Preliminary information systems: Ph.D. programs
Preliminary information mechanisms
Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October, which establishes the regulation of official university education, specifies the obligation of Spanish universities to have accessible information systems and procedures for welcoming and orienting new students. In response to this requirement, the universities offer information and guidance to new students on their web page in the following sections: Studies, Centers, Services, Library, and Cultural Extension and Students.
The Regulation UCA/CG06/2012 (modified on May 4, 2016, BOUCA No. 208, https://escueladoctoral.uca.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Reglamento-UCA-CG06-2012-Ordenacion-estudios-Doctorado-UCA.pdf), which regulates the organization of doctoral studies at the University of Cadiz, in relation to information related to the Doctorate Program, establishes in its article 9, that they, through their academic committees, must maintain updated on their websites the information required by national and regional regulations and by the Doctorate Committee of the University of Cadiz and, in any case, all relevant information of the program. The coordination of the information about the different programs will be carried out by the competent vice-rectorate in matters of doctorate.
https://www.uca.es/recursos/doc/Oficina_Posgrado/Normativa/813681224_1852016101229.pdf
In the Quality Assurance System of the Doctorate Programs of the University of Cadiz, a specific procedure is included for the dissemination and public information of the doctorate program (P01).
The purpose of this procedure is to establish the system through which the Doctoral Schools of the University of Cadiz make public updated information on the development and results of the doctoral program (Doctorate Program), for the knowledge of their interest groups (doctoral students, potential students, PDI, PAS, or others).
As established in the P01 SGG of the University of Cadiz, the Academic Committee of the Doctorate Program assumes a commitment of transparency and accountability to the different interest groups involved in it. Therefore, it will keep them informed about the organizational structure, the research plan, the development, and the results of the Doctorate Program, so it will publish and review updated information about the Doctorate Program.
The Vice-Rector’s Office or General Directorate responsible for information technologies and the Vice-Rector’s Office responsible for postgraduate matters, through the Postgraduate Coordination Office, will guarantee the necessary means for the dissemination of the Doctoral Program on the institutional web portal.
The coordinator and/or the Quality Committee of the Doctorate Program, on an annual basis, will propose what information to publish, which stakeholders it is aimed at, and the ways to make it public, using the web page of the Doctorate School as a means of dissemination. The Academic Committee of the Doctorate Program will assume the responsibility for the dissemination and updating of all public information on the program. The Coordinator of the doctoral program will channel and send any comments to the Academic Committee so that it can be attended. This dissemination may be complemented with another format whenever the Academic Committee considers it necessary.
The P01 SCG of the University of Cadiz foresees that the dissemination plan may include, among others, information on
– Regulations governing the Doctorate Program.
– Registration data of the Doctorate Program (branch of knowledge, date of implementation, duration of the Doctorate Program, etc.).
– Objectives, competences, coordinator, universities, and collaborating institutions.
– General and specific admission requirements and ideal admission profile.
– Lines of research and research teams involved in the Doctoral Program.
– Requirements for registration.
– Regulations for the presentation of the thesis.
– Quality Assurance System for the Doctoral Programs.
– Main results obtained regarding the quality of the Doctoral Programs.
– Monitoring and evolution of doctoral students.
As a complement to the web publication, the Postgraduate Coordination Office of the University of Cadiz, whose mission is to provide technical advice and manage the administrative and academic processes related to postgraduate studies, includes in its Charter of Services the following functions
– National and international diffusion of the academic offer of Postgraduate Studies. Management and dissemination of the administrative processes related to postgraduate studies.
– Processing of access and pre-registration to Official Masters and Doctoral Programs, both for national and international students.
– Processing of the registration of Doctoral Programs.
We also highlight the personal, face-to-face, telephone, and e-mail attention that this Postgraduate Coordination Office offers to any interested person, particularly important for clarifying doubts about administrative procedures of all kinds related to Doctoral Programs.
Orientation and welcome procedures for Doctoral students
Given the specific profile of doctoral students, they approach their studies based on a previous curriculum and, therefore, with specific interests in the area or areas in which they wish to develop their research.
The publication of the Doctoral Program Offerings allows doctoral students to learn about the objectives and competencies of each program offered, as well as the research lines that support them and will enable them to develop their future thesis, allowing them to choose the program that best suits their interests and prior training.
Once the program is known, the online publication is the reference point for administrative processes, and the doctoral program coordinator can inform the prospective doctoral student about everything related to academic processes, the duties of the tutor, the supervisor, the training and research plan, etc.
With the appropriate information, the doctoral student will submit their application for admission. The Academic Committee of the Doctoral Program is the body responsible for assessing the merits of applicants and deciding on their admission, assigning them a tutor from among the doctors with proven research experience who is associated with the Doctoral School or unit responsible for the doctoral program.
Once the doctoral student is admitted, they will schedule an appointment with the advisor, who will assess their abilities and prior training and, if appropriate, make an initial proposal for a work plan. The advisor is responsible for ensuring that the doctoral student’s training and research activity align with the objectives and competencies outlined in the degree program and is responsible for ensuring the doctoral student’s interaction with the academic committee and supervising their training.
The Academic Committee of the doctoral program will assign each doctoral student a doctoral thesis supervisor within a maximum of six months of enrollment, providing academic supervision.
Likewise, doctoral students will also be able to benefit from other services and support programs offered by the UCA to all its students. These include: