Conditions
In order to facilitate high quality in our doctoral programmes, the university has identified nine prerequisites that must be ensured.
Objective: There should be clear procedures for establishing a doctoral education programme in order to ensure the quality of the education provided.
For all subjects set up at the doctoral level at the university, it must be ensured that they are of high quality and that there are good conditions for the doctoral students to achieve the intended degree of the educational programme. The Governing Board of the University of Borås formally decides on new subject areas upon the recommendation of the Research and Education Board. Applications for the establishment of a new doctoral education subject are examined by external assessors.
Ensured by: The university has clear quality assurance guidelines for how the process for the establishment of doctoral education programmes is to be handled.
Objective: To recruit all doctoral students on the basis of their competence, motivation, and personal conditions to manage and contribute to a high quality in our research education.
Ensured by: A transparent and clear admission and recruitment process is an important part of getting qualified doctoral students who can apply for educational programmes. Recruitment should be competitive and funding through doctoral studentship employment should be the basic principle when it comes to admission.
Objective: Research projects are of high quality and adapted to the individual doctoral students.
Ensured by: The annual follow-up of the individual study plan and the other checkpoints that are a part of the educational programmes, such as the planning seminar, mid-term seminar, and final seminar, provide the basis for ensuring that the chosen research project is feasible and of good quality.
Objective: To offer professional and supportive supervision.
At the university, the supervision constellation consists of experienced principal supervisors who work together with less experienced supervisors. In this way, knowledge and experience between supervisors is transferred. A stable supervisor capacity with several available supervisors is therefore made possible.
Ensured by: All supervisors must have undergone a course in teaching and learning in higher education called "Supervising doctoral students." In addition, there are clear rules regarding the doctoral students’ right to change supervisors.
Objective: Doctoral students should be part of local, national, and international networks that are characterised by a creative environment with the opportunity for discussion and reflection.
It is not enough for there to be research of high quality and good supervision for a doctoral student to receive high-quality education and to achieve the degree goals. It is also necessary that the surrounding environment be stimulating and beneficial to the doctoral student's learning and development.
Ensured by: All doctoral students must be connected to one or more research groups at the university. In addition, it is important that doctoral students participate in research conferences and other exchanges nationally and internationally to stimulate networking. The university will also ensure that adequate infrastructure is available for the doctoral students to be able to complete their education.
Objective: There are relevant high-quality courses that help students achieve their goals and gain the tools and skills required to conduct a research project.
Ensured by: The Vice-Chancellor determines the university-wide common doctoral level courses for better planning and transparency reasons. For quality assurance purposes, all doctoral courses must be evaluated in accordance with current regulations.
Objectives: To enable doctoral students to contribute to the development of society and to communicate their research findings in national and international arenas.
Ensured by: The university's doctoral students are actively encouraged to participate in different networks and at research conferences to spread their research. To equip doctoral students for future working life, the university offers various activities focusing on their future career. In addition, Grants and Innovation Office is a support for future research funding.
Objectives: Doctoral students must be able to have influence over their education.
Ensured by: Doctoral students are given the opportunity to give feedback on courses through course evaluations. The doctoral students also have good opportunities to develop and design their own education together with their supervisors. The university's agreement with the Student Union of Borås also guarantees students the right to representation in all important councils and institutions within the university. The Student Union has also founded a Doctoral Student Committee.
Upon completion of courses, doctoral students should be given the opportunity to comment on the entire education programme by completing a programme evaluation.
Objective: All doctoral students are entitled to a good work environment and a reasonable standard of living and equal opportunities are to apply regardless of social background, gender, and ethnicity.
Ensured by: The university works actively to ensure equal conditions for its doctoral students. The Governing Board has therefore decided that doctoral studentship employment should be the main form for funding doctoral education. Exceptions apply for externally-employed doctoral students. Otherwise, the university works according to its Equal Opportunities Policy at the University of Borås.
Doctoral thesis defences
A high-quality research education means that high-quality doctoral theses are produced. Doctoral students’ research projects will ultimately be examined and thus have their quality assured by the research community through a public doctoral thesis defence. The articles included in the doctoral thesis theses are to be published in internationally recognised journals. Prior to the defence, it is ensured that the rules for examination at the university are followed and that the doctoral thesis's different components are designed in accordance with the scientific standard that can be expected.
Current regulations around doctoral thesis defences:
Responsibility
The Directors of Studies for the doctoral education programmes and the Research and Education Boards, alternatively their Research Education Committees, are those who primarily manage and organise the quality assurance work regarding doctoral education at the university. The main people responsible for the study and work environment for doctoral students are the Heads of Department.
