The project aims to study the Greek environment of cooperation between higher education institutions and businesses in the context of postgraduate and doctoral studies. Among other things, the development of postgraduate and doctoral studies in Greece over time will be analyzed, with emphasis on their interaction with Greek industry and the country’s business environment, as well as their connection with corresponding European initiatives and actions. The project will result in a mapping of the current situation regarding the cooperation between higher education institutions and businesses in the context of postgraduate and doctoral studies, as well as drawing conclusions regarding the actions that should be adopted to improve and expand this cooperation in this specific field.

The project scope includes the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1: The Greek environment of higher education and business cooperation in the context of Postgraduate Studies Programs.

• Key figures and the diachronic evolution of the Postgraduate Studies Program with particular emphasis on scientific fields directly related to industry (Industry 4.0)
• Institutional framework of cooperation, recent reforms, strengths and weaknesses, future challenges and expected developments
• Linking the Greek environment with European policies, actions and initiatives for the development and expansion of higher education and business cooperation in the context of Postgraduate Studies
• Case studies – examples of cooperation practices from the Greek environment
• Key conclusions on the Greek environment of higher education and business cooperation in the context of Postgraduate Studies (the importance of cooperation, critical factors for the development or limitation of cooperation, etc.) and proposals for the improvement/expansion of cooperation in this specific field.

Deliverable 2: The environment for undertaking and preparing a Doctoral Thesis in Greece: Institutional framework and basic figures with emphasis on the cooperation of universities and businesses in this direction.

• Brief historical review, diachronic development of doctoral studies in Greece with particular emphasis on the scientific fields most directly related to business activity and the challenges of Industry 4.0
• Existing institutional framework in general for doctoral studies and in particular for doctorates in collaboration or on request of a business
• Doctoral theses in collaboration with a business: current situation, problems, institutional/social obstacles, strengths and weaknesses, future challenges

Deliverable 3: The Greek environment for preparing Theses in collaboration with businesses: the case of the Industrial Doctorate of the Hellenic National Council for the Study of Industrial Economics and Business “Demokritos” and similar initiatives from the Greek environment.

• Connecting the Greek environment with European actions and initiatives for the development and expansion of cooperation between higher education and businesses in the context of doctoral studies
• The case of the Industrial Doctorate from the Hellenic National Research Council “Demokritos” and other examples of practical cooperation between higher education and businesses in the context of a doctoral thesis from the Greek environment
• Key conclusions on the Greek environment of cooperation between higher education and businesses in the context of the preparation of a doctoral thesis and proposals for the improvement/expansion of cooperation in this specific field.