Univerza v Ljubljani

1. Univerza v Ljubljani SUPERVISION IN DOCTORAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA Katja Breskvar Head of Doctoral School Zagreb, 2011 Zagreb 2011

2. Univerza v Ljubljani University of Ljubljana Size of the institution Zagreb 2011

3. Univerza v Ljubljani Doctoral School of UL • Established 2007 • Head member of academic staff appointed by rector • Office 4 professional persons • Main tasks: • Maintains standards for doctoral studies across disciplines • through regulations and codes of practise • Provides a range of support services • Forms proposals of strategic issues • Assembles generic courses • Coordinates international cooperation Zagreb 2011

4. Univerza v Ljubljani Reorganization of Doctoral Studies at UL • The same study conditions for doctoral students of all disciplines accepted at institutional level were published as University document in 2008. • Reorganization of doctoral studies included the aims: • Research to be of the greatest significance in the programs • Interdisciplinary approach where possible • Critical mass (students and teaching staff) • Generic skills training • Promotion of student and staff mobility • Quality assurance Zagreb 2011

5. Univerza v Ljubljani Evaluation of Doctoral Programmes by ECTS as defined by law in Slovenia • Program duration three years – 180 KT • Organized forms of study – 60 KT • Research –120 KT • By definition: 1KT according to ECTS represents from 25 to 30 hours of student’s work load Zagreb 2011

6. Univerza v Ljubljani Research - the Greatest Significance in the Programmes • Appropriate postulates in the programmes: • introduction of research subjects • recognition of learning through research • obligatory to publish results prior to the defence • Role of mentors: • active researchers • to assure research infrastructure and other conditions for scientificwork • Doctoral committees • Financial aspects: • state funding (research projects, young researchers, other) • financial support form partners in economy • international projects Zagreb 2011

7. Univerza v Ljubljani New Postulates in Doctoral Programmes • Research subjects: • elective individual research courses were introduced in several programmes • doctoral candidates have the opportunity to gain research skills necessary for their doctoral project in specialized laboratories • Learning through research: • doctoral candidates obtain credit points through research by presenting their progress in research at several meetings with the committee • publishing results • Students’ work load is evaluated and accredited. Zagreb 2011

8. Univerza v Ljubljani Mentoring Doctoral Candidates Before Renovation of Doctoral Studies • Criteria for mentors: • As defined in university statute, persons with suitable title (assistant, associate and full professors) were suitable for mentoring doctoral candidates. • Consequences: • no control over research activities of mentors • no control over number of doctoral candidates /mentor • call for students exceeded research capacity • no control over duration of the process • no. of doctoral students significantly exceeded no. of those who completed the studies Zagreb 2011

9. Univerza v Ljubljani New Criteria for Mentoring • Criteria for mentors according to new senate decisions: • A person with the title of a university teacher or a researcher of • science in the field of the doctoral dissertation • Publications in the area of students’ research project • Research activity demonstrated by national evaluation system (Sicris • data base) with minimum no. of points which would qualify them as • possible project leaders • Involvement in research project • Limitation of number of doctoral candidates/ mentor • Obligatory co-mentor in case of interdisciplinary project • Guest mentors from other universities Zagreb 2011

10. Univerza v Ljubljani Doctoral Committees Zagreb 2011

11. Univerza v Ljubljani Third Cycle Doctoral Programmes at UL • With different level of interdisciplinary approach: • Comprehensive interdisciplinary programs: interdisciplinary approach • with cooperation of several faculties and other research institutions, • coordination at university. • Interdisciplinary programs: cooperation of several faculties in some • scientific areas, coordination at selected faculty. • Faculty programs: one or two scientific disciplines mostly studied at • one faculty, cooperation with individual lecturers form other faculties. • Joint programs: cooperation with other universities • 19 new programmes • Start in 2009/2010 Zagreb 2011

12. Univerza v Ljubljani Quality Criteria in Doctoral Studies • All criteria for quality assurance and quality control accepted for other • levels ofeducation need to be respected. In addition, some specifics in • doctoral studies needadditional quality measurements. • Specific for doctoral studies at UL: • Criteria for mentors • Criteria for course coordinators and lecturers • Strict requirement for doctoral students to publish results of their research Zagreb 2011

13. Univerza v Ljubljani Students in Doctoral Studies -Third CycleProgrammes Zagreb 2011

14. Univerza v Ljubljani Institutional Responsibility in Raising the Quality of Mentorship • In addition to accepting general requirements for mentors the • institution should assure for future mentors the fundamental • conditions and to obtain all the necessary information. • Workshop for mentors: • Information about the programmes • Legal requirements concerning doctoral education • Requirements for mentors • Responsibilities towards doctoral candidate • 2. Financial issues Zagreb 2011