Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 Principles of Doctorial Studies illustrated by SEE Doctoral Studies in Mathematical Science (Tempus Joint program) Dušan Tošić Faculty of Mathematics – University of Belgrade

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 1.Inspiration Tempus-project TEMPUS BATEMPUS-JPCR SEE Doctoral Studies in Mathematical Sciences Web-site:

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 List of partners: 1.UNIVERSITY OF SARAJEVO 2. KARL-FRANZENS UNIVERSITY - GRAZ 3.SOFIA UNIVERSITY 4.INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS AND INFORMATICS OF BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 5.MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE -ATHENS 6.FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS –BANJA LUKA 7.FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS –TUZLA 8.FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS - BEOGRAD 9.FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES – SKOPJE 10. FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS - PODGORICA 11. FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS – SHKODRA

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 2. Basic Idea Organize PhD studies in SEE according to Bologna principles Provide: Exchange students Accept the exams (courses) from the others faculties Professors (as lecturers) from the different universities Common commissions

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 3. Problemes There are different concepts of PhD studies in different countries (members of this project) To inscribe PhD studies in Austria it is enough to be master, but in Serbia the average mark greater than 8 is requested Credit system (for PhD studies) does not exit in all countries To accept the title of a PhD thesis in Serbia, the student has to have at least one paper published in a journal from SCI list

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 4. Solution In spite of differences, there are similar things in organization of PhD studies The minimum of requests (intersection) is chosen as common for PhD studies in SEE. After that some principles are formulated.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 5. About principles These principles (or statements related to PhD studies) are formulated in the document named Basic Structure of PhD-Curricula.Basic Structure of PhD-Curricula This document is formed during the Workshop at University of Graz, June 22 – 26, The document is composed after discussion of 3 days ( prof. Franz Kappel from Graz)

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 6. Principles 1. Expected qualifications of graduates. The graduates should have the capability for independent research and should have reached a high level of current research in one area of mathematics or theoretical computer science. 2. Duration of studies. The regular duration of the PhD-studies is 3 years.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 3. Entrance requirements. The entrance requirements for the PhD-studies should be such that these are met by a student who has completed a relevant master curriculum on top of a bachelor curriculum at one of the partner universities. 4. Relation of course-work to thesis-work. In view of the expected qualifications of graduates the emphasis in the PhD-studies has to be on research activities, which includes also work done in specific research seminars on the topic of the thesis and independent acquisition of knowledge from literature.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 5. Advisors (Mentors). For each PhD-student there has to be one thesis advisor. In case a PhD-thesis requires interdisciplinary work, a co-advisor should be nominated. 6. Thesis. During the PhD-studies a thesis has to be completed, which has to be an independent original work.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 7. Evaluation of the thesis. There have to be at least two evaluators for a PhD-thesis. At least one of the evaluators has to be from a different university or research institution 8. Publications. PhD-students are encouraged to publish results obtained while working on the thesis in research journals which have a well established refereeing process.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 9. Final Examination (Defense of the Thesis) The final examination should be public with widespread announcement. The candidate should start with a presentation of the results obtained in the thesis for about 45 minutes, which should be followed by a discussion open for all members of the audience. 10. Examination board For the performance of the final examination an examination board has to be nominated which consists of at least three persons

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/ Accreditation. The design of the curricula at the partner universities should be done in view of the possibility of accreditation of the curricula in future years. 12. Acknowledgement of studies. There should be a general statement concerning acknowledgment by the partner universities of achievements obtained during PhD- studies at other partner universities.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/ Networking. It is desirable that partner universities organize joint courses and joint seminars for their PhD-studies in order to derive synergies from the competencies of the partner universities. 14. Sustainability. Any measures should be undertaken in order to guarantee that the PhD-studies designed and implemented during the project as a joint efforts of the partner universities should be continued as joint enterprises.

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 7. How it should be implemented? The “Academic Board” of 10 members (professors) is formed The Academic Board is involved in all matters concerning quality of the PhD-programs In particular, the Academic Board has the important task to plan and implement the six intensive courses All kinds of misunderstandings should be solved at Academic Board Some new ideas are expected from Academic Board

Neum - Workshop - 01/09/09 8. Conclusions General statements, characterizing the whole PhD studies in Mathematic and Theoretical Computer Sciences, are formulated The statements are based on the existing experiences in PhD studies from different countries These statements could be applied in the others fields We should start with the Implementation this school year.