Doctoral plan + aptitude colloquium
Childpage navigation
The most important component of the doctorate is the research project and thesis carried out under the supervision of a professor.
You can find information regarding formal thesis' aspects here.
Doctoral Plan
Each doctoral student must draw up their own doctoral plan. It forms the basis for the aptitude colloquium - scientific work involves the ability to formulate and defend research ideas and to plan their possible realisation. The doctoral plan helps to acquire and practise this ability.
The supervisor must determine the second supervisor in agreement with the doctoral student as early as possible.
An electronic copy of the doctoral plan must be sent to the supervisor, the second supervisor and the D-INFK Doctoral Administration Office four weeks before the aptitude colloquium or at the latest within 11 months of provisional admission.
Detailed information on the structure and content of the doctoral plan can be found in the D-INFK guidelines for the doctoral plan. A LaTeX template is available external page here.
Aptitude Colloquium
All doctoral students must subject themselves to a discussion in an aptitude colloquium within 12 months of provisional admission.
The aptitude committee comprises the supervisor, the second advisor, and a representative of the doctoral committee, or another person named by the doctoral committee who must be a member of the D-INFK Professors' Conference as chair of the aptitude committee. One of the aptitude committee members must be full or associated professor.
Six months after the provisional admission, the D-INFK doctoral administration assigns a chair for the aptitude colloquium and informs the doctoral student accordingly. The doctoral student sets the date of the colloquium in agreement with the supervisor, the second advisor and the chair and informs the D-INFK doctoral administration.
The aptitude colloquium consists of a presentation of 20 minutes by the doctoral student of their research proposal, followed by a discussion session during which the aptitude committee asks questions. The aptitude colloquium lasts at least 45 minutes.
The committee assesses the suitabilty of the doctoral student for conducting independent research and writing a doctoral thesis. The focus is on the proposed research area described in the doctoral plan. During the colloqium, the aptitude committee may also interrogate on the other points in the doctoral plan.
Further information can be found in the D-INFK aptitude colloquium guidelinesand here.
The VMI attended some aptitude colloquia and summarized their impressions.
Doctoral students are admitted definitively to the docotrate if they pass the aptitude colloquium.