Lindner, Ariel B. & Taddei, Francois

Forming the next generation of European interdisciplinary scientists

Ariel B. LINDNER ^a,b,1 and Francois TADDEI ^a,b,1
a INSERM U571 laboratory and ^b Centre de Reflexions Interdisciplinaires (CRI) – Paris Interdisciplinary College (PIC), Faculty of Medicine, Rene Descartes Paris V University

Abstract. The centrality of well-trained innovating doctorates to the future of  the world's cultural and economical well-being cannot be underestimated. To meet with the challenge, Europe has much invested in providing unifying guidelines of common graduate studies' goals and practices. Nonetheless, a significant heterogeneity in their implementation, largely due to the difficulties in adapting and changing of existing frameworks, are evident. In addition, the interdisciplinary character of future research dictates cooperation of players hitherto isolated within current research and educational structures. As actors, we take a concrete approach of identifying the essential components of an ideal interdisciplinary graduate school, built upon ingredients of successful international examples, to set a pilot interdisciplinary graduate program. The basis of our recommended Graduate Center is the creation of common language between students and researchers from different backgrounds. It encompasses the following key ingredients: a quality-assuring international governing scientific council; a physical centre including seminar rooms and well-equipped working space for students and visiting professors;  individualised flexible curriculum, motivating students, reinforced in their primary discipline, to interchange their knowledge; an international network of high-level researchers splitting workshops between their established curriculum and students' choice of seminars and an active thesis tutoring committee encompassing hosting-lab-independent specialists in related disciplines. In order to reach the critical mass of expertise needed to meet these ends, a concerted action is necessary between establishments within a coherent geographical setting (city (e.g., ), region (e.g., ) or country (e.g., Finland). In order to assure proper financial support, we suggest that Graduate Centres will be autonomous bodies capable of attracting funding not only through their 'mother' establishments but also independently from EC, research foundations and the private sector.