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Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships for universities

The Collaborative Doctoral Partnership programme (CDP) aims to strengthen the relationship between higher education institutions (HEI), universities and the JRC. 

The CDP facilitates dual PhD projects, where HEIs/universities 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 HEIs/universities 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 programme does not involve an exchange of money; each institution covers the cost of the doctoral candidate according to their stay at the respective institution. Doctoral candidates will be covered with a single 'Grantholder Category 20' contract during their stay at the JRC, with a duration of one to two years. 

The CDP issues an annual call for expressions of interest from HEIs/universities to participate in the programme (since 2025).

Programme timeline

  1. January
    Call for expressions of interest opens

    The call for expressions of interest is directed at HEIs/universities that wish to jointly organise PhD projects with their JRC counterparts. They should be able to host and train PhD candidates.

  2. March
    Call for expressions of interest closes
  3. April
    Announcement of selection results
  4. April - May
    PhD project definition and contracting

    Successful applicants will engage with the JRC Scientific Unit to co-define a PhD project of common interest under the collaboration topic. The HEI/university and the JRC sign a collaboration agreement that will be valid for five years. 

  5. June - August
    Selection of PhD researchers

    Once the PhD projects have been defined and the collaboration agreement signed, the HEIs/universities and the JRC will post and promote the job vacancy in their networks and jointly select the right candidate. 

  6. September - December
    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.