Purpose of the Framework

It provides a set of principles for doctoral education, while recognising the diversity in the Irish higher education system and the ever-changing research landscape. 

The purpose of this Framework is to:

  • Facilitate consistent excellence in the quality of postgraduate education and training, including research undertaken at masters and doctoral levels; 
  • Enable and encourage higher education institutions to work more closely in the delivery of an improved learner-experience and outcome; 
  • Maximise the employability of doctoral graduates across a broad range of employment sectors by ensuring that the acquisition of discipline-specific knowledge is complemented by the development of transferable skills; 
  • Underpin the international standing of the Irish doctoral award.

It is consistent with national, European and international standards, principles and guidelines, including, for example, Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines developed by QQI for Providers of Research Degree Programmes, the IUA National Policy Statement on Ensuring Research Integrity in Ireland, the Salzburg principles, the Technological Higher Education Quality Framework - Part III: Internal Quality Assurance and Enhancement of Research developed by THEA, the Salzburg II recommendations and the Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training. It also takes into account the findings and recommendations arising from the 2021 EUA Solutions study on the level of implementation of Ireland’s National Framework for Doctoral Education.

The revised NFDE aligns with national research policies such as the HEA Principles of Good Practice in Research within Higher Education Institutions (2022), Ireland’s Framework of Good Practice for Research Degree Programmes (2020) and Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy (2022).

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