ENLIGHT boosts research collaboration with joint PhD agreement
ENLIGHT has reached a major milestone by becoming one of the first European University alliances to sign a broad joint PhD framework agreement covering all disciplines and all partner institutions. It sets out provisions for joint supervision, examination and defence, leading to a double PhD degree. The rectors of the ten partner universities signed the agreement early June at the biannual General Meeting, hosted by the University of Galway.
The agreement marks a significant step forward in strengthening structural doctoral collaboration across Europe. By establishing a shared framework applicable to all ENLIGHT partners, the alliance substantially reduces administrative barriers and accelerates the creation of joint PhD trajectories between doctoral candidates and two participating ENLIGHT partner universities.
Until now, joint PhD/cotutelle agreements typically required lengthy institution‑specific negotiations, often resulting in complex administrative procedures. The new ENLIGHT joint PhD framework agreement provides a common foundation, allowing partners to initiate bilateral joint PhD agreements faster, while respecting institutional autonomy and national regulations. For PhD students, the agreement makes it easier to pursue a joint doctorate across universities, with clearer procedures and less administrative complexity. The next step—a shared template by the end of June —will further simplify the process, helping students benefit more quickly from international supervision, mobility opportunities, and a double PhD diploma.
A Breakthrough for European Doctoral Collaboration
The joint PhD framework agreement is considered an important breakthrough in international doctoral education within the European Higher Education and Research Areas. It enables ENLIGHT universities to offer doctoral candidates enhanced mobility, joint supervision, integrated research environments and a stronger European academic identity.
Ghent University coordinated the development of the agreement together with all ENLIGHT partners, starting with a joint PhD expert workshop in September 2024. This collaboration is part of ENLIGHT’s Doctoral Network, which aims to improve the quality and international dimension of doctoral studies.
As highlighted by Prof. Ignace Lemahieu, Research Director at Ghent University:
"Joint PhDs are, first and foremost, about academic trust: trust between supervisors, institutions and doctoral researchers working together across borders. With this ENLIGHT joint PhD framework agreement, we move away from fragmented, case‑by‑case negotiations towards a shared understanding of each other’s doctoral systems. This creates the conditions to scale high‑quality joint doctoral trajectories efficiently, while fully respecting institutional autonomy and national regulations. For Ghent University, coordinating this process was a strategic choice: strong European research collaboration requires structures that enable excellence rather than slow it down."
Strengthening ENLIGHT’s long-term vision
By facilitating joint PhDs, the agreement strongly supports ENLIGHT’s mission to build a sustainable and inclusive European university alliance. It also aligns with broader European ambitions to foster attractive research careers, promote academic mobility and strengthen cross‑border collaboration in doctoral education and research.
The launching of the framework agreement resonates with the current developments towards the establishment of a Joint European Degree Label at Bachelor, Master and PhD Level, demonstrating how alliances can contribute to the realisation of European policy ambitions with workable, institution‑spanning doctoral pathways.
With this joint PhD framework agreement in place, ENLIGHT reaffirms its commitment to innovation in higher education, research collaboration, and the next generation of European researchers.
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Photo: Andrew Downes