Over the last few years, doctoral training has changed and its significant contributions to innovation etc. gained recognition. With this paper, LERU aims to promote innovation in doctoral education even further and to encourage e.g. other universities to build on these ideas, to develop the scope and modes of provision and to promote collaboration in doctoral education.

Good practice elements in doctoral training at LERU universities are divided into four categories: formal research training; activities driven by doctoral candidates; career development; and concepts and structures. In this paper, LERU proposes some recommendations for universities, governments and employers and urges in particular the European Commission to take up these recommendations in further development of the European Research Area, in the deployment of Horizon 2020 and other research-related funding programmes.