Training the next generation of interdisciplinary European scientists

The importance of innovative, well-trained doctorates for the future of the world's cultural and economic well-being cannot be underestimated. To meet this challenge, Europe has invested heavily in developing unifying guidelines on the aims and practices of common higher education. Nevertheless, significant heterogeneity in their implementation, largely due to difficulties in adapting and changing existing frameworks, is evident. What's more, the interdisciplinary nature of future research calls for the cooperation of players hitherto isolated within current research and teaching structures. As players, we are taking the practical approach of identifying the essential components of an ideal interdisciplinary graduate school, based on the ingredients of successful international examples, in order to set up a pilot interdisciplinary graduate program. The basis of the graduate school we recommend is the creation of a common language between students and researchers from different backgrounds. It includes the following key ingredients: an international scientific board guaranteeing quality; a physical center with seminar rooms and well-equipped workspace for students and visiting professors; an individualized, flexible curriculum, motivating students, strengthened in their core discipline, to exchange knowledge; an international network of top researchers dividing workshops between their established curriculum and seminars chosen by students, as well as an active thesis tutoring committee comprising independent specialists from the host laboratories in related disciplines. In order to achieve the critical mass of expertise needed to meet these objectives, concerted action is required between establishments within a coherent geographical framework (city (e.g. ), region (e.g. ) or country (e.g. Finland)). To ensure adequate financial support, we suggest that graduate centers should be autonomous bodies capable of attracting funds not only through their “parent” institutions, but also independently from the EC, research foundations and the private sector.