This Doctoral Training Working Group (WG) looks at everything that has to do with the quality of doctoral training. In the year 2025/2026, the main theme will be doctoral co-supervision, with particular attention to standards and good practices in cases where doctoral candidates are supervised by two or more supervisors.

The purpose of the WG Doctoral training is two-fold: Firstly, to provide a platform for NAs and affiliated ECRs to discuss matters relevant to doctoral training at a European level, i.e., exchange ideas, good practices and connections; secondly, to provide a place within the Eurodoc organisation to develop policy on matters specifically related to doctoral education.

The goals of the WG Doctoral training for the upcoming year are to prepare a statement on doctoral co-supervision and to improve outreach. Detailed goals for the upcoming year will be discussed in the meetings.

Any ECR should consider joining the WG Doctoral training if you find discussions related to doctoral education interesting and if you wish to contribute to the development of doctoral education policy across Europe. Participation in the WG does not entail any obligation to participate in meetings or to perform any work between meetings.

The general goals of the working group:

• Raise awareness of the importance of high-quality doctoral training for the future of European research and society;
• Study and comment on documents on doctoral training from relevant European stakeholders;
• Write recommendations on how to improve doctoral training by including doctoral candidates’ perspectives.

The current activities of the working group focus on developing a statement on standards and good practices in cases where doctoral candidates are supervised by two or more supervisors. The working group will explore and discuss different configurations of doctoral co-supervision, including:

• supervision by a main and a secondary supervisor within the same discipline;
• interdisciplinary co-supervision involving supervisors from different fields;
• co-tutelle agreements with supervisors from home and foreign institutions; and
• supervision shared between academia and industry in the context of industrial doctorates.

The working groups of Eurodoc are open for early-career researchers all around Europe. ECRs affiliated with one of the national associations are especially welcome to join.

If you wish to be added to the email lists for the working group, please sign up through this link.

For more information, contact the coordinator of the working group: Aneta Fraser (aneta.fraser [at] eurodoc.net)