1. Cover Page

Cover Page should include the following information:

• Your name
• Date of birth
• Contact Address
• Academic degree with field of study
• Provisional title of the dissertation project
• Research supervisors (optional)
• Whether you are working in collaboration with an external institution, such as a company

2. Abstract

Abstract in a research proposal is a concise summary of the entire proposal that provides a quick overview of its key elements. Its purpose is to inform readers about the research proposals without requiring them to read the full document.

Abstract with approximately 250 words and about 5 keywords for categorizing the topic area.

Tips:

• The abstract should not include a literature review and references.
• It is better to avoid very general statements about the relevance of the topic.
• You should also avoid going into too much details about the methodology you intend to use. There are other sections available for a more detailed presentation.

3. Objectives and Research Questions

• Central research question to be addressed in the dissertation or the main objective of the dissertation (usually a primary research question with more detailed sub-questions)
• Explanation of what the research aims to discover and the significance of the findings (Why is this important?)
• Discussion of how the anticipated results will advance scientific knowledge.

4. Current State of Research and Contextualization within the Research Field

This section includes the overview of the existing research related to the dissertation’s question and identification of the research gap that the dissertation aims to fill.

• The current state of research should be as compact and structured as possible.
• This section should demonstrate that the doctoral candidate has comprehensively researched and analysed the expertise of the research community on the considered topic. Having analysed the current state of the research problem, the doctoral candidate's expected contribution to the problem should be formulated with a clear novelty value.
• This section should include references. The optimum number of references is 15-20. It is preferable to refer to relevant studies and results published within the last 5 years.

Tips:

• Avoid simply listing facts about what has been done and a chronology of the research. Apply methods of analysis. Try to answer the questions: What were the results of previous research? What problems were identified? What aspects of the problem need to be investigated in more detail and why?
• You can also add some illustrations with explanations if needed.

5. Research Design and Methodology

This section includes an explanation of the planned and used methods to answer the research question. Considering the current state of research, you have described in the previous section, you should describe which methods you plan to use to achieve your aims. Depending on the topic, this could be the description of models, prototypes, simulations or experimental tools, algorithms, analysis tools, etc.

If you're planning to use/collect data and information, describe the data and how it will be collected and processed. If you are using assumptions and hypotheses, please present these as well.

If applicable, add ethical approval: required? Yes/No; submitted? Yes/No.

Tips:

• You can also add some illustrations with explanations if needed.
• Please make sure that not only your research topic but also your methodology is in line with the chosen Research Unit (here).

6. Table of Contents (optional)

If you are writing your dissertation as a monograph, you can include the contents of the monograph in this part of the research proposals.

7. Timeline and Work Plan

Create a detailed, realistic plan, including key milestones you want to achieve. A Gantt chart can be very helpful here—it allows you to visually map out your plan and timeline. Be sure to include specific research questions, methods, and expected outcomes for each stage of your project.

Your timeline should cover at the following stages depending on the research topic:

• Literature review and state of research
• Development of your research question or hypothesis
• Creation of research instruments and methodology
• Laboratory work, experiments, and test setups
• Data collection, preparation, and analysis
• Writing the dissertation
• Attending conferences

If you’re aiming for a cumulative dissertation, you should also plan and list the papers you intend to publish.

8. Bibliography

Your bibliography shows the doctoral committee and your supervisor that you’ve thoroughly engaged with the existing literature on your topic. This section should include all the sources you have mentioned in your research proposal.

There’s no exact rule for how many sources you should include, but make sure to reference key authors, previous research, and important theoretical frameworks that justify your project’s relevance.

The optimum number of references is 15-20. It is preferable to refer to relevant studies and results published within the last 5 years.