2025 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting

20 years since the Salzburg Principles that emerged from the Bologna Process, the 2025 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting reflected on two decades of progress and achievements in doctoral education while looking ahead to new horizons in an ever-evolving society.

Since their formulation in 2005, the Salzburg Principles have become a cornerstone of doctoral education, with their relevance and influence continually reaffirmed in Europe. Over the course of three days, participants looked back at the influence of the Salzburg Principles and how they have shaped doctoral education, gaining firsthand insights from those directly involved in their development. The Annual Meeting also assessed the current landscape, assessing the progress against the original ten principles and exploring the necessary steps to fully unlock their potential.

A dynamic programme composed of expert talks and interactive sessions tackled a broad spectrum of issues. Topics included the impact of current geopolitical developments on research, with particular attention to knowledge security and dual-use research in an increasingly complex world. Conversations also highlighted the importance of doctoral programmes for Europe’s economic and technological competitiveness, touching on how policy changes such as institutional autonomy and research assessment reforms are shaping the future landscape of doctoral education.

In addition, EUA-CDE hosted a dedicated session to present the key findings from a comprehensive study that will collect information on recent trends and main achievements in doctoral education since the creation of the Salzburg Principles.

This year’s conference provided participants with opportunities for discussions, debates and networking, also outside the formal programme.

EUA-CDE Annual Meetings have become the largest and most comprehensive gatherings of academic leaders, senior academics, doctoral education professionals, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral candidates and other stakeholders working on doctoral education. They are open to anyone with responsibilities and interest in this field.

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the UNIL Rectorate, I am delighted to welcome you to our campus and to our beautiful region. It is a great honor and a pleasure to host this year’s Annual Meeting of the European University Association’s Council for Doctoral Education, an event dedicated to shaping the future of doctoral education across Europe.

The 2025 meeting is particularly significant for us. On the one hand, it marks the 20^thanniversary of the Salzburg Principles. Those guidelines remain as relevant as ever, serving as a foundation for transformation and a compass for navigating the complexities of modern academic and societal challenges. On the other hand, it is the first time that the EUA-CDE Annual Meeting will return to Lausanne since the network’s first conferences in 2008 and 2009. For our institution, with its close connection to the establishment of the CDE, this occasion carries a special sense of pride and celebration.

UNIL’s local and international bonds are crucial. Training in research is not just about individual achievement - it is about making a difference together. Doctoral education equips researchers with the critical thinking skills, creativity and expertise needed to tackle today’s most pressing challenges. Whether in addressing the climate crisis, advancing medical breakthroughs, or shaping public policy, PhD candidates play an essential role in producing the knowledge and solutions that the world depends on. At UNIL, we are committed to fostering an environment that supports doctoral researchers as they develop their original perspectives, thus helping them to make an impact, in Switzerland, in Europe and beyond.

As you participate in the 2025 Annual Meeting, I invite you to take a moment to explore the area. Nestled between Lake Geneva and the Alps, Lausanne offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and academic tradition. I hope this inspiring setting will nourish your reflections and provide opportunities for meaningful connections!

With warm regards,

Frédéric Herman
Rector, University of Lausanne

With roots going back nearly 500 years, the University of Lausanne (UNIL) is today composed of seven faculties and caters for more than 14’000 students and 2’700 researchers, with close to 130 nationalities. Located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and on the shores of Lake Geneva, the main campus enjoys spectacular views to the French Alps and a direct connection to nature, with forests and rivers woven among its buildings. It’s a setting that makes UNIL an ideal location for thoughtful discussion and collaborative learning.

The University of Lausanne is a state institution, specialised in environmental sciences, medicine, life sciences, human and social sciences. Three of its seven faculties are unique in Switzerland: law and criminal justice, biology and medicine, and geosciences and environment. The University had a leading role in the creation of the CDE, and has long placed a strong emphasis on the support of the researcher community. With over 2'000 doctoral candidates and 500 postdoctoral researchers, and specialist units to care for their specific needs, it is one of the pioneers in the Swiss landscape of doctoral education.

The University is dedicated to promoting sustainability and preparing students and society to tackle global environmental challenges. UNIL was placed on the podium for WWF rankings of Swiss higher education institutions in 2024, based on criteria for sustainability strategy, student and teacher involvement, and the resources allocated to implement sustainability measures.

The area of Lausanne is very dynamic and offers the University the unique possibility to collaborate closely with other academic institutions, sports federations, medical institutions and private industries located nearby. UNIL researchers also work with colleagues across the five continents, and numerous ties exist through bilateral agreements and the CIVIS network, allowing for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and friendships.

