Doctoral school : evaluation criteria
Stakes and objectives
The evaluation of doctoral schools meets the provisions of the French Order of 7 August 2006 (French Official Journal of 24 August 2006) on doctoral training and is part of the Bologna Process. In the field of higher education, this Process sets the following main objectives:
- preparation of students for life as an active citizen in a democratic society
- preparation of students for their future careers and development of their personal capacities
- creation and development of a large base of advanced knowledge
- stimulation of research and innovation
Evaluation of doctoral schools
Doctoral schools are accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education for a maximum period of four years, after a national evaluation conducted by the AERES, “in the context of published criteria that are applicable to each doctoral school”. The evaluation of the doctoral school takes account of the results of the doctoral school self-evaluation systems that the institutions implement. The quality of a doctoral school is assessed through its action plan, implementation and the results obtained.
Some criteria:
- quality of research units and quality of research results’ exploitation carried out by the units attached to the doctoral school: industrial contracts, patents, etc.
- existence of a scientific policy set by the doctoral school management with the priorities indicated: cross-disciplinary projects between and within doctoral schools, support for emerging teams, etc.
- running of the scientific and educational council: quality of external members from the socioeconomic world, quality of foreign members, actual role of the advisory board, quality of debates, number of meetings, etc.
- quality of doctoral student recruitment, welcome and follow-up, particularly the existence and application of a thesis charter; organisation of thematic lessons, especially those on additional, scientific and cultural training and opening on to the business world
- national and international partnership policy, number of theses under joint supervision, presence of foreign members among viva voce examiners, etc.
