These meetings provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on the progress of the doctoral candidate's thesis in dialogue with the supervisors and the Graduate School representative, and to receive important impulses for further progress.
Thesis committee meetings will be held once a year from 2025.
General information about Thesis Committee Meeting
Attendance: Doctoral candidate, first supervisor, second supervisor, representative of the Graduate School.
Independent organisation: The doctoral candidate organises the meeting independently by coordinating the date, time and place with their first and second supervisors and the Graduate School.
Date: The doctoral candidate can arrange the date of the meeting individually with their supervisors and the Graduate School representative. However, the meeting should take place no later than 6 months after admission to the Promotionsverband.
Duration and venue: The meeting will last approximately one hour. We recommend that the doctoral candidate arranges the meeting in person to ensure that the communication is as personal and effective as possible. Please ensure that a quiet room is available for the duration of the meeting where you can speak undisturbed. Meetings can also be held online if this is more convenient for participants.
Aim of the meeting: This is a status meeting. The focus is on an open exchange in which the doctoral candidate can present the status of their dissertation and discuss important issues and questions together with their supervisors and the Graduate School.
The agenda of the meeting may include:
- Presentation by the doctoral candidate: doctoral candidate will start with giving a 15-minute presentation in which they present the current status of their dissertation and their next steps. Topics may include:
- Progress of their research and initial research findings
- Methods and approach
- Challenges and problems
- Timetable and next steps/milestones
2. Expert discussion: In this part, the scientific and interdisciplinary aspect of your work will be discussed in depth. Possible topics are:
- Further scientific development and possible new methodological approaches
- Planned publications, relevant journals
- Development of short-term goals and tasks
- Participation at (international) conferences
- (Changes in) support from the supervisors
- Further training, additional resources, funding needs
3. Feedback from the supervisors and Graduate School representative
4. Goals and agreements for the coming year
The meeting guidelines attached contain a German and an English version and will offer flexible orientation that can be adapted as required.
