PHD
Phd
INVEST Doctoral Education: Shaping the Future of Research Excellence
INVEST European University Alliance is advancing a comprehensive strategy to enhance doctoral education in alignment with the European University Association’s (EUA) Doctoral Training Principles. This forward-looking initiative is designed to foster research excellence, transferable skill development, and international and interdisciplinary collaboration across partner universities.
Through innovative models, such as interdisciplinary course offerings, shared supervision, and cotutelle (double-degree) pathways, INVEST is cultivating a new generation of researchers who can effectively bridge the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area (ERA).
Opportunities for PhD Students
Are you a PhD student looking to expand your academic journey across borders, disciplines, and research cultures? As part of the INVEST European University Alliance, you have access to a dynamic and supportive doctoral environment.
Develop Skills That Matter – Across our 7 Universities and Disciplines
As a PhD student in the INVEST Alliance, you will benefit from a unique transdisciplinary course offer focused on building transferable skills that are essential within and beyond academia.
Starting from the 2025–26 academic year, you’ll be able to access over 34 online courses co-developed by INVEST partner universities, covering six key areas:
- Language and Communication Skills – Improve your academic writing, presentation, and intercultural communication.
- Technology Skills – Strengthen your digital literacy, data analysis, and coding capabilities.
- Soft and Transferable Competencies – Gain expertise in teamwork, leadership, ethics, and time management.
- Research Management and Funding – Learn how to design projects, write proposals, and navigate research systems.
- Interdisciplinary Paths – Explore challenges and solutions that cut across traditional academic boundaries.
- Green Competencies – Understand sustainability challenges and how your research can help solve them.
These courses will be delivered online through each institution’s learning platform and made available centrally on the INVEST Virtual Campus, giving you the flexibility to learn at your own pace while connecting with peers across Europe.
Join an International and Interdisciplinary Learning Community
INVEST’s doctoral education strategy is all about collaboration—among universities, disciplines, and cultures. You’ll be part of a growing community of PhD researchers who are exploring complex, real-world challenges from multiple perspectives.
This environment is ideal if you're looking to:
- Work across institutions and borders
- Get feedback and mentorship from diverse academic teams
- Build a broader academic and professional network
- Enhance your employability in both academic and non-academic settings
Explore Joint Supervision and Double-Degree PhD Opportunities
INVEST is actively developing cotutelle (joint supervision) pathways that will allow you to pursue your PhD across two universities, supported by supervisors from both institutions. These programs can lead to a double degree, offering you:
- A deeper international research experience
- Access to facilities, resources, and networks at two universities
- Dual recognition of your doctoral training
- Stronger career prospects in both academia and industry
These opportunities are connected to seven thematic research clusters within INVEST, which bring together top researchers and projects across partner universities.
You’ll also be supported in finding potential supervisors and identifying relevant PhD programs that align with your research interests.
Your Future Starts Here
Whether you are just beginning your doctoral journey or looking to expand your current research experience, INVEST Doctoral Education is designed to empower the next generation of researchers to thrive in both the EHEA and ERA, addressing academic, societal, and global challenges.
Join a community for interdisciplinary thinking, international collaboration, and innovation in doctoral training.