The Doctoral School of the University of Osijek was established by the Decision of the Senate of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek on 11 April 2011, in order to, as given in detail in the Doctoral School Establishment Study, enhance the integration function of the University, increase teaching and research capacities (by involving all researchers and teachers in the areas of social sciences and humanities and part of researchers and teachers in the area of arts in the Doctoral School), achieve greater efficiency and high-quality logistical support of doctoral studies. The establishment of the Doctoral School encourages interdisciplinarity, the gathering of the best scientific potential within social sciences and humanities and arts, the development of a stimulating research environment, the improvement of the quality of doctoral studies, internationalisation and the possibility of setting up new doctoral study programmes within this Doctoral School.
Three compatible interdisciplinary postgraduate study programmes, in European Studies, Cultural Studies and Communication, are carried out at the Doctoral School, which enable the study of different scientific areas, scientific fields and scientific branches within social sciences and humanities (and arts), i.e. law, economics, information and communication sciences, history, philosophy, linguistics and literature, and which, in a wider context, allow us to understand the complex phenomenon of culture with an emphasis on methodological pluralism.