Doctoral Training Principles

The only federal institution entitled to award doctoral degrees is the Royal Military Academy.

For more on doctoral training at the Royal Military Academy: Le doctorat | RMA (in French) and Doctoraat | RMA (in Dutch)

Doctoral Training in Flemish universities:

The Flemish authorities invest considerable amount of money in doctoral training (see also the funding page for an overview of PhD funding opportunities). As a result, the number of PhD candidates at Flemish universities has greatly increased in recent years; from 2004-2005 to 2015-2016 the number almost doubled! In 2014, almost 30% of PhD candidates were of non-Belgian nationality. However, we do not just provide funding! In every Flemish university you can enroll in “Doctoral Schools” that will guide you through state-of-the-art training that will help you successfully complete your PhD.

Evolution of the non-Belgian nationality of researchers for the different statutes and levels of the academic career (2008-2016) 

                                                                   (source: STI in Flanders 2017, Chapter 3, 5 Mobility)

Evolution of the number of PhDs in Flanders by gender from 2004-2005 to 2015-2016

                                                                              (source: STI in Flanders 2017, Chapter 3, 5 Mobility)

Evolution of the number of PhDs in Flanders by field of science from 2004-2005 to 2015-2016

                                                                              (source: STI in Flanders 2017, Chapter 3, 5 Mobility)

Doctoral Training in French-Speaking Community:

In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the academic title of doctor is awarded after the successful public defense of a personal and original piece of written work that may take the form of a dissertation or of an essay coherently connecting scientific publications by the PhD candidate.

The work related to the PhD thesis corresponds to 180 credits, and comprises both preparatory work for the thesis itself and doctoral research training. The doctoral research training, supervised by a thematic doctoral school (Graduate School), enables the PhD candidate to acquire both a high degree of scientific and professional expertise and cross-functional skills. It can lead to the issuance of a doctoral research training certificate after completion of a 60-credit training programme involving specific activities related to the research profession. In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the academic title of doctor is only awarded after completion of doctoral research training.

Due to the excellence of the doctoral research training in the WBF, the number of PhD candidates increased from around 4000 to almost 7000 candidates between 2000 and 2015. Of these, more than 40% were international PhD candidates. Moreover, in fifteen years, the number of PhD graduates has almost doubled.
 

Are you a PHD holder looking for a job, a CV database, career coaching or trainings? Take a look at Doctorat.be