Commissioned Papers
The following are Draft versions of the Commissioned Papers. Authors will be invited to revisit and finalize papers post-conference.
Papers by Country
Australia
International Doctoral Conference Commissioned Paper: Australia (Word doc)
Terry Evans, Barbara Evans, & Helene Marsh
Brazil
The Evolution of the Doctorate in Brazil (Word doc)
Renato Janine Ribeiro
Canada
Doctoral Education in Canada, 1900-2005 (Word doc)
Garth Williams
The European University Institute
Doctoral training in Europe: the European University Institute, Florence, Italy (Word doc)
Andreas C. Frijdal
Germany
Forces and Forms of Change: Doctoral Education in Germany within the European Framework (Word doc)
Barbara M. Kehm
Mexico
Doctoral Education in Mexico (Word doc)
Armando Alcantaraa, Salvador Malob, Mauricio Fortes
Nordic Countries
Nordic research training: Common objectives for international quality (pdf)
Hans Siggaard Jensen
Doctorates and doctoral studies in the Nordic Countries - A short overview (Word doc)
Hans Kristján Guðmundsson
Japan
Recent Change in Doctoral Education in Japan (Word doc)
Shinichi Yamamoto
South Africa
The PhD and South Africa’s Research Capacity (Word doc)
Ahmed Bawa
United Kingdom
Doctoral Education in the UK: Trends and Challenges (Word doc)
Howard Green
United States
Forces and Forms of Change: Doctoral Education in the United States (Word doc)
Maresi Nerad and Mimi Heggelund
Outline for Papers
Introduction
In this conference we will explore a number of key issues: First is that both globalization and national interests are driving forces for changes in doctoral education in several countries. A main goal of this workshop is to develop an understanding of how these global forces and national interests interact and inform the current debates and changes in your country’s doctoral education. Because countries develop somewhat different structures for doctoral education it is important to understand these current changes of doctoral education in the context of national settings. A second issue concerns the impact of globalization: Does globalization homogenize the FORMS of doctoral education? For example, we see that more and more countries are adopting coursework for doctoral students. Is that a trend?
While we might see strong trends towards homogenization of forms, we want to understand how various countries have responded. For example we know that the Bologna Treaty had an influence on European doctoral education. However did the Bologna Treaty have an impact on doctoral education in China, Japan or Australia? If so how? Why? These are the issues we want to pursue with you during our time at the workshop.
We are therefore asking each participating country to prepare a paper describing the major changes underway. The outline below will guide in the preparation of these commissioned papers.
Development Prior to Change & Innovation (Brief)
- When and how has doctoral degree evolved in your country?
- What have been the official purpose and goals of the doctoral degree?
- What were the strengths and weakness of the program (prior to changes)?
Forces of Change
- What was the impetus for change?
- Which international and national forces brought about changes? How did the international and national forces interact?
- What were the goals for change?
- What was the process? Who were the change agents?
- Which changes have already been implemented? Were indicators “of success” identified?
- Are there outcomes already visible? And if so what are these?
The Current Doctoral Education (Description & Data)
- Infrastructure: Who is entitled to organize and award doctoral programs?
- What is the connection to the university research structure?
- Description of Doctoral education
- Trends of annual production of PhDs, % of age cohort of population, % of bachelor or first degree holder, trends by fields, by gender, citizenship, Post PhD employment trends.
- Please specify whether doctor in Law, doctor in Medicine is included in your PhD production
- Supervisory system
- Examination structure
- "Students": What is the admission policy? What is their status?
- Financial support
- Demographics
- Challenges encountered by "students", actual experience
- What is the system of quality assurances and/or accreditation?
- Is there a relationship between university and industry (Technology transfer and intellectual property)