Getting involved in community life

At Sorbonne University, doctoral candidates are encouraged to take part in institutional life but also to become involved in the life of associations. Being a member of a doctoral candidates' association allows them to meet doctoral candidates from different disciplines, to discuss problems, to set up collective actions and to avoid isolation. It allows them to diversify their activities not only in connection with but also in parallel to the doctorate.

The two associations of Doc'Up and the Doctoral Collective, both open to all doctoral candidates of the doctoral schools of Sorbonne University, offer both fun days or evenings, but also events with a more professional focus: breakfasts, afterwork meetings, scientific mediation activities and theme days. Doctoral candidates should seriously consider joining them. There are also associations specific to certain doctoral schools. 

At the national level, the CJC (Confederation of Young Researchers) brings together some forty associations of young researchers, who are involved on a voluntary basis in the promotion of the doctorate and its recognition as professional experience. It liaises with the public authorities and provides assistance to any structure wishing to exchange views on the subject. 

At the European level, EURODOC, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers brings together 34 national organisations from the European Union and Council of Europe countries. 

Doctoral candidates are encouraged to join learned associations related to their research work. These societies bring together members from one or more disciplines around a research theme or subject. They organise seminars and conferences, may publish journals and sometimes award prizes or fund mobility schemes. Doctoral candidates can thesis director and colleagues for more information.

• The portal of the learned academic societies of France