A doctorate programme provides more than just specialised expertise in one field. PhD candidates also learn to analyse complex problems, manage long-term projects, collaborate across disciplines, and communicate advanced knowledge.
However, this broad competence is not always easy to recognise outside academia. Employers may be uncertain about what doctoral graduates can contribute, while the candidates themselves may struggle to translate their academic experience into a language that works in other parts of the labour market.
EDUC is organising the digital roundtable Access to Talent on 24 September 2026, which explores how European university alliances can contribute to stronger career opportunities for PhD candidates, better recognition of PhD qualifications outside academia, and support for innovation ecosystems in Europe.
Read more, see the programme and register here: EDUC Roundtable Policy Briefing: Access to Talent - University of South-Eastern Norway
Access to Talent is the second event in EDUC’s series of policy briefings and follows EDUC Roundtable Policy-Briefing No. 1 from 2025, which dealt with cooperation between European university alliances and upper secondary education, resulting in the following policy recommendation: Enhancing European University Alliances’ Collaboration with Upper Secondary Schools (.pdf).
– Can develop solutions USN cannot manage alone
– EDUC brings together eight universities in seven countries. When we share experiences and invite employers, authorities and other societal actors into the work, we can develop solutions that each university cannot manage alone, says the institutional EDUC coordinator at USN, Heidi Tovsrud Knutsen.
The Access to Talent event stems from work package 4 in EDUC, Societal Outreach, which is led by USN and aims to strengthen cooperation between the university alliance and the communities surrounding the partner universities.
– European university alliances such as EDUC can play an important role as a link between doctoral education and the labour market. Across universities and national borders, we develop joint training programmes, internships, and projects in collaboration with external partners. The alliances can also facilitate mobility between academia and other sectors, build networks of employers, and develop a shared understanding of the competencies doctoral graduates possess, says Knutsen.
Analyses from the European Higher Education Sector Observatory (EHESO) show that the challenges of utilising doctoral competencies in the workplace are both structural and systemic. Lasting changes therefore require long-term collaboration, shared strategies, and clear anchoring within institutions.
- EHESO report: Universities in innovation ecosystems and the role of the European Universities alliances (2025) (op.europa.eu)
Brief summary of the EHESO report (in English)
Alliances as vehicles for systemic transformation
The European Higher Education Sector Observatory (EHESO) highlights that challenges around PhD employability are structural and systemic. Responses must go beyond isolated courses, pilots or institutions and sustainable impact requires institutional cooperation, critical mass and stability.
This framing directly aligns with the European University Alliances model, which is explicitly designed to:
USN leads the discussion on the public sector
USN also plays a central role in the programme through senior adviser in USN’s department for research, innovation and library services, Rebeca Schumacher, who works through EDUC on research education and competence development for staff, with a particular focus on international expertise and collaboration.
At Access to Talent, she will lead the parallel group discussion on the public sector and social innovation. Here, participants will explore how universities can collaborate more closely with municipalities, government agencies, voluntary organisations, and other societal stakeholders.
– The public sector faces complex challenges in areas such as health, sustainability, governance, and policy development. PhD candidates can contribute strong analytical perspectives, but we must create arenas where they meet public organisations and other societal actors as equal partners, says Schumacher.
The group will discuss competence development, work-based learning, and how to build lasting collaborations across regions and countries.
– Good cooperation works both ways. Candidates gain experience using their skills in new contexts, while external partners gain access to research-based knowledge and new perspectives on the challenges they work with. The goal must be to develop collaborations that provide real value for all parties, says Schumacher.
From discussion to concrete recommendations
The aim of the roundtable is not just to exchange experiences. Contributions from keynotes, group discussions, and panel debates will be used to develop concrete recommendations in the form of official policy briefs from EDUC.
The policy recommendations will demonstrate how university alliances, universities, and external partners can strengthen career development for PhD candidates and better utilise doctoral competencies in work and social life.
– We want to leave with recommendations that can be used in the further development of EDUC, but also be relevant for other university alliances. To create lasting results, universities, candidates, employers, and authorities must develop the solutions together, says Knutsen.
Who should participate?
The event is particularly relevant for:
- PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers
- doctoral schools and others working with doctoral education
- university leaders and alliance coordinators
- staff working with career development, innovation, research policy or collaboration with the labour market
- employers in business and the public sector
- municipalities, government agencies and voluntary organisations
- national authorities and representatives from the European Commission
- EDUC and other European university alliances
Read more, see the programme and register here: EDUC Roundtable Policy Briefing: Access to Talent - University of South-Eastern Norway
