Science in service of EU policymaking
The Joint Research Centre is the science and knowledge service of the European Commission. It provides independent, evidence-based knowledge and science in support of EU policymaking.
More than 2,000 scientists across six different sites conduct research in areas such as energy security, sustainable food systems, environmental protection, health, and economic development, helping the EU address complex societal challenges that involve 450 million citizens.
The Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships
The Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships programme (CDP) facilitates joint doctoral research between Higher Education Institutions (HEI), such as universities, and the JRC.
The CDP aims to train a new generation of doctoral graduates on the science-policy interface, integrating doctoral research into the scientific portfolios of the JRC.
CDP graduates understand research needs at different stages of the policy cycle, know how to involve policymakers in their research process and provide them with actionable insights.
The programme also bolsters collaboration between HEIs and the JRC. The PhD projects are intentionally collaborative, so as to benefit optimally from the exchange of knowledge between the HEI and the JRC, leading to greater research excellence on both ends.
A win-win-win collaboration
The collaboration between the JRC, partner universities and PhD candidates delivers triple benefits: the JRC benefits from fresh academic perspectives and strengthens ties with the scientific community, universities gain access to the JRC’s cutting-edge facilities and policy-relevant expertise; and doctoral candidates enjoy high-quality training at the science-policy interface, increasing their impact and employability.
