Five years after the Salzburg Principles, doctoral education in Europe has changed profoundly. The last half decade has seen the rise of structured programmes and the doctoral school all over Europe. Embedding doctoral education in institutional structures is becoming the norm for European doctoral education. Institutions are taking responsibility in areas that were once dependent on personal master-apprentice relations, with the ambition to increase the transparency of rights and obligations. They have often, at the same time, taken the opportunity to sharpen their profile and mission in relation to doctoral education. The Salzburg Principles have been the foundation of this unprecedented reform, and it is now time to look back upon the experiences made by European universities. What lessons have universities learned from their reforms, and what recommendations can they give for the future?

Through the activities of the last two years the EUA-CDE has gathered these experiences from its members on specific areas. The 2010 Annual Meeting will be the stage for a common discussion and dialogue on the future of doctoral education based on the recommendations formulated at the meeting.