European landscape architecture PhD programme:

The future development of the landscape architecture discipline depends on the establishment and maintenance of an active and innovative group of researchers at the European level. The broad nature of the discipline calls for an understanding and appreciation of research approaches and techniques from a wide range of traditional fields.
These include the natural sciences e.g. landscape ecology, the humanities e.g. sociology, the arts e.g. history of art and architecture, technology e.g. civil engineering, as well as from neighbouring disciplines such as architecture, urban and regional planning or environmental science.
The small scale and wide geographic spread of most landscape architecture departments means that the capacity to provide the necessary research methods training in all these fields is strictly limited. Furthermore, research calls for critical dialogue and discussion between researchers and research students. This can best be achieved at the European level through collaboration in the development of common programmes of research methods teaching.
The successful development of this particular output will aim to draw on the outcomes of the review articles and other inputs provided by the representatives of the neighbouring academic disciplines in year two of the project. A high quality European PhD programme in landscape architecture must be seen as an essential basis for ensuring the continuing quality of research-led teaching within the discipline at undergraduate level.