1. Katja Breskvar University of Ljubljana Head of Doctoral School
Univerza v Ljubljani
Renovation of Doctoral Studies in Europe According to Bologna Process; Example of University of Ljubljana
Katja Breskvar
University of Ljubljana
Head of Doctoral School
Zagreb 2011

2. Key Events for Transformation of Doctoral Studies in Europe
Univerza v Ljubljani
Key Events for Transformation of Doctoral Studies in Europe
Activities in Europe connected with transformations of doctoral studies started in Berlin at ministers meeting entitled “European Higher Education Area and European research Area -two pillars of knowledge based society” in 2003 underlining the key role of doctoral programs and research training in this context.
EUA launched in 2004 a Socrates funded “Doctoral Programmes Project” to analyse key issues related to structure and organization, financing, quality and innovative practice in doctoral programs.
Bologna Seminar on “Doctoral Programmes for European Knowledge Society” was organized in Salzburg in order to reach a set of conclusions (10 basic principles) and make recommendations for actions to be undertaken
European ministers meet in Bergen May 2005 in a meeting “From Berlin to Bergen” where general report of the Bologna process was discussed and Salzburg principles accepted as guidelines for doctoral program transformations.
Zagreb 2011

3. Ten Salzburg Principles
Univerza v Ljubljani
Ten Salzburg Principles
The core component of doctoral training is the
advancement of knowledge through original research
Embedding in institutional strategies and policies
The importance of diversity
Doctoral candidates as early stage researches
The crucial role of supervision and assessment
Achieving critical mass
Duration ( doctoral programs from 3 to 4 years)
The promotion of innovative structures
Increasing mobility
Ensuring appropriate funding
Zagreb 2011

4. The EUA Council for Doctoral Education
Univerza v Ljubljani
The EUA Council for Doctoral Education
Established in 2008
The EUA-CDE’s objectives:
To enhance the quality of doctoral education
To encourage and support the developement of institutional policies
To improve the availability of data and information on doctoral education in European universities
To idemtify and monitor emerging trends
To act as representative voice of European universities
To contribute to strenghtening of international dimension
To build and develop a strong link between education and research policies
To promote the doctorate and career development of PhD holders in knowledge based society
Zagreb 2011 4

5. Meetings Organized by EUA-CDE
Univerza v Ljubljani
Meetings Organized by EUA-CDE
Plenary Meetings:
Constitutive Meeting, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2008
Annual Meeting, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2009
Annual Meeting, Berlin, Germany, 2010
Annual Meeting, Madrid, Spain, 2011
Thematic Workshops, 2-3 per year:
Several thematic workshops were organized at different places covering in depth
some crucial issues concerning doctoral studies such as: supervision and
mentoring, quality assurance and quality control, structuring doctoral education,
mobility, career developement, creating a research environment, and others.
Zagreb 2011

6. Assuming Institutional Responsibility
Univerza v Ljubljani
Assuming Institutional Responsibility
Research to be of the greatest significance in the programs
Critical mass (students and teaching staff)
The same study conditions for doctoral students of all disciplines
Generic skills training
Promotion of student and staff mobility
Quality assurance
Appropriate funding
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7. Salzburg II Recomendations
Univerza v Ljubljani
Salzburg II Recomendations
Recomendations were built on the original
Salzburg Principles, they affirm the validity of the basic
principles and give them additional, concrete content.
Three categories:
Research as the basis and the difference.
Clues for succes.
Clearing the obstacles
Zagreb 2011

8. Research as the Basis and the Difference
Univerza v Ljubljani
Research as the Basis and the Difference
To cultivate research mindset, to nurture flexibility of thought, creativity and intelectual autonomy
To built researsh environment with research capacity, critical mass diversity
The meaning of structure: structuring doctoral education in order to crate a supportive environment: setting up structures as means of taking up institutional responsibility. Importance of flexible structures.
Zagreb 2011

9. Clues for Success Critical mass and critical diversity
Univerza v Ljubljani
Clues for Success
Critical mass and critical diversity
Recruitment, admission and status
Supervision
Outcomes
Career development
Credits
Quality and accountability
Internationalisation
Zagreb 2011

10. Clearing the Obstacles
Univerza v Ljubljani
Clearing the Obstacles
Funding: high quality doctoral education requires sustainable and specific funding
Autonomy, in order to allow diverse structures with different research strategies and strengths
Legal framework allowing tthe freedom to develop specific indicators for quality and international collaboration - allow dual or joint degrees
Intersectorial collaboration, introduce measures to falicitate cooperation between universities and nonacademic sector
Zagreb 2011

