A doctorate at Ghent University(Belgium)?

Clarisse Faria-Fortecoƫf

Attracting over 30,000 students per year, with a foreign student population of over 2,200 EU and non-EU citizens, Ghent University is now one of the most important institutions of Higher Education and Research in Western Europe.

If you are interested in doing a doctoral degree at Ghent university, Doctoral Schools are the first point of contact for junior researchers.

Officially launched in September 2007, Doctoral Schools are currently 5: Arts, Humanities & Law ; Social & Behavioural Sciences ; Natural Sciences ; (Bioscience) Engineering ; Life Sciences & Medicine. Each has its own website where you will find information on admission procedures, doctoral courses and events.

In the section "What’s on at the Doctoral Schools", you can have access to all the events organised jointly by the five Doctoral Schools and which aim at increasing the international and social value of the doctorate: Information sessions for prospective PhD candidates ; Course "Commercialising your research…"; Workshop "Your career in your own hands". 
The results of the 2008 survey on attitudes and expectations of junior researchers regarding doctoral programmes in general and the Doctoral Schools in particular, will give you a good idea on the doctorate opportunities.
See also the presentation of Mr. Luc François - Director of Ghent University Association  - at the launching conference of the Council for Doctoral education in June 2008.

Furthermore, if you are looking for research opportunities, some funding agencies offer possibilities for international pre- or postdoctoral researchers to apply for a scholarship or fellowship on individual basis.

Ghent University Doctoral Schools: an example of "good practices" in Europe?