The doctoral student Progress Meeting

The purpose of the doctoral student progress meeting is to follow up on the progress of the research studies. The departmental representative calls the doctoral student and the rest of the supervisory committee to a progress meeting every semester to

1. Discuss the doctoral student’s learning and research work (progress, setbacks), plan forthcoming activities and solve problems. The following form can be useful as a basis for the meeting: status report form for doctoral students (doc; 570 kB; download).
2. Discuss the other components of research studies, how they are progressing and what is planned.
3. Where necessary, revise the individual study plan (ISP) which is to be approved at least once per year. The ISP is to be fixed, printed, signed and passed to Charlotta Thomaeus for archiving.
4. Report on the completed progress meeting on the doctoral student appraisal form (PDF; 334 kB; in Swedish) to be handed in to Charlotta Thomaeus for archiving.

In connection with the completion of the mid-term review, the departmental representative should offer the doctoral student a career planning discussion.

The director of research studies takes part in the first doctoral student progress meeting at the time of admission to support. Discussions during this initial meeting are guided by a checklist.

Checklist for the initial doctoral student progress meeting

The first doctoral student progress meeting should take place within two months of admission. The departmental representative leads the meeting. The director of studies is present and can complement with information and perspectives. Expect the first meeting to take a bit more than an hour. The departmental representative has the following responsibilities during the meeting:

• To go through the purpose and form of the doctoral student progress meetings, including who attends and how the meetings are documented.
• To go through the members of the supervisory committee and their role in the doctoral student’s education, as well as the role of the director of studies. Here, it may be appropriate to address the role of the assistant supervisor and general expectations of one another.
• If a mentor has not yet been identified, explain why it can be important and whether any particular aspect of having a mentor might be relevant to this specific doctoral student.
• Explain the structure of the programme with the research project and other credit-earning components and, how these relate to the learning outcomes in the Higher Education Ordinance.
• Explain the purpose and importance of the individual study plan. The plan is to be reviewed during the meeting and complemented and clarified if needed.
• Go through the compulsory courses, the mid-term review and other credit-earning components.
• Talk about any graduate schools that might be relevant to the doctoral student.
• Invite the doctoral student to talk about their project and what they have done so far, as well as what is planned. Discuss the availability of the resources required, as well as any challenges, opportunities and risks.
• Inform about the benefits and organisation around teaching and ensure that the doctoral student has met Fredrik Johansson to plan teaching activities. Explain about other activities that can generate an extension of the doctoral studentship.
• Explain the importance of taking part in BLAM and general seminars at the department, not only in seminars at the division.
• Remind the doctoral student to introduce themselves on the blog (via Inger Ekström).
• If the doctoral student has yet not attended the introductory course at the faculty, inform them about the particular status of doctoral students, who are both students and university employees. This affects things like working hours (for example doctoral students are not entitled to leave on half-days and “squeeze days” that is days between a weekend and a public holiday). They must report an absence due to illness, they can be reimbursed for membership in Gerdahallen, and such.
• Refer the doctoral student to Lund University’s guidelines and regulations on plagiarism (on the Staff Pages) and its policy on gender equality, equal opportunities and diversity. After discussion with the supervisors and departmental representative, the doctoral student should confirm in writing that they are informed of these rules and policies. This is easiest done by adding a sentence to the progress meeting protocol (xxx has taken part of, understood and is aware that he/she is obliged to act in accordance with Lund University Guidelines for plagiarism and Policy for Gender equality, equal opportunities and diversity during my graduate education”), which is passed on to Charlotta Thomaeus for archiving.