From 17 to 19 June 2026, the annual conference of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE) was held in Ireland and hosted by the University of Galway. The central theme of the conference was “Doctoral Research and Talent for the Advancement of Society”.
East European University (EEU) was represented at the conference by Professor Vasil Kikutadze, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Engineering, and Zurab Aznaurashvili, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences.
The conference primarily focused on the alignment of doctoral research with societal needs and on enhancing the practical relevance and impact of doctoral education. One of the key topics addressed during the conference was the integration of research activities with both the public and private sectors. Special emphasis was placed on preparing doctoral candidates for employment opportunities beyond academia, in accordance with the Salzburg Principles. The conference also presented the findings of the EUA-CDE Thematic Group for 2025–2026, which examined best practices in collaboration between doctoral education institutions and societal stakeholders. Particular emphasis was also placed on the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
During the visit, the representatives of East European University explored successful practices implemented by European universities. Particular interest was generated by the “Immersive Week” model developed by the Doctoral School of the University of Aveiro in Portugal, which offers intensive training in transferable skills, artificial intelligence tools, and research ethics for doctoral candidates.
Valuable professional contacts were established with representatives of various international universities. The delegates were introduced to Utrecht University’s doctoral competencies framework, the interdisciplinary approaches adopted by the Swiss Distance University, and Trinity College’s experience with short-term pilot formats, which constitute an effective instrument for the systemic renewal of doctoral education.
The international contacts established during the conference are expected to facilitate the future involvement of foreign experts in the University’s research projects, promote collaborative research initiatives, and strengthen participation in international grant programmes and academic partnerships.