality assurance

The Confederation of European Union Rectors’ Conferences that made the criteria does no exist anymore, leaving the title in ‘limbo’ in terms of formal recognition – anyone can call their programme a European Doctorate

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Does the European Doctorate solve pressing problems?

What are institutions concretely struggling with?

The ’parchment problem’ – legal recognition of joint or dual degrees

Recognition – transparent quality assurance and accreditation procedures

Institutional differences

Funding

Sustainability

Globalisation

The European Doctorate provides a well-established, working model for exchange, but does not contain a complete model for a joint programme

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Thank you for your attention

www.eua.be/cde

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