The ERASMUS + program promotes in its key action KA1 the individual mobility of students of the LMD cycle. One of the main objectives of the ERASMUS+ program is the promotion of multilingualism. Key Action 1, in particular, has an expected outcome of improved learning performance, enhancement of employability through international mobility, and mprovement of language skills and intercultural awareness. For the Bachelor and Master level students, the long experience acquired through the ERASMUS program allowed to find some smooth and uniform procedures at the European level. ERASMUS + mobility, however, is still underused for doctoral beneficiaries because of the less converged management of doctoral degrees on one hand, and because of a relative lack of good practices’ exchanges on the matter between the higher education institutions on the other hand. Although it is difficult to apply the ERASMUS+ rules to PHD students in some European countries, there are no doubts about the fact that ERASMUS+ is the right tool for student mobility from Bachelor to PHD and should be largely used for PHD students. ERASMUS+ is a federating project, well known by both the public and professionals ; its reputation goes beyond borders. Also the ERASMUS+ programme can also serve as a bridge between training and research. This is why the main objective of this proposition is the sharing and dissemination of good practices on doctoral mobility in order to review a series of existing tools that can facilitate doctoral exchanges within the ERASMUS + program, together with the publication of a handbook for doctoral mobility. DocMob project, by means of transnational meetings, surveys at European level and field research, will have as Intellectual outputs the adoption of standard tools for managing doctoral mobilities (ERASMUS+ interinstitutional agreements, learning agreements, Diploma Supplement) and the sharing of good practices on a European level. The handbook will serve as a support document for European Ministries wishing to promote the Bologna Process' adaptation to third cycle studies. Project participants are IROs staff and academics promoting and managing doctoral mobility, and PhD students wishing to improve their intercultural, scientific and language skills in an international environment. In a first project stage, only partner organizations participants will be involved. Starting from the second year, the surveys and working groups will be opened to all European HEIs and participants, on a voluntary basis. At the end of the project, it is expected that the tools will be used and shared by a large number of European HEIs. and become a European standard. The main impact will be the increase of doctoral mobility, and the better use of ERASMUS+ framework for doctoral exchanges, leading in the mid-term to the internationalization of doctoral degrees and the reform of third cycle studies towards integrated european systems.
Based on the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 programme, the DocMob project aimed to promote and encourage doctoral mobility. The project was carried out in 3 phases. 1st phase (Nov. 2018 - May 2019): a survey was distributed to the Erasmus+ partners of the consortium. The objective was twofold: to understand how higher education institutions use Erasmus+ grants to manage doctoral mobility, and to help promote doctoral mobility in the Erasmus+ 2021-2022 programme. During this phase, the partners drafted the first versions of the "learning agreement" and "transcript of records" adapted to doctoral mobility. 2nd phase (autumn 2019 - early 2020): following the results of the DocMob survey, qualitative interviews were conducted with staff (academic and administrative) and doctoral students from the project partners and from institutions outside the consortium. They helped the consortium to synthesise the specific needs of doctoral mobility stakeholders and to reflect on how the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme could meet them. Each partner carried out their interviews according to a common predefined grid but using a distinct methodology, this flexibility allowing for a broader approach to the issue. 3rd phase (spring-summer 2020): the results of the survey and interviews were analysed to develop guidelines and recommendations. The partners also agreed on the usefulness of comparing the modalities of Erasmus+ grants with other international and national funds offered to doctoral students. This comparison allowed to see how different funders could approach the issues identified by the DocMob consortium. The results of this comparison are presented in the project's good practice manual, in its section "Alternatives to Erasmus+". For its work, the DocMob consortium has set up working groups, each led by a project partner, while opening up the possibility for others to become involved: - Erasmus+ Interinstitutional Agreement; Universidad de Valencia - Learning Agreement (LA)"; Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II - Transcript of Records (ToR)"; Universität des Saarlandes - International Credit Mobility": Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France. - Design and production of the handbook of good practices and recommendations for doctoral student mobility: Université de Lorraine - Quality assurance of the project: University of Porto - Dissemination of results: European University Foundation In addition, each partner was able to create working groups on DocMob themes, which in turn contributed to the overall project. Each institution proposed the number and profile of its participants, mainly staff from international relations departments, teachers supervising PhD students and PhD students. The work of the groups was presented at transnational meetings, first face-to-face, then remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during these meetings that the direction of the work and the use of the results obtained were decided collectively. The planned intellectual productions were completed, with the exception of the model Erasmus+ inter-institutional agreement for doctoral mobility. Indeed, various elements of analysis have convinced the project partners that at postgraduate level, the obligation to establish such an agreement is more of a brake than a driving force, as it must provide for collective flows that are out of step with the individual nature of a doctoral mobility project. Nevertheless, the consortium has endeavoured, if such an agreement were to be imposed, to give recommendations so that it is adapted and provides for minimum clauses for the protection of scientific data resulting from mobility activities. The consortium has drawn up model Learning Agreements and Transcripts of Records for doctoral mobility, and has provided specific guidance on their use. The good practice handbook brought together the results of the project, as well as recommendations for the promotion and implementation of doctoral mobility in the Erasmus+ programme. Beyond these outputs, the consortium proposed a matrix allowing institutions to exchange contact and procedural data concerning doctoral studies and doctoral mobility. The impacts of the project are mainly: - The development of doctoral student mobility through the facilitation of administrative procedures; - The contribution to the implementation of a specific mobility for doctoral students in the new Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027.