PhD candidate career management
SUPERVISORS & COORDINATORS
Plan, monitor and document each PhD candidate's research and training pathway, ensuring that career decisions are approved and transmitted through the correct procedure.
IMPORTANT
Apply the rules governing the candidate's cycle and funded position
Career requirements may differ according to the PhD cycle, programme, scholarship, national or international agreement and specific funding conditions. The applicable regulations and funding documents always prevail.
01
Start and management of the doctoral career
At the beginning of the programme, verify the candidate's cycle, curriculum, research topic, scholarship or funding source, Supervisor, co-supervisors and official starting date.
Any obligations arising from a project, agreement, host institution or reserved position must be integrated into the ordinary doctoral pathway from the outset.
02
Individual research and training plan
The candidate prepares an individual plan with the Supervisor, taking into account the research project, programme requirements, SAS activities, curriculum-specific training and any obligations connected with the funded position.
The plan and its subsequent changes must be submitted to the Faculty Board for the approvals required by the applicable rules.
03
Ongoing monitoring
The Supervisor should regularly monitor scientific progress, participation in training activities, compliance with deadlines and any circumstances that may affect the continuation of the programme.
The Coordinator ensures that relevant cases are brought to the Faculty Board in time and that decisions requiring administrative implementation are formally transmitted to the competent office.
04
Annual report and evaluation
At the end of each year, the candidate documents the research completed, training activities, credits, publications, mobility and other relevant results according to the procedure established for the programme.
The Supervisor verifies the report and the Faculty Board carries out the formal annual evaluation, taking into account both scientific progress and fulfilment of the educational requirements.
05
Admission to the following year
Admission to the following year is subject to a positive assessment by the Faculty Board. The decision must be clearly recorded and communicated within the timetable required for renewal of the career and scholarship.
Where the candidate is supported by external or project funding, verify whether the annual confirmation also requires reports, timesheets, milestones or declarations requested by the funding body.
06
Missing or incomplete activities
Missing credits or incomplete training activities should be identified before the annual evaluation and discussed with the candidate and Supervisor.
The Faculty Board determines whether and how outstanding activities must be recovered, without informally replacing or waiving requirements established by the applicable programme.
07
Suspension, leave and resumption
Requests for suspension, postponement or leave must be supported by the documentation required for the relevant reason and submitted before or as soon as the circumstance occurs.
The Faculty Board evaluates the academic consequences, including the recovery of activities and the revised career end date. Approval by the SAS Council may also be required.
At the end of the suspension, the resumption of activities must be formally communicated so that the career and any scholarship payments can be correctly reactivated.
08
Extension of the doctoral pathway
An extension is not an automatic continuation of the scholarship or programme. It must be requested for documented reasons and assessed by the Faculty Board according to the regulation applicable to the candidate.
The decision should specify its duration, revised thesis deadline, financial consequences and any obligations remaining during the extended period.
09
Working activities and simultaneous enrolment
Paid work, teaching appointments and simultaneous enrolment in another university programme must be evaluated in advance for compatibility with the full-time doctoral commitment and the conditions of the scholarship.
The request must provide sufficient information on duration, workload, remuneration, course or employer and possible overlap with research and training activities.
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10
Withdrawal, scholarship renunciation and forfeiture
A candidate may renounce the doctoral scholarship while continuing the programme, where permitted, or withdraw entirely from the PhD course. The appropriate form and formal communication must be used.
Forfeiture or exclusion requires a formal assessment and decision by the competent bodies. The administrative and financial consequences must be verified before the decision is communicated.
Withdrawal and forfeiture procedure →
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11
Minutes and transmission of decisions
Faculty Board decisions should clearly identify the candidate, cycle, curriculum, request, supporting documentation, decision adopted, period concerned and any conditions imposed.
The Coordinator must ensure timely transmission to the SAS Council and administrative office whenever ratification, implementation, career recording or scholarship adjustment is required.
12
Deadlines and administrative support
Annual evaluations and requests affecting the legal or financial status of the candidate must reach the competent office in time for the necessary checks and administrative action.
Contact the SAS Office before the Faculty Board meeting when the applicable procedure, required documentation or wording of the proposed decision is uncertain.
Forms and supporting templates →
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OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE
Identify career issues before they become retrospective requests
Regular communication between candidate, Supervisor and Coordinator allows the Faculty Board to adopt timely decisions and prevents interruptions, activities or changes from being communicated only after they have already occurred.