City of art, sport and learning, a destination for foodies and lovers of spectacular landscapes, Lausanne is a metropolis on a human scale packed with history and resolutely focused on the future. Its foundations by Lake Geneva (the Lac Léman for the locals!) date back to pre-Roman times, and you can visit the archaeological remains of Roman Losanna just down the road from the University campus.

Today, it is known as the “Olympic Capital”: home to the International Olympic Committee and many international sporting institutions. It’s a city with Michelin-rated restaurants, and the UNESCO-protected vineyards of Lavaux. And it’s home to both the University of Lausanne and the EPFL, alongside world-class specialist institutions such as the IMD Business School and the EHL Hospitality College. You can find more details on the Lausanne Tourism website.

Wednesday 4 June:

Pre-meeting session III

Update on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) – opportunities for doctoral education, Sohail Luka, Policy Officer, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, European Commission

Pre-meeting session IV

How can doctoral education navigate the reform of research assessment? Marta Agostinho, Executive Director, EU-LIFE, Spain

Keynotes:

Keynote I: Building on our strengths – what has doctoral education in Europe achieved in the past 20 years and what is the outlook for the future?, Katarina Bjelke, Director General, Swedish Research Council; University network coordinator in the EUA doctoral programmes project during the lead-up to the 2005 Salzburg conference
Keynote II: Choose Europe – Challenges and opportunities for doctoral education to foster better jobs and research careers in Europe, Manuel Heitor, Chair, European Commission expert group on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe; former Portuguese Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education; Professor, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Thursday 5 June

Parallel session I.A. Internationalisation and societal impact: frameworks and challenges

Strengthening ties between doctoral programmes and society: A driver of innovation, Marco Carricato, University of Bologna, Italy

From the Salzburg Principles to the ORPHEUS best practices for PhD training and a quality label, John Creemers, KU Leuven, Belgium

Internationalisation of doctoral education in Georgia: developments, challenges and the IDEG perspective, Irma Grdzelidze, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia

Parallel session I.B. Doctoral education: national approaches and reform initiatives

Recommendations for a future-oriented qualification of doctoral candidates in Germany, Ines Braune, Michael Bölker, Philipps-University of Marburg, Germany

Shaping Andorra’s future: Implementing the Salzburg Principles – supervision and evaluation of doctoral candidates, Bárbara Cerrato, Virginia Larraz, University of Andorra, Andorra

Parallel session I.C. New approaches to doctoral supervision

Zero to 60 in 2 (decades!)- Supporting research supervisors at UCD since Salzburg – Highlights from Ireland’s leading university in the professional development & support of research supervisors, Janet Carton, University College Dublin, Ireland

Structuring supervision training at the University of Lapland, Katri-Maria Järvinen, Hanna Peltomaa, Janne Väätäjä, University of Lapland, Finland

Training doctoral candidates in supervision: Balancing responsibility and future leadership, Tania Morán Luengo, Utrecht University, Netherlands

Parallel session I.D. Empowering doctoral candidates: skills, values and innovation

How to enhance transversal competences in doctoral education in various international contexts: Insights from an ongoing programme between European and Mozambican Universities, Margarida Correia-Neves, University of Minho, Portugal

More than just skills, Lucas Zinner, University of Vienna, Austria

For early career researchers by early career researchers - the Eurodoc Ambassador programme for values and democracy in European research and higher education, Hannah Schoch, European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc)

Parallel session I.E. Building critical mass for sustainable doctoral education

The challenge of scale: achieving critical mass in application-oriented research environments, Michael Gille, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Researcher development at the University of Galway, Dónal Leech, University of Galway, Ireland

On, for and with practitioners – Fostering transdisciplinary dissertations in times of science criticism, Daniel Perrin, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

Friday 6 June:

Parallel session II.A. Doctoral education: national approaches and reform initiatives

Enhancing doctoral education and career prospects: International and Finnish initiatives and the University of Vaasa’s role, Niklas Lundström, Juuli Honko, University of Vaasa, Finland

20 years of Salzburg, the achievements and challenges of the French doctorate, Nina Bogataia, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Hendrik Eijsberg, Cergy Paris University, France

Doctoral education in Estonia today and the underlying partnership between universities, Monika Tasa, University of Tartu, Estonia, Kaire Kaljuvee, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, Ursula Haava, Tallinn University, Estonia