Arenberg Doctoral School Science, Engineering & Technology Gerard Govers 27 April 2016 www.shapetheworld.eu http://set.kuleuven.be/phd Welcome at KU Leuven and at ADS! 1
KU Leuven KU Leuven : several campuses in Flanders > 40000 Bsc/Msc students Main campus situated in Leuven, a small medieval city 25 km east of Brussels To structure or not to structure 2
Biomedical Sciences Group Doctoral School Science, Engineering and Technology Group Doctoral School Humanities and Social Sciences Group Doctoral School 5 Arenberg doctoral school of Science and Technology www.shapetheworld.eu 3
What is ADS? Arenberg Doctoral School builds a framework to make the PhD process within SET smooth and efficient (consisting of regulations, guidelines, documents etc) Support PhD researchers by training and other activities that may help them in furthering their career So, we try to: o Provide efficient administration o Provide opportunities for training and career development in collaboration with YouReCa o Facilitate international collaboration (joint PhDs) ADS Researchers who started a PhD in 14-15 (15-16 so far) Researchers doing a PhD PhD defences in 14-15 (15-16 so far) Faculty of Science 171 (93) 635 106 (61) Faculty of Engineering Science Faculty of Bioscience Engineering 194 (127) 939 191 (74) 105 (58) 419 92 (57) Faculty of Engineering Technology Faculty of Architecture 47 (31) 133 5 (5) 14 (9) 38 1 (1) Figures: 26 April 2016 Arenberg Doctoral School 531 (318) 2164 397 (198) 4
Faculty Administration HR Department & International Office Research Department Arenberg Doctoral School international Admissions Office Supervisor and supervisory committee Doctoral Training and Career Development in YouReCa Who is who Arenberg Doctoral School o Director: Prof. Gerard Govers o Research Co-ordinator: Prof. Johan Martens o Coordinator: Leen Cuypers o Administrative support: Indra Hautekiet Bureau Arenberg Doctoral School o meets every 2 months o sets out framework of regulations and guidelines; defines general strategy o Includes chairs of the Faculty Doctoral Committees, PhD representatives, and others 5
Faculty Doctoral Committee (one per faculty) To discuss and decide about individual files: o Admission o Composition of supervisory committee o Progress reports o Doctoral training programme o Composition of examination committee o Special cases (eg. Dual/joint PhDs, exceptions, etc) Science Engineering Science Bioscience Engineering Engineering Technology Architecture Chair Stefaan Vaes Jan Degrève Christophe Courtin Peter Hanselaer Johan Verbeke PhD administrator Natalie Ghys and Indra Hautekiet Veronique Cortens and Karen Van Loven Annemie Schellens Marianne Blanpain and Kathleen Verheyden Anneleen Van der Veken and Janne Reynders Why a doctoral training programme? 6
The context of doctoral training A complex, technologically advanced society/economy changing at an ever increasing pace o Requires highly trained scientists, able to deal with ever more complex problems o Requires the capacity to absorb new information quickly o Requires flexibility, readiness to adapt o Requires the capability to work in multidisciplinary (different sciences) and multidimensional (science, development, sales) environments o Requires people skills What do we want to achieve through doctoral training? Doctoral training should result in young professionals that may continue their career within academia or in other areas of occupation: o Training independent researchers mastering the techniques and methodologies relevant to their field: this remains the major objective of doctoral training. o But also having acquired generic skills useful in different professional contexts and allowing them to work succesfully in an ever challenging professional environment. 7
ACQUIRED SKILLS during PhD Which skills are missing after PhD training? Industry Research skills Personal effectiveness Communication skills Team skills + Management skills Services Public sector Private non-profit Higher education University N=4190 NEEDED SKILLS current job16 ECOOM: CDH (2010) Belgium How do we try to make this work? 8
The three components of doctoral training Truncus communis: o Scientific article o International meeting o Attend seminars o Progress reports Doctoral training Thematic research training Transferable skills training Equivalent of 6 ECTS 18 Thematic training: Bottom up initiatives: examples Multiscale modelling in food engineering Rheology The internet of things Mathematical Physics Sediment properties and provenance Evolutionary biology Rare earth technology Design and security of cryptographic algorithms 9
Top down Summer Schools The doctoral schools of Flemish universities take the initiative Develop cutting-edge summer school programs o In collaboration with Imec: Nanotechnology and health Basics of Electronics for Life Scientists Basics of Biology for Engineers o Supercomputer Centre o f-tales network for Life Sciences o FLAMES: Flanders Network for Methodology and Statistics: www.flames-statistics.eu/ 10
