1. Master & Doctoral Education in Europe: Key Challenges for Quality Assurance
Lesley Wilson
Secretary General, EUA
Quality Assurance in Postgraduate Education
ENQA Workshop, Brasov, March 2009

2. I. – Starting Point: A Decade of Reforms in Europe
The Bologna Process – Improving the quality of European higher education: Bachelor, Master, PhD
The European Research Area – better job opportunities & more rewarding careers for young researchers
The « modernisation » of universities – more autonomy for universities but also growing accountability requirements..
The ‘new internationalisation’ of European HE

3. II. What the Communiqués say (1)
Bologna 1999: system based on 2 main cycles, undergraduate and graduate
The first cycle – minimum of three years
The second cycle should lead to the master and/or doctorate degree
Prague 2001: programmes should have different orientations & various profiles >academic, individual & labour market needs
Berlin 2003: necessary to go beyond the 2 cycles to include the doctoral level as the third cycle

4. II. What the Communiqués say (2)
Bergen Communiqué (2005): integrating the The Salzburg Principles (EUA, 2005)
Synergy EHEA/ERA, Doctoral level to be aligned to QFs
EUA invited to prepare a report on the further development of the Principles, to be presented to Ministers in London 2007
London Communiqué (2007): Doctoral Programmes in Europe (EUA, 2007)
Variety of doctoral programmes but avoid overregulation
Improve status, career prospects & funding for early stage researchers
EUA to continue to support the sharing of experience

5. III. – Where are we now after a decade of reforms? (1) the Master level
Master – sandwiched between the Bachelor and the PhD
2nd cycle not well understood and not yet up and running everywhere
Multiplicity of purposes, 3 main types: taught courses with professional orientation, research intensive masters, variety of courses for returning learners
Not always ‘readible’ everywhere, eg plethora of titles, problems with ISCED classifications, with sectoral qualifications etc.
Governance reforms across Europe: more autonomous & accountable universities
But is there a danger that although we have common goals the responses at national level are ever more diverse – particularly true in relation to quality and accreditation
Demography & the race to attract global talent
The ‘new wave’ of internationalisation:

6. III. Where are we now ? (2) Doctoral Education
Main link between the EHEA and ERA
Universities have the main responsibility;providing training in & through research is a core task
Also explains the growing importance of universities in meeting national & European goals
Drivers of change:
Global competition & changing labour markets
EU policies (Lisbon, ERA Green Paper, Modernisation Agenda for Universities etc.)
Bologna Process
Different purpose, structures, organisation, and funding than the 1st & 2nd cycle

7. III. A decade of reforms (3) the ‘new wave’ of European internationalisation
Based on the Bologna reforms and the nature of research in 21st century
Strategic international cooperation enhances the attractiveness of European universities
Master, doctorate & post doctorate phase are crucial elements of successful internationalisation – attracting the best students & young researchers
Master programmes are increasing taught in English & targeted at international students
Doctoral schools & structured doctoral programmes attract larger numbers of international students

8. IV. Quality Issues & challenges for Quality Assurance (1) at Master level
Making the master readable across 46 Bologna countries – establishing clarifty of types, titles & nomenclatura – towards a shared terminology for different types of masters
Finalising National Qualifications Frameworks
Ensuring the development of learning outcomes for different types of programmes
Requiring guidelines for developing learning outcomes also as part of collaborative provision
The master is the most ‘marketised’ level: selection for entry & funding issues require attention to ensure equitable access
Enshrined in the berlin and the London Communiqués
QAAs – very different levels of devleopment
Defintion and accreditation of master programmes a major challenge – this has an impact on the doctoral level
550 people attended our annual quality forum last week in Budapest

9. IV – Quality & challenges for QA (2) doctoral level
Doctoral education is the third cycle of education & the first stage of a researcher’s career
Traditionally the core responsibility of universities
Major reforms are underway, major debate on the key elements consituting quality at doctoral level in this new context, e.g.
Structured programmes & doctoral/research/graduate schools – different models - to achieve critical mass, enhance interdisciplinarity/Inter-insitutional cooperation etc.
Improved arrangements for supervision and assessment
Ensuring transferable skills development - to enhance awareness or research skills acquired & improve employment possibilities inside & outsde academia
Master programmes are often accredited - but how does this link to the doctoral cycle is still often an open and difficult process – requires also the existence of Qualifications Frameworks defining the learning outcomes of different programmes
The development of doctoral and/or research schools is a key element in the quest for improved quality at doctoral level

10. IV – Quality & challenges for QA (2) doctoral level (cont.)
Responsibilities, organisation & financing arrangements differ from those of the 1st, 2nd cycles
Results of an EUA survey carried out among govts for the 2007 London Ministerial meeting:
Ministries of Education, of Research, Research Councils = varied juridictions
Move away from individual based to strucutured programmes & more doctoral schools/research schools = mix of different organisational forms
Status of doctoral candidates differs from country to country
Funding channels, mechanisms & modes vary enormously - for candidates & programmes

11. V - Examples of different situations & different responses across Europe
UK: Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Programmes (QAA) = system wide principles & practices, applied in an institutional context
Germany – only one state (Lower Saxony) has introduced guidelines for the accreditation of doctoral progrmmes
France: doctoral education can only take place in doctoral schools, accredited by the state, and subject to evaluation by the national agency responsible for both HE & Research
In many other countries the state still approves the establishment of progammes leading to a PhD degree
My own little survey as in our EUA Council on Doctoral Education we have not addressed this specific issue
This sometimes limits innovation & creativity as it is difficult to develop new qualifications

12. V. Examples of different situations & different responses across Europe (2)
Finland: steered by a few central governmental regulations & delegated to the universities; national mechanisms for evaluating national graduate schools in receipt of special funding;
Denmark: new law (2007) specifies that PhD training is organised by PhD schools that are regulated nationally; university decides, no external accreditation
Norway: either institutional or programme accreditation, if the former, the latter is not necessary...

13. VI - Another element of quality - improving career opportunites for young researchers’
European Charter for Researchers & Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers
Open recruitment & portability of grants
Social security & pension needs of a mobile population
Attractive employment & working conditions
Enhancing the training, skills & experience of researchers
UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers
Irish Universities’ “PhD Graduates’ skills”
Question of HR policies & considered crucial in the global competition for talent
Code of Conduct – the EC would like to enforce implementation through HR policies in universities
Concordat: recruitment & selection; recognition & value; support & career development; researchers responsibilities; diversity & equality..

14. Conclusions & Questions: Masters
The master level is not yet stabilised across Europe
the role of NQFs
learning outcomes for different types of masters
What about the regulated professions
Particular challenges with joint programmes – most are at master level
The Master/PhD link – career researchers,innovators & entrepreneurs: not just limited to 3rd cycle
Sometimes ‘graduate schools’ include the master level, sometimes only the doctorate level – articulation between the two is crucial

15. Conclusions & questions: doctoral education
The 3rd cycle differs radically in purpose, content, structures from the other 2 cycles
Structures are in flux & changing fast – no one model & structured programmes do not exist everywhere
What should be the role of QA agencies that in many countries do not have responsibility at present?
QAA/AERES examples – looking at insitutional arrangements in the context of specific missions?
Coordination with other players crucial is crucial