NOVA University Lisbon hosted, on 12 June 2026, a meeting of the National Network of Doctoral Schools (RNED), held in the Senate Room of the Rectorate, bringing together representatives from 14 Portuguese higher education institutions.
The meeting included the participation of the Portuguese Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES), represented by Helena Teixeira Avelino and Maria João Manatos, and provided an opportunity for in-depth reflection on the role of Doctoral Schools, the quality criteria of doctoral programmes, and the future evolution of doctoral training in Portugal.
The session was regarded as an important moment of strategic reflection, highlighting the contribution of Doctoral Schools to strengthening the quality and excellence of doctoral education, as well as the importance of sharing best practices, fostering interinstitutional cooperation, and developing common standards.
This commitment is reflected in NOVA’s own trajectory. Its Doctoral School, created more than decade ago to provide transversal training to doctoral candidates — has been described as “one of the university’s best initiatives”, standing out for its innovative, interdisciplinary model and its focus on developing complementary skills beyond research.
The participating institutions reaffirmed their commitment to a culture of quality, innovation, and collaboration, underlining the role of doctoral education in training highly qualified human resources and strengthening national scientific capacity, as well as in fostering links with industry and addressing the challenges of sustainable development.
Established in 2017, RNED is a cooperation network between higher education institutions aimed at the continuous improvement of doctoral programmes through the promotion of best practices and the development of shared quality benchmarks.
By hosting this meeting, NOVA reinforces its active role in promoting rigorous, collaborative, and future-oriented doctoral education.