INED does not award degrees, though it maintains close links with the academic community. It forms part of a PhD training network run by the universities of Bordeaux IV, Paris I, Paris V, Paris X and the IRD. Around fifteen INED researchers teach courses to Master's degree students in demography or related disciplines (statistics, sociology, history, public health, etc.) and most of the ten French professors with chairs in demography are associate researchers at INED. Universities and graduate schools quite naturally solicit INED to receive their PhD students. Since 2000, INED has hosted some thirty such students, and five on average present their completed thesis each year.