The project links PhD. study programs at three universities in Slovakia (Univerzita sv. Cyrila a Metoda v Trnave), the Czech Republic (Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyne v Ústí nad Labem) and Poland (Uniwersytet Wroclawski). The project's aim is to improve the training qualitatively, especially in terms of content and methodology. In particular, internationalization is sought, which will also lead to an exchange of best knowledge and best practice. The initial situation to which the project responds is characterized by the fact that a substantial proportion of PhD students does not complete their studies, but drops them off prematurely. In particular, one of the causes is an inadequate methodological and content-related qualification, which is associated with a lack of experience in the international scientific context. Specifically, the project will achieve its goals through a broad range of different measures, not only aimed at students, but also at teachers and supervisors in doctoral studies. The intensive exchange of experience and further education occupies a central point within the project. International seminars on the methodological and professional qualification of doctoral students as well as joint seminars for teachers and supervisors in the doctoral program contribute to this. The material outcomes of the project include, in particular, the development of a handbook (teaching material) for doctoral students, a joint publication of the results of doctoral research and the development of a methodological curriculum based on the best experiences of the partners involved. All of these results should be incorporated into the development of guidelines and methodological-didactic recommendations for the teachers working in the doctoral program and for the supervisors of the doctoral theses. In this way, the project will also produce strong sustainable effects, as these guidelines and recommendations in modified form can also be applied to doctoral studies at other universities. The guidelines developed within the framework of the project as well as the published results of doctoral research can also be adapted and used in other doctoral programs. The implementation and the results of the project are intensively communicated, so that the information can be perceived both in the scientific field and in a wider public.
The project "Internationalization and further development of doctoral studies" was carried out by the three universities UCM Trnava (SK), UJEP Ústí nad Labem (CZ) and Uniwersytet Wrocławski (PL). The starting point was the finding that there were clear deficits in the training of doctoral students. This included the very low level of international orientation and networking. In view of today's requirements in science and practice, this is extremely problematic. The project and the strategic partnership formed in this way contributed to promoting the internationalization of the doctoral study programs at the cooperating institutions, through joint events, through the networking of the doctoral programs at the participating universities and through the long-term prospect of international acquisition of PhD students. Another deficit could be identified in the methodological training of the doctoral students. Numerous measures were implemented as part of the project to strengthen the methodological skills of the doctoral students. This includes the organization of joint international doctoral colloquia, which will be continued in the future, the creation of a joint curriculum and the creation of methodologically and scientifically high-quality teaching material, the creation of a publication option specifically for doctoral students, the strengthening of international exchange at the level of the doctoral students and the Communication of current, also non-university research results and innovative methods. Another focus of the project was on the further qualification of supervisors and teachers in the doctoral program. For this purpose, methodological recommendations for this target group were developed and published in order to increase the quality of the supervision of the doctoral students.