11. Univerza v Ljubljani
Types of Doctoral Schools at Institutional Level By H. Brentel, Bologna Handbook, EUA, 2009
Department school, related to a certain department or discipline
Thematic school, related to certain research field or research area
Faculty school, joint school of the departments of a faculty
Joint department school, in cooperation of some departments or disciplines
Joint research school, cooperation of several research areas under common overall topic
Major area school, a cluster of group of the universitie’s departments
University school, integrative approach involving all the departments and academic fields
Zagreb 2011 11

12. Univerza v Ljubljani
Two Examples of Good Practice (Presented at First Meeting of EUA-CDE in Lausanne, 2008)
University of Trento: reform started 10 years ago, cooperation with private enterprises and research institutes, independent institution driven by international competition, actively promotes fund raising from both public and private partners, governance of Italian university-pint of weakness.
Ghent University: university founded five doctoral schools: Art and Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Natural sciences, Life sciences and Medicine, and (Bioscience) Engineering. Each of the Doctoral schools has Council and a director, responsible to a general director. All activities within 11 faculties are gathered into the doctoral schools.
Zagreb 2011 12

13. Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Univerza v Ljubljani
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Institutional responsibility is to develop necessary mechanisms for quality assurance and quality colntrol speciffic for doctoral studies:
All criteria for quality assurance and quality control accepted for other education cycles need to be respected. In addition, the specifics in doctoral studies where research is the sessential component need some additional quality measurements:
Establish the criteria for quality of research
Criteria for mentors
Criteria for course coordinators and lecturers
Publication of the results
Zagreb 2011

14. Generic and Transferable Skills
Univerza v Ljubljani
Generic and Transferable Skills
Purpose/goal
Areas
How much
Obligatory vs. Elective choice
Organization ( programme or institution)
Zagreb 2011

15. Open Questions The question of ECTS How much structure
Univerza v Ljubljani
Open Questions
The question of ECTS
How much structure
Taught subjects vs. research
Assesment of good research
Zagreb 2011 15

16. UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA
Univerza v Ljubljani
UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA
Size of the institution
Member faculties
Students and teaching staff
23 faculties
students (graduate and postgraduate)
3 art academies
about 4000 members of teaching staff
Zagreb 2011 16

17. DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF UL Established 2007
Univerza v Ljubljani
DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF UL
Established
Head member of academic staff appointed by rector
Office professional persons ( +2 for stipend issues)
Main tasks:
Maintains standards for doctoral studies across disciplines
through regulations and codes of practise
Provides a range of support services
Forms proposals of strategic issues
Assembles generic courses
Coordinates international cooperation
Zagreb 2011 17

18. REORGANIZATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES AT UL
Univerza v Ljubljani
REORGANIZATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES AT UL
The same study conditions for doctoral students of all disciplines accepted at institutional level were published as University document in 2008.
Reorganization of doctoral studies included the aims:
Research to be of the greatest significance in the programs
Interdisciplinary approach where possible
Critical mass (students and teaching staff, research capacity)
Generic skills training
Promotion of student and staff mobility
Quality assurance
Zagreb 2011 18

19. Univerza v Ljubljani
EVALUATION OF DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES BY ECTS AS DEFINED BY LAW IN SLOVENIA
Programme duration three years – 180 KT
Organized forms of study – 60 KT
Research – 120 KT
By definition: 1KT according to ECTS represents from 25 to 30 hours of student’s work load
Zagreb 2011 19

20. RESEARCH AS THE GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE IN PhD PROGRAMMES
Univerza v Ljubljani
RESEARCH AS THE GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE IN PhD PROGRAMMES
Appropriate postulates in the programmes:
introduction of research subjects
recognition of learning through research
obligatory to publish results prior to the defence
Role of mentors:
active researchers
to assure research infrastructure and other conditions for scientific work
Doctoral committees
Financial aspects:
state funding (research projects, young researchers, other)
financial support form partners in economy
international projects
Zagreb 2011 20

21. NEW POSTULATES IN DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES
Univerza v Ljubljani
NEW POSTULATES IN DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES
Research subjects:
elective individual research courses were introduced in several programmes
doctoral candidates have the opportunity to gain research skills necessary for their doctoral project in specialized laboratories
Learning through research:
doctoral candidates obtain credit points through research by presenting their progress in research at several meetings with the committee
publishing results
Students’ work load is evaluated and accredited.
Zagreb 2011 21

22. QUALITY CRITERIA IN DOCTORAL STUDIES
Univerza v Ljubljani
QUALITY CRITERIA IN DOCTORAL STUDIES
All criteria for quality assurance and quality control accepted for other
levels of education need to be respected. In addition, some specifics in
doctoral studies need additional quality measurements.
Specific for doctoral studies at UL:
Criteria for mentors
Criteria for course coordinators and lecturers
Doctotal committees
Strict requirement for doctoral students to publish results of their research
Zagreb 2011 22

