Salzburg II – Recommendations

The recommendations including a series of clues to success and obstacles to clear have three over-arching messages.

First of all doctoral education has a particular place in the European Research Area and the European Higher Education Area. It rests on the practice of research which makes it fundamentally different from the first and second cycles.

Secondly doctoral candidates must be allowed independence and flexibility to grow and develop. Doctoral education is highly individual and by definition original. The path of progress of the individual is unique in terms of the research project as well as in terms of the individual professional development.

Lastly doctoral education must be developed by autonomous and accountable institutions taking responsibility to cultivate
the research mindset. Institutions need flexible regulation to create special structures and instruments and continue advancing European doctoral education.

These recommendations are meant as a set of guidelines for a diverse landscape of doctoral schools and programmes rather than a standardised checklist.