Social, ethical and cultural responsibility as core values for doctoral researchers in the 21st century

With the dramatic events of a global pandemic, the beginning of the twenty-first century’s third decade has underlined that the world is facing universal challenges. The worldwide crisis scenario that COVID-19 has produced makes us realise that science and research do not function and operate in an independent sphere hidden within the proverbial ivory tower, but, on the contrary, are closely linked to the social, cultural and political systems they reside in. This creates opportunities and great tensions and, while exploring those, Chapter 9 connects to and builds on most of the dimensions described in the previous sections of the book. We refer primarily to Hannover Recommendations 1 and 7: 1. Establish a global joint value system for doctoral education based on an ecology of knowledges which recognises and seeks to overcome existing inequalities in the access to doctoral education and the provision of knowledge. 7. The pivotal goal of doctoral education must be and remain the development of original, responsible, and ethical thinkers, and the generation of new and original ideas and knowledge.