23. MENTORING DOCTORAL CANDIDATES BEFORE RRENOVATION
Univerza v Ljubljani
MENTORING DOCTORAL CANDIDATES BEFORE RRENOVATION
Criteria for mentors:
As defined in university statute, persons with suitable title (assistant, associate and full professors) were suitable for mentoring doctoral candidates.
Consequences:
no control over research activities of mentors
no control over number of doctoral candidates /mentor
call for students exceeded research capacity
no control over duration of the process
no. of doctoral students significantly exceeded no. of those who completed the studies
Zagreb 2011 23

24. NEW CRITERIA FOR MENTORING
Univerza v Ljubljani
NEW CRITERIA FOR MENTORING
Criteria for mentors according to new senate decisions:
A person with the title of a university teacher or a researcher of
science in the field of the doctoral dissertation
Publications in the area of students’ research project
Research activity demonstrated by national evaluation system (Sicris
data base) with minimum no. of points which would qualify them as
possible project leaders
Involvement in research project
Limitation of number of doctoral candidates/ mentor
Obligatory co-mentor in case of interdisciplinary project
Guest mentors from other universities
Zagreb 2011 24

25. DOCTORAL COMMITTEES Before Present Three committees :
Univerza v Ljubljani
DOCTORAL COMMITTEES
Before
Present
Three committees :
project plan evaluation
doctoral thesis evaluation
oral defence
Single committee:
guiding doctoral candidate
from beginning to completion
role of mentor in the
committee
Zagreb 2011 25

26. TYPES OF DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES AT UL
Univerza v Ljubljani
TYPES OF DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES AT UL
Comprehensive interdisciplinary programmes: interdisciplinary approach with cooperation of several faculties and other research institutions, coordination at university.
Interdisciplinary programmes: cooperation of several faculties in some scientific areas, coordination at selected faculty.
Faculty programmes: one or two scientific disciplines mostly studied at one faculty, cooperation with individual lecturers from other faculties.
Joint programmes: cooperation with other universities
Zagreb 2011 26

27. RENOVATED DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES AT UL
Univerza v Ljubljani
RENOVATED DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES AT UL
Type of programme
Number of programmes
Comprehensive interdisciplinary programmes- with coordination at university
(Biomedicine, Environmental Protection, Statistics)
Interdisciplinary programmes- with coordination at faculties
(Biosciences, Humanities and Social Sciences,
Materials)
Faculty programmes – with cooperation of individuals from other faculties
(Mathematics and Physics, Economics and Business,
Architecture, Built Environment, Chemistry Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Theology, Electrical Engineering, Computer and Information Science, Kinesiology, Legal Studies, Teacher Education and Educational Sciences, Textile Engineering with Graphic Communication and Textile design, Transport and Meritime Sciences)
Joint programmes ( 5 EU universities)
(Doctoral Programme in Social work – INDOSOW)
Zagreb 2011 27

28. COMPREHENSIVE PhD PROGRAMMES COORDINATED AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL
Univerza v Ljubljani
COMPREHENSIVE PhD PROGRAMMES COORDINATED AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL
Biomedicine
5 faculties, 3 national research institutes
Environmental protection
13 faculties
Statistics
7 faculties
Zagreb 2011 28

29. Univerza v Ljubljani
PROGRAMME COUNCIL
Programme council of all comprehensive interdisciplinary programs has headquarters in the central university building.
Programme council is run by president who has a deputy.
Mandate for president is 4 years and could be repeated
Council consists of members from each faculty or research institute acting in the programme, mandate is 4 years and could be repeated
Council meetings take place about 6 times a year (more if necessary)
Zagreb 2011 29

30. INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN RAISING THE QUALITY OF MENTORSHIP
Univerza v Ljubljani
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN RAISING THE QUALITY OF MENTORSHIP
In addition to accepting general requirements for mentors the
institution should assure the fundamental conditions for future
mentors and all the necessary information.
Workshop for mentors:
Information about the programmes
Legal requirements concerning doctoral education
Requirements for mentors
Responsibilities towards doctoral candidate
Zagreb 2011

31. Univerza v Ljubljani
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Subjects offering generic and transferable skills are offered by individual faculty
programmes and are in the combined form presented at university level. According
to specific contents subjects are pooled into six groups.
Subject groups:
communication
research and planning
human relations (with impact on working in group)
organization, administration, policy making
work survival
special offer from individual faculties
The offer is announced at university web page and is suitable for students involved
in doctoral programmes of all disciplines and scientific fields.
Zagreb 2011 31

32. STUDENTS IN NEW DOCTORAL STUDIES
Univerza v Ljubljani
STUDENTS IN NEW DOCTORAL STUDIES
Study year
Public call
matriculated
2009/10
2342
1275
2010/11
1678
963
2011/12
1281
773
Zagreb 2011 32