The Creator Doctus (CrD) project was focused on the development of a new European 3rd cycle award for Higher Arts Education (HAE) that runs parallel to the existing Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). CrD focused on embedding 3rd cycle education in the academy: within learning, teaching, career development and links with social/urban partners in order to make research an integral part of all aspects of education. The CrD Consortium identified the need for HAE to fully use the potential of all cycles of the EQF especially with regard to the alignment and interaction of graduate, post-graduate and doctoral studies. Currently, due to the existing binary divide between the ‘old’ universities and the technical universities in a large number of European countries, in over 30% of the European HAE (EHAE) sector, this is not possible due to national law and the lack of instruments and models. Through the engagement with artistic research at its highest level CrD enhances the currency of curricula that align all three levels of higher education so that students and teachers have knowledge and understanding at the leading edge of the creative fields. CrD is committed to promoting internationalisation, recognition and mobility, supporting changes in line with Bologna principles. The CrD consortium includes: Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam is the lead applicant and the other partners comprise: Glasgow School of Art, Athens School of Fine Arts, l’École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Paris-Cergy, Vilnius Academy of Arts, The Royal Danish Art Academy of Fine Arts, Merz Akademie and EQ-Arts as project coordinator.