SUPERVISION IN DOCTORAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA Univerza v Ljubljani SUPERVISION IN DOCTORAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA Katja Breskvar Head of Doctoral School Zagreb, 2011 Zagreb 2011 1

University of Ljubljana Univerza v Ljubljani University of Ljubljana Size of the institution Member faculties Students and teaching staff 23 faculties 63.000 students (graduate and postgraduate) 3 art academies about 4000 members of teaching staff Zagreb 2011 2

Doctoral School of UL Established 2007 Univerza v Ljubljani Doctoral School of UL Established 2007 Head member of academic staff appointed by rector Office 4 professional persons Main tasks: Maintains standards for doctoral studies across disciplines through regulations and codes of practise Provides a range of support services Forms proposals of strategic issues Assembles generic courses Coordinates international cooperation Zagreb 2011 3

Reorganization of Doctoral Studies at UL Univerza v Ljubljani Reorganization of Doctoral Studies at UL The same study conditions for doctoral students of all disciplines accepted at institutional level were published as University document in 2008. Reorganization of doctoral studies included the aims: Research to be of the greatest significance in the programs Interdisciplinary approach where possible Critical mass (students and teaching staff) Generic skills training Promotion of student and staff mobility Quality assurance Zagreb 2011 4

Univerza v Ljubljani Evaluation of Doctoral Programmes by ECTS as defined by law in Slovenia Program duration three years – 180 KT Organized forms of study – 60 KT Research – 120 KT By definition: 1KT according to ECTS represents from 25 to 30 hours of student’s work load Zagreb 2011 5

Research - the Greatest Significance in the Programmes Univerza v Ljubljani Research - the Greatest Significance in the Programmes Appropriate postulates in the programmes: introduction of research subjects recognition of learning through research obligatory to publish results prior to the defence Role of mentors: active researchers to assure research infrastructure and other conditions for scientific work Doctoral committees Financial aspects: state funding (research projects, young researchers, other) financial support form partners in economy international projects Zagreb 2011 6

New Postulates in Doctoral Programmes Univerza v Ljubljani New Postulates in Doctoral Programmes Research subjects: elective individual research courses were introduced in several programmes doctoral candidates have the opportunity to gain research skills necessary for their doctoral project in specialized laboratories Learning through research: doctoral candidates obtain credit points through research by presenting their progress in research at several meetings with the committee publishing results Students’ work load is evaluated and accredited. Zagreb 2011 7

Mentoring Doctoral Candidates Before Renovation of Doctoral Studies Univerza v Ljubljani Mentoring Doctoral Candidates Before Renovation of Doctoral Studies Criteria for mentors: As defined in university statute, persons with suitable title (assistant, associate and full professors) were suitable for mentoring doctoral candidates. Consequences: no control over research activities of mentors no control over number of doctoral candidates /mentor call for students exceeded research capacity no control over duration of the process no. of doctoral students significantly exceeded no. of those who completed the studies Zagreb 2011 8

New Criteria for Mentoring Univerza v Ljubljani New Criteria for Mentoring Criteria for mentors according to new senate decisions: A person with the title of a university teacher or a researcher of science in the field of the doctoral dissertation Publications in the area of students’ research project Research activity demonstrated by national evaluation system (Sicris data base) with minimum no. of points which would qualify them as possible project leaders Involvement in research project Limitation of number of doctoral candidates/ mentor Obligatory co-mentor in case of interdisciplinary project Guest mentors from other universities Zagreb 2011 9

Doctoral Committees Before Present Three committees : Univerza v Ljubljani Doctoral Committees Before Present Three committees : project plan evaluation doctoral thesis evaluation oral defence Single committee: guiding doctoral candidate from beginning to completion role of mentor in the committee Zagreb 2011 10

Third Cycle Doctoral Programmes at UL Univerza v Ljubljani Third Cycle Doctoral Programmes at UL With different level of interdisciplinary approach: Comprehensive interdisciplinary programs: interdisciplinary approach with cooperation of several faculties and other research institutions, coordination at university. Interdisciplinary programs: cooperation of several faculties in some scientific areas, coordination at selected faculty. Faculty programs: one or two scientific disciplines mostly studied at one faculty, cooperation with individual lecturers form other faculties. Joint programs: cooperation with other universities 19 new programmes Start in 2009/2010 Zagreb 2011 11

Quality Criteria in Doctoral Studies Univerza v Ljubljani Quality Criteria in Doctoral Studies All criteria for quality assurance and quality control accepted for other levels of education need to be respected. In addition, some specifics in doctoral studies need additional quality measurements. Specific for doctoral studies at UL: Criteria for mentors Criteria for course coordinators and lecturers Strict requirement for doctoral students to publish results of their research Zagreb 2011 12

Students in Doctoral Studies -Third Cycle Programmes Univerza v Ljubljani Students in Doctoral Studies -Third Cycle Programmes Study year Public call matriculated 2009/10 2342 1275 2010/11 1678 963 2011/12 1281 ? Zagreb 2011 13

Institutional Responsibility in Raising the Quality of Mentorship Univerza v Ljubljani Institutional Responsibility in Raising the Quality of Mentorship In addition to accepting general requirements for mentors the institution should assure for future mentors the fundamental conditions and to obtain all the necessary information. Workshop for mentors: Information about the programmes Legal requirements concerning doctoral education Requirements for mentors Responsibilities towards doctoral candidate 2. Financial issues Zagreb 2011