Doctoral training

International academic excellence and a reference for companies

The doctoral policy

Doctoral studies extend over a period of approximately three years devoted to preparation of a thesis on a specified research subject under the guidance of a thesis supervisor.
While preparing their thesis, doctoral students are fully integrated into one of the School’s research unities. They take part in all the activities and scientific endeavours of the unity, and more particularly in contract research and teaching activities.
 
The research topic dealt with during the thesis is usually the subject of a partnership between the doctoral student motivated by a career in industry, the host laboratory closely involved in research focusing on economic activities and a high-tech company.
In this way, the thesis, which takes the form of a research project conducted with a company, provides genuine professional experience of the economic world into which the students will be integrated on completion of their doctorate.
 
Enhancement of the doctorate from the point of view of companies involves strengthening  training aspects during the thesis by means of multicultural training (including good communication skills in English), managerial aptitudes, entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as scientific and technical excellence in the joint research work conducted.
For that purpose, doctoral students attend “common core” doctoral training comprising doctoral courses of various kinds :
  • advanced scientific courses linked with academic disciplines involved in the research project
  • modules in professional skills : study of the economic world, communication, team leadership, vocational guidance
  • languages  (good communication skills in english, scientific french and interculturality  for non french speaking students).

This training requirement, in compliance with the guidelines of the ministerial order of 7 August 2006, constitutes a right for the students but is also an opportunity which will help their professional integration and future career.

 

Monitoring
Measures to ensure the monitoring of doctoral students at the School comprise the following
points :
  • a doctoral student’s charter, laying down these respective rights and duties of the student and the supervisory staff
  • encouragement to spend a period abroad during the thesis (e.g. the European doctor label or a thesis directed jointly with a foreign university)
  • Students have to take part in one international conferences
  • Students have to submit at least one publication in an international journal
 
Skills portfolio
An individual dossier concerning the enhancement of skills and listing the range of doctoral courses (scientific and professional courses, language skills, participation in conferences, publications, periods spent abroad, teaching activities...) is attached to the defence file  as an additional guarantee of quality of the doctoral programme.