Quality Assurance and Doctoral Studies Report of Working Group 4 Urbaan M. Titulaer Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria

Survey of the Talk 1. General Quality Assurance Issues 2. Doctorate: Curriculum and Social Issues 3. Doctorate: Quality Assurance

1. General Quality Assurance Issues: a) Providing feedback loops: diagnosis  remedy  evaluation of effects b) Evaluation of courses by students: reporting back to the students; checking workload consequences: improving teaching skills; reassignments

c)Evaluation of the curriculum as a whole: Involving all significant stakeholders: Involving all significant stakeholders: Finishing students and dropouts Finishing students and dropouts Graduates after a few years (labour market success; “cultural” aims) Graduates after a few years (labour market success; “cultural” aims) Actual and potential employers of graduates Actual and potential employers of graduates

d)External evaluations (peer review) Useful to obtain an outside view Useful to obtain an outside view Not too frequent (5 – 7 years) Not too frequent (5 – 7 years) Open discussion climate essential Open discussion climate essential Report should contain suggestions for improvements Report should contain suggestions for improvements

e)Cost-Benefit Analysis External evaluations and Accreditations are costly in time and money External evaluations and Accreditations are costly in time and money Over-bureaucratization is a permanent danger Over-bureaucratization is a permanent danger Stay on the lookout for leaner procedures Stay on the lookout for leaner procedures

f) Peers versus Evaluation Specialists Social science (and sometimes legal) expertise is needed Social science (and sometimes legal) expertise is needed Evaluation professionals have a role, but it should not be dominant: Evaluation professionals have a role, but it should not be dominant: “Peer review should remain peer review” “Peer review should remain peer review” Vigilance and willingness to serve (as evaluator) needed Vigilance and willingness to serve (as evaluator) needed

2. Doctorate: Social and Curriculum Issues: Doctoral candidates make important contributions to university research; Doctoral candidates make important contributions to university research; Hence: Their status and the curriculum structure should differ from the one in the first two cycles. Hence: Their status and the curriculum structure should differ from the one in the first two cycles.

a) Candidates should receive pay allowing them to live in reasonable comfort and security and enable them to assume family responsibilities. Health and disability insurance should be provided

b) The basic skill conveyed is the ability to perform independent research. The basic skill conveyed is the ability to perform independent research. Candidates should get progressively more demanding and independent tasks, including planning, supervision and supervision of junior colleagues Candidates should get progressively more demanding and independent tasks, including planning, supervision and supervision of junior colleagues Oral and written communication skills form an essential part Oral and written communication skills form an essential part

c) A supplementary programme should: Contain advanced physics and science courses; Contain advanced physics and science courses; Offer the opportunity to acquire skills useful for a later career Offer the opportunity to acquire skills useful for a later career

For an academic career: opportunities to participate in teaching For an academic career: opportunities to participate in teaching For a career in business or industry: project and general management For a career in business or industry: project and general management Not everything offered should be compulsory, but time should be available. Not everything offered should be compulsory, but time should be available. Candidates should be allowed to select their own mix. Candidates should be allowed to select their own mix.

3. Doctorate: Quality Assurance issues a) Regular monitoring of a candidates progress: Reporting to somebody outside of the research group Reporting to somebody outside of the research group Early recognition of problems, also with the supervisor Early recognition of problems, also with the supervisor

b) Quality control should focus on the thesis research: This should always be publishable in international journals (intellectual property issues may prevent early publication) This should always be publishable in international journals (intellectual property issues may prevent early publication) Outside examiners (preferably also from abroad) desirable Outside examiners (preferably also from abroad) desirable

c) For the supplementary programme and success in the labour market: regular quality assurance instruments (see above) regular quality assurance instruments (see above) Special case: candidates working full time in industry: Special case: candidates working full time in industry: supplementary programme adaptations, but the same requirements for the quality of the research. supplementary programme adaptations, but the same requirements for the quality of the research.