The transformation of Spanish
doctoral programmes as a
consequence of the EHEA:
Difficulties and challenges
at the UAB
Prof. Carlos Jaime
Vice-rector for postgraduate studies
General information about UAB
Degrees: 77 Bachellors + 101 Masters
Medium-large size (2nd largest in Catalonia)
Maybe the 1st in postgraduate students.
Some numbers:
• 32.000 undergraduate students
• 13.000 postgraduate students
• 2.500 doctoral students
• 2.000 foreign students (not Erasmus)
• 225 masters
• 90 Doctorates
• 375 Thesis/year
• 3.100 professors & researchers
• 1.900 administration staff
The Postgraduate School is the connection between
the university and the outer institutions
The Postgraduate School coordinates, manages and impulses all the postgraduate studies at UAB.
Located in the ancient “Masía de can
Miró”, was thought as the link between
the university and the outer
institutions gathering both the academic
postgrades (like doctorate) and the
professionalizing postgrades (masters
and diplomas)
Where we were?
(and where many of our
universities still are)
The pre-EHEA Spain
(until 2005)
The pre-EHEA Spain (before 2005)
Global view
• Spain is different!
• Europe recognizes Universities……
Spain has a given list of state diplomas.
• Two levels of state diplomas:
“Licenciado” (bachelor) and “Doctor”.
• Spanish regulation allows other diplomas……
with names different enough as not to
create confusion (masters)
Details on the pre-EHEA #1/2
State diplomas
• “Licenciado”: usually 5 years
(4 in Catalonia)
• “Doctor”: organized in Doctoral
programs
• Doctoral
123-
program: 3 periods
courses > 200 h
research work, 1 year
thesis, 3-4 years
Details on the pre-EHEA #2/2
University diplomas
• Universities created their own Master degrees, as well
as others (Expert, “Diploma de postgrado” -shorter- or
others)
• Master: usually professionally oriented and compete
with doctoral programs. Length and requirements should
be thus similar, but…. differences exist, they are much
longer.
• Expert: Definitely professionally oriented. Much
shorter than the Master degree.
The pre-EHEA Spain in images
Doctoral programme
Courses
Licenciado: 4-5 years
200 h 1 year
Research
Univ. Masters
Thesis
Where we are?
(and where all the Spanish
universities are expected to be,
sooner or later)
The post-EHEA Spain
(from 2005)
Details on the post-EHEA
Global view
• Three levels of official diplomas:
“Grado”, “Máster Universitario” and
“Doctor”.
• Spanish law also allows other diplomas
with names different enough as not to
create confusion.
• Spain is still different! The “Grado” is
4 years (in most European countries is 3
years).
Details on the post-EHEA #1/2
State diplomas
•“Grado”: 4 years
•“Máster Universitario”: 1 or 2 years
•“Doctor”: very flexible
•No given list of state diplomas, neither for
“Grado” nor for “Master Universitario”
(universities will become different!)
Details on the post-EHEA #2/2
University diplomas
•Universities continue with their own Diplomas:
Master, Expert, “Diploma de postgrado” and
others)
•Problem! Spanish law forbids the use of
university diplomas to enter into Doctor level
•Problem: Lifelong learning, “in and out” from
academia.
The post-EHEA Spain in images
Doctoral programme
Master
Grado: 4 years
60-120
ECTS
Univ. Masters
Thesis
How is the Doctorate
in the post-EHEA Spain
(from 2005)?
Details on the post-EHEA doctorate
• The Ministry joins Master and Doctor
levels and creates a unique set called
“Doctoral program”.
• Two periods: formation and research.
• Formation: usually Master but it can
be any 60 ECTS credits from official
masters.
• Research: thesis development, no fixed
length, almost no regulation.
How have we built the “new”
Doctorate in the UAB?
The “new doctorate” in the UAB #1/3
We have settled:
• Number of positions per
doctorate
• Pre-enrolment at the UAB level
(Graduate School)
• Centralized control of diplomas
• Selection procedures
• Maximum 5 students/supervisor
• Formation complements (< 30
credits)
The “new doctorate” in the UAB #2/3
We have settled:
•
•
•
•
•
Configured around research lines
A board (+ coordinator) manages the doctorate
Yearly follow up (at least oral presentation)
Length limited to 3-4 years
Part-time students: 6 years
Board can extend one more period
UAB can allow one third period
• Rights and duties for students and supervisors
The “new doctorate” in the UAB #3/3
We have settled:
• Supervisor: accredited research experience.
• Co-tutelle: minimum of 9 months at UAB.
(agreement signed within the first year)
• Thesis as set of papers (minimum 2 papers).
• Examination board: 3 members from 3 different
institutions (maximum one from UAB).
If “failed”, must apply again to be admitted.
Board members with research experience.
The key stone of the “new doctorate”
The board:
• Responsible for the admittance of new students.
• Accepts the thesis proposal.
• Responsible for the yearly follow up.
• Should solve any non regulated affair.
• Proposes the members for the defence board,
with the approval of the department.
The new vision
of supervision
The supervision: new vision
• Traditional supervision: one-to-one (tête a tête)
relationship between supervisor-supervised
• New vision: reduce as much as possible the oneto-one relationship
• The supervision is controlled by a team of
“experts” (board), that controls both students and
supervisors. Composition? Variable.
• Yearly follow-up.
• All the procedure is centred into the board.
One example: sociology
• Only one board
• Objectives of the board: to evaluate and to
facilitate the contact between the students.
• Both students and supervisor must present a
yearly report.
• Reports will be defended publicly in seminars,
once a year.
• Reports + public defence = final evaluation.
• If negative evaluation = out!
Another example: chemistry
• A total of 4 boards (25 new students per year).
• Both students and supervisor must present a
yearly report.
• Reports will be defended publicly in seminars for
as much as 10’ and the discussion may last not
more than 10’.
• The committees will act two times a year.
• Reports + public defence = evaluation.
• Negative evaluation = out!
Why have we been able to
implement the changes so
“reasonably well”?
The Postgraduate school
Manages and controls all the doctoral
studies at UAB
(both academically and administratively)
Which have been the
difficulties of the “new
doctorate”?
The new vision #1/3
Results from
Network 1
• Doctoral students are not only trained for research
but also by research (subtle but important change).
• Essential skills for a more competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based European economy.
The new vision #2/3
• New Doctoral programmes must have educational
objectives, while previous programmes have only (or
mainly) research objectives.
• Definition of what being a Doctor means is needed.
• A relative disconnection between research and
Ph.D. thesis emerges (difficult to admit for
traditional university professors).
The new vision #3/3
This brings about the concept of:
A Ph.D. thesis is finished when the educational
objectives have been achieved, not when the
research project has been finished.
• Time, very long time, will be needed for accepting
the new situation.
• Students accept rather well this new vision.
• Professors are more reluctant to this change.
Which are the challenges of
the “new doctorate”?
The challenges
The future
• Contract students/supervisor/UAB
• Unit for Formation and Employment of fresh
doctors:
- Formation in transferable skills useful for
the “external world”
- Gathering of information on fellowships,
job opportunities, etc.
• Program for the Supervisor professional
development
Thank you very much for your
attention
Vicerectorat d’estudis de postgrau
Edifici U. 08913 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del
Vallès)
Tel (+34) 93 581 2997
Fax (+34) 93 581 2000
Web: www.uab.es/postgrau
Mail: [email protected]