Cooperative Doctorates

The establishment of cooperative doctoral programs touches on fundamental questions of higher education policy, namely the status and development of doctoral programs and the future development of higher education profiles in a differentiated higher education system. Additionally, there are also obvious organizational and practical challenges involved.

The work of the CHESS aims to support substantive and problem-oriented exchanges among different actors.

The project approaches the topic with a view on different levels:

• Level of the cantonal sponsors and higher education district, such as the higher education area of Zurich
• on the nationwide level
• at the disciplinary level

Prof. Dr. Lucien Criblez and Christian Leder

The team is currently working on an analysis of the current situation  through research and discussions with stakeholders. Other forms of work undertaken by the CHESS are:

• Workshops for small groups
• Working papers and discussion papers
• Presentations to higher education policymakers and CHESS lectures.

It is also possible to request any of these activities in the form of mandates. For inquiries, please contact Christian Leder or Lucien Criblez.

The granting of doctoral degrees by non-university higher education institutions (universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education) has been a controversial issue ever since their inception. In its claim for a "differentiated right to award doctorates" in the fall of 2011, the former KFH  identified a structural problem in the qualifications granted to young academic staff: The education and research areas at universities of applied sciences is not equivalent to the spectrum of disciplines at the universities. This problem is well known within the field of higher education policy. In its 2014 report on the promotion of young academics, SERI suggested "new collaborations between universities of applied sciences and universities at the doctoral level." A nationwide funding scheme was established via project-linked contributions as part of the TP 2 in the "P1 Doctoral Programs" (cf. project page of swissuniversities). A second funding period (2021-2024) is currently underway.