EARLY STAGE RESEARCHERS: PERSPECTIVE FROM DOCTORAL EDUCATION Melita Kovacevic UNICA Steering Committee Member EUA CDE Steering Committee Chair University of Zagreb Former Vice-Rector for Research and Technology University of Zagreb Coimbra Group High-level Seminar, 30 and 31 October 2014, Venice International University, San Servolo

Topics:  Look in the past – how it used to be  Some facts and figures  What is important – today and tomorrow University of Zagreb 2

Some features:  doctoral students (1:1)  prevailing academic career  long-lasting process  doctoral education limited  age of graduates; 'cloning'of new doctors University of Zagreb Past 3

University of Zagreb Growth in doctorates in Europe Facts and figures 4

Some relevant features:  doctoral programmes, doctoral schools  institutional responsibility  3-4 years’ duration  significantly increased number of doctoral candidates  the role of doctoral candidates redefined University of Zagreb Facts and figures 5

A new role:  doctoral candidates early stage researchers  professionals  significantly contributing to overall institutional research productivity  very international University of Zagreb Today and tomorrow 6

Therefore:  should be employed (EURODOC)  not to be perceived (and treated) as students (controversy?)  to be prepared for the 'life after'  to be trained for other skills ( other than research itself) University of Zagreb 7

What is important?  to prepare new doctors for different career paths  to prepare them and enable to create new jobs; self employment  to help them develop new skills institutional responsibility University of Zagreb 8

What is important to nurture?  intersectorial education  interdisciplinarity  team work University of Zagreb 9

employment of PhD holders significant differences across Europe, globally University of Zagreb 10

European Charter for Researchers The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers European Commission University of Zagreb 11

University of Zagreb Share of university-based researchers satisfied with the extent to which research job vacancies are publicly advertised and made known by their institution, Europe, 2012 (%) Source: MORE2 Study 12

Who needs to be aware?  institutions  directors/heads of doctoral schools/programmes  supervisors  doctoral candidates University of Zagreb 13

University of Zagreb Thank you! 14