EDAMBA Annual Meeting and General Assembly 2009 Internationalisation of doctoral studies Maj-Britt Hedvall Hanken School of Economics Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan

EDAMBA Annual Meeting and General Assembly

2009

Internationalisation of doctoral studies

Maj-Britt Hedvall

Hanken School of Economics

Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan / Hanken School of Economics www.hanken.fi

The University and the Doctoral Programme

The unique flagship programme

» Monopoly to grant doctoral degrees, the only monopoly of the university sector

» Proxy of the quality of research conducted

» Expensive, time-consuming and risky compared to other degree programmes offered

→ Fundamental and essential university activity


The Doctorate: Wide-ranging concern for the society at large?

Traditional aim» Doctoral education secures the new generation of

university faculty / members of the academic community

Today increasingly additional aims» Doctoral education one of the components securing the

competitiveness of the society, not assumed to serve the academic community only

→ Doctoral education re-organised→ Students enter the doctoral programme of various

reasons→ Meaning of the concept of international dimension

in doctoral education has changed


The view of doctoral education of today -example

“Doctoral education is a major priority for European universities. It forms the first phase of young researchers’ careers and is thus central to the drive to create a Europe of knowledge, as more researchers need to be trained than ever before if the ambitious objectives concerning enhanced research capacity, innovation and economic growth are to be met.”

Source: Professor Georg Winckler – Past EUA President on the home page of the European University Association

when EUA Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE) was established


International dimension in research

Academic research

» Academic research by definition international

» Researchers have always been acting internationally and been mobile

» Real change recently in the academic community: The means of communicating research results and exchanging information in the process of pursuing research due to new information technology

→ The international dimension nothing “new”


Characteristics of an international doctoral programme

» Prepares the students for a successful career in the academic community, corporate world or public sector

» The programme is based cutting edge research and delivered by a faculty with excellent research competencies participating in the activities of the international academic community

» The programme attracts students world-wide

» The output (=thesis) makes an impact (however most of the theses written today make quite a modest impact)


International dimension in doctoral education – recent trends

» International recruitment of doctoral students, increased competition for students

» International benchmarkings, evaluations, accreditations (public and private) and rankings of doctoral programmes

» Europe: The Bologna Third Cycle including the Master-Doctoral Link and the link between the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area (ERA)

» Trend towards increased development of structured doctoral programmes and doctoral schools also across borders, disciplines and sectors with the aim of increasing critical mass (the role of the ‘individual doctoral education’ is assumed to be decreasing)


Ad-hoc and structured internationalisation

Ad-hoc or semi-structured internationalisation

» Student mobility» Visiting lecturers and

scholars» The international classroom

(degree students, visiting students,

permanent faculty, visiting faculty)

» Joint courses, tutorials and summer schools

» Multiple supervision across borders

» Joint publications» External examiners from

abroad


Structured internationalisation

Doctoral programmes across boarders with the aim of achieving maximum critical mass through joint curriculum and shared resources

Preconditions for and advantages of “structured internationalisation”

» Pre-conditions

1. Professors and senior researchers engaged in joint research or other forms of joint activities, long-term commitment essential

2. The commitment of the top-management of the university essential

» Advantages

• Added value for the career development of doctoral students

• Increased critical mass among students and supervisors, enhances the identification of good research questions and joint research projects

• Help overcome isolation of doctoral students (brings doctoral students, junior and senior researchers together)

• Continuous quality assurance and monitoring between participants

• Division of work and infrastructure


Structured internationalisation: problems

» Regulations, decrees and structures national and/or university specific (by far the main obstacle, e.g. only a university can grant a doctoral degree)

» Doctoral education a long-term activity: Long-term financial resources and continuously motivated faculty essential (Does the university take the risk?)

» Risk of pursuing volume and size rather than quality

» Increased bureaucracy for all involved (also students)

» Coordination and time costs: Exponential increase in inquiries, exchange of information, time in meetings, reporting….


Suggestion for the EDAMBA discussion 8 September 2009

Ad-hoc or semi-structured internationalisation

» Student mobility» Visiting lecturers and

scholars» The international classroom» Joint courses, tutorials and

summer schools» Multiple supervision across

borders» Joint publications» External examiners from

abroadHanken Svenska handelshögskolan / Hanken School of Economics

www.hanken.fi

Structured internationalisation

Doctoral programmes across boarders with the aim of achieving maximum critical mass through joint curriculum and shared resources

Pros and cons for international mngmt ed ?

What to do within the EDAMBA community?

Documents

EDAMBA Annual Meeting and General Assembly 2009 Internationalisation of doctoral studies Maj-Britt Hedvall Hanken School of Economics Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan