摘要:Welcome to this special edition of the journal, which includes a range of papers that have beendeveloped onfrom the 3rdICPD,whichwasheldinFlorence,ItalyinApril2012.Over the pasttwodecadesinterestinProfessionalandPractice -ledDoctorateshasgeneratedsomemajorquestionsonthe global positioning of these programmes at the leading edge of doctoral education. ICPD -3offered an up -date on current developments across the range of Professional and Practice -ledDoctorates, with an opportunity to reflect on their wider impact on the international horizons ofdoctoraleducation.Theevolutionofprofessionalandpractice -leddoctoralresearchcouldbeseeninmany ways to encapsulate a new direction in highereducation research. The traditional universityboundaries and validation of knowledge are further expanded to include more practitioner ledstudiesofworkbasedlearningresearch