On 20 January 2026, the PhDGov in-person training continued at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels. The training was hosted by the EU–China Higher Education Research Center (ECHE), VUB and held at the Learning Innovation Center (LIC.004).
Day 2 focused on doctoral school structures and quality assurance in PhD education. The morning session addressed doctoral school governance models, presenting structures and coordination mechanisms from VUB and European partner universities. The session encouraged comparative discussion on policies, services, and organizational arrangements relevant to doctoral education.
In the afternoon, the training continued with a session on assessment and quality assurance, covering PhD progress monitoring, evaluation procedures, and internal quality assurance processes. Participants discussed how assessment and quality assurance mechanisms are organized within doctoral education frameworks and reflected on their relevance for institutional contexts.
The day concluded with plenary feedback and discussion, allowing participants to summarize key points from the sessions and to exchange perspectives.
The PhDGov Steering Committee meeting was held at the end of the day, supporting coordination and next steps of the project.