The PhDGov project aims to enhance the governance and management of PhD programs across Palestinian Higher Education Institutions. One of the core activities is to provide training for PhD supervisors and university policy makers on doctoral education. Online training was organized by the European partners of the PhDGOV project for the Palestinian partner universities.
The first session of the PhDGov online training series was held on 26 May 2025. The live online session brought together participants from Palestinian higher education institutions and European partner universities.
The session opened with welcome remarks and an opening address from the Palestinian Ministry of Education, followed by an overview of the PhDGov project and its objectives.
A central part of the session focused on doctoral education structures at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Jolien Vissers presented the organisational structure of doctoral education at VUB, outlining key elements of the institutional framework. This was followed by a presentation by Prof. Karen François, Director of the Doctoral School of Human Sciences, who introduced doctoral education structures and practices at the Flemish university level.
The session also included an interactive segment on improving doctoral education in Palestinian universities, encouraging questions and exchange among participants. The online training concluded with a Q&A discussion and a brief introduction to the upcoming training sessions.