The Collaborative Doctoral Partnership programme (CDP) aims to strengthen the relationship between Partner Institutions, including higher education institutions and research organisations and the JRC.
The CDP facilitates dual PhD projects, where Partner Institutions and the JRC jointly design, host, and supervise doctoral research across the JRC portfolios.
It is specifically a collaborative scheme, where the scientific collaboration between the Partner Institutions and the JRC will result in PhD research of common interest based on fresh ideas and new techniques. To ensure productive collaboration and the best possible supervision for students, the CDP promotes best practices for supervisors on dual supervision.
The CDP does not involve any transfer of funds between the Partner Institution and the JRC. Each institution will cover the costs related to the doctoral student during the period spent at the respective institution. Whilst staying at JRC premises, the JRC will employ the doctoral student and cover related employment costs including salary, necessary training and work-related travel costs.
Since 2025, the CDP issues an annual call for Expressions of Interest from Partner Institutions to participate in the programme.
Programme timeline
- Call for Expressions of Interest opens
The call for expressions of interest is directed at Partner Institutions, including higher education institutions and research organisations that wish to organise PhD projects with their JRC counterparts. They should be able to host and train PhD candidates.
- Call for Expressions of Interest closes
- Announcement of selection results
- PhD project definition and contracting
Successful applicants will engage with the JRC Scientific Unit to define a PhD project of common interest under the collaboration topic. The Partner Institution and the JRC sign a CDP agreement that will be valid for five years.
- Selection of PhD researchers
Once the PhD projects have been defined and the collaboration agreement signed, the Partner Institution and the JRC will post and promote the job vacancy in their networks and jointly select the right candidate.
- Start of the PhD project
It is our aim to align the CDP PhD projects with the academic calendar. This means that there will be a cohort of new PhD researchers starting more or less simultaneously in the fall semesters and connecting with each other. PhD projects can, however, start on a rolling basis should this be necessary.
Reach out for more information via JRC-CDP
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-CDP[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).