Doctoral Education's Reform in Switzerland and Norway

Since the beginning of the 21 century, doctoral education has gained an increasingly important place on the reform agenda of higher education institutions and also at national and European policy levels. By paying particular attention to the characteristics and role of recently emerged Doctoral and Research Schools, this book examines on a broad empirical basis what this reform consists of in two small but scientifically and economically successful countries - Switzerland and Norway. This reform also raises the question to what extent power shifts take place regarding the doctoral process. Thus, does the «Thesis director» lose his or her power at the expense of other actors? Observed shifts are characterised through components of varying Public Management Narratives. In order to consider existing variety, case studies have been chosen on the basis of four variables - type of national political system, size and type of higher education institution and type of scientific discipline. This methodological framework allows not only illustrating variation in the reform process and its causes but also the development of a new University Governance Scheme.

Auteur

Lukas Baschung holds a Doctoral degree in political sciences from University of Lausanne (Switzerland). During five years, he had been doing research in the field of «Higher Education Studies», among others within the European Network of Excellence PRIME. From 2010 on, he works at the Board of Higher Education of the Canton of Vaud (Switzerland), since August 2012 as Operational Director.

Contenu

Contents: Analysis of higher education policies - Analysis of Doctoral Education's reform - Doctoral and Research Schools - Public Management analysis - University Governance scheme - Swiss and Norwegian higher education - Case studies in biology, material sciences, humanities and finance Comparative methodological framework - Best practices in doctoral education Recruitment of international doctoral students - Multiple supervision of doctoral students - Enlarged scientific exchange - Scientific and administrative follow-up of doctoral students - Dislocation of power in the doctoral process.