EUA Council for Doctoral Education
The Doctoral Debate
“The Doctoral Debate” is an online platform featuring original articles with commentary and analysis on doctoral education in Europe. Articles focus on trending topics in doctoral education and state-of-the-art policies and practices. The Debate showcases voices and views from EUA-CDE members and partners.
All views expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of EUA Council for Doctoral Education. If you would like to contribute to the Doctoral debate, please see The Doctoral Debate style guidelines and contact the CDE team to pitch your idea.
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07 Jul. 2025Aligning, acting and accelerating Europe’s research and innovation brings new challenges and opportunities for doctoral education Europe needs to continuously modernise doctoral education in close articulation with research and innovation. This will contribute to accelerating our collective response to geopolitical threats, boosting innovation in defence and security, and rethinking our understanding of ‘science for policy’ in times of knowledge abundance. Read more
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01 Apr. 2025Why mainstreaming gender in research content is necessary The inclusion of a gender perspective in research projects not only improves the quality and relevance of their results, but also contributes to the construction of a fairer and more equitable society. Read more
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06 Mar. 2025Embedding gender equity within doctoral education is a collective responsibility Professionals who work to support doctoral candidates, whether in managerial or academic roles, have key roles to play in embedding inclusive practice to support gender equity in universities. Read more
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11 Oct. 2024Making research assessment reform work for the next generation of researchers As research assessment practices are changing in many countries, we need to be aware of unintended effects. This article pinpoints three crucial areas where universities can support doctoral candidates and early-career researchers as they navigate the new frameworks. Read more
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12 Oct. 2023Today’s doctoral candidates need training to communicate science in the public eye Communication training for doctoral candidates is vital due to new societal trends that make communication more important for scientists. For Gian-Andri Casutt, strengthening training programmes is crucial for the effective integration of science into society. Read more
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12 Sep. 2023It takes a village to do a doctorate: the power of community in the doctoral journey This article tackles the importance of building a doctoral community through modern means of communication and sharing information to create a collaborative environment where doctoral candidates feel supported and connected. For Sophie Leclère, universities should recognise and support the efforts of those who engage in knowledge-sharing, by providing resources, encouraging content creation and listening to the needs of doctoral candidates. Read more
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28 Aug. 2023Are Portuguese doctoral candidates on board with changes to supervision? Against the backdrop of ongoing debates in Portugal, this article explores the seeming contradiction between proposed changes in doctoral supervision and doctoral candidates' impressions of them, implying alignment with a more ‘traditional’ understanding of supervision. Read more
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21 Jun. 2022Social background as a challenge for doctoral education In order to better support first-generation academics, it is important to deal with the particular hurdles that many of them face on their academic career path. The four most important of these are presented in this article, which also shows why universities should do more for this group. Read more
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13 May. 2022Rethinking doctoral education for careers within and beyond the academy The training of doctoral candidates remains largely oriented towards academia. Given that increasing numbers of doctorate holders will eventually work beyond the academy, we need to rethink doctoral education. This article proposes several recommendations (‘rethinks’) emerging from empirical studies targeting collaboration, transferable skills and the relations between doctoral candidates and their future employers. Read more
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09 May. 2022Doctoral education in the pandemic and beyond As in almost every part of society, the Covid-19 pandemic came as a shock to doctoral education in Europe. Universities pivoted remarkably quickly, within days, to counter the enforced closure of facilities with online provision across almost all activities. And as the world attempts to move forward, under the partial shield of vaccination, it is possible to take stock of the impact upon doctoral candidates and the people and structures that support them and to assess what the experience means for the future. Read more