One aim of AAU’s PhD Education Initiative is to share information about promising and effective strategies, practices, and programs to promote institutional and systemic change. Below are links to initiative resources, and national projects and reports that focus on improving PhD education so that all students can thrive in their educational environments and be supported in pursing a full range of careers.

Initiative Tool Kit
Resources to Support Reflective Conversations and Action Planning
- Goals and Definitions Document
- Departmental Discussion Guide
- Institutional Reflection Questions
- Departmental Reflection Questions
- Department Action Planning Questions
Departmental Survey Instruments
Initiative Publications
Pilot Cohort Work
- Themes from December 2020 Reflection Reports by Pilot Campuses and Departments
- Ideas from Fall 2020 Virtual Faculty and Student Forums
Blog Posts
- Making PhD Education More Student-Centered - Mary Sue's Desk, September 24, 2019
- The Three Vs of Graduate Education - Mary Sue's Desk, June 4, 2018
Press Releases
- AAU Launches PhD Initiative with Pilot of Eight Universities (September 12, 2019)
- AAU Receives Grants to Promote More Student-Centered Education (March 7, 2019)
PhD Data Transparency Workshop Outcomes (Spring 2018)
National Projects & Reports
Work by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
- Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century
- The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM
- Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education
Equity in Graduate Education
- Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center
- Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN)
- California Consortium for Inclusive Doctoral Education (C-CIDE)
PhD Data Transparency Efforts