iminds: Flanders Digital Research Center Transferable Skills Training wide offer both offered by in-house coaches and external companies organised in collaboration with YouReCa (Young Researchers Careers ). Complete offer can be found in KULoket tool training for staff Make sure you benefit!! 23 11
Managing your PhD project At the start of the PhD Interactive and experience-based At the start of the PhD Interactive and experience-based In small groups 12
Exploitation of Research: Knowledge & Technology transfer In collaboration with the Tech Transfer Office (LRD) 5 day course, spread over a period of 5 months Combination of expert seminars and hands-on training Take into account that most of these courses are free of charge, but apply a no-show policy! You can also follow training outside of KU Leuven: discuss this with your supervisor! 13
YouReCa = Young Researchers Careers YouReCa is a collection of all the training activities and other initiatives organised by different services at KU Leuven. YouReCa started up 3 years ago and is developing into a label or brand. The aim is to improve career perspectives of young researchers with regard to: Training Internationalisation Career Development YouReCa has opened a Career Centre early 2014. Charter for the PhD researcher and the supervisor Very important for researchers Read it carefully Scientific integrity Very important for researchers Mandatory information/training session Make sure you go to the following session: o 13 May (Heverlee Campus) o In 2016-2017 five sessions will be organised www.kuleuven.be/research/integrity/culture/phd_lecture.html 14
Doctoral Time Frame Doctoral time frame finalisation Year 1 Written Report to Supervisory Committee Year 2 Oral Presentation to Supervisory Committee Year 3 Public defense Oral Presentation to Supervisory Committee Preliminary defense Progress reports Submit manuscript Supervisory Committee and Blueprint Completion of doctoral training programme Admission & Registration Research under supervision Year 4 15
Within 3 months of the start of the PhD Composition of your Supervisory Committee o WHY? Adequate supervision from the start; clear expectations o WHO? Your (co-)supervisor(s) and at least 2 assessors Blueprint of doctoral training o WHY? Doctoral training is an important aspect in the PhD In order for the doctoral training to contribute to your PhD, it needs to be addressed at an early stage in the PhD (not postponed to the end of the PhD) International trend: international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary training o WHAT? An equivalent of 6 ECTS of formal training including (as a guideline) 2 ECTS of transferbale skills Can be modified in agreement with your supervisor throughout the PhD After ca. 9 months of the PhD The PhD researcher gives an oral presentation to the supervisory committee (SC) o WHAT? A report of activities already performed (courses, literature, experiments, observations, projects) A detailed research plan of the PhD Contribution to bachelor and master education Doctoral training activities o WHY? The SC checks if the PhD researcher is functioning well and has made a realistic time schedule. Based on the presentation and discussion, the SC will make one of these three recommendations: That the PhD can be continued That the PhD researcher will need to give a second presentation within 3 months to improve certain elements To terminate the PhD immediately 16
Within 21 months The PhD researcher submits a written progress report to the SC o WHAT? Current status of the research results already obtained and planned activitites Presentation of the research results in articles or on meetings/congresses Current status of the doctoral training General time schedule o WHY? The SC needs to be able to follow up on the progress during your PhD. Within 36 months The PhD researcher gives an oral presentation to the SC o WHAT? A report of the performed research (courses, literature, experiments, observations, projects) Time schedule for the final phase of the PhD The doctoral training programme (should be completed) o WHY? The supervisory committee gives advice about The writing of the manuscript and scientific publications The further completion of the PhD within the stipulated time 17
The final phase of the PhD Composition of Examination Committee Submit manuscript Preliminary defence Public defence Special cases Part-time PhD Dual/joint PhD degree PhD based on a research career If you have questions about such matters: contact ADS (Leen Cuypers) as quickly as possible so that administrative hurdles can be eliminated. 18
KU Loket tool PhD Progress KU Loket: research: PhD Progress This tool is essential for you to keep up with the administration and progress of your PhD!! The tool contains a lot of information: Progress of the PhD: see next slide Information PhD: Title, Supervisory Committee, etc Type PhD: dual/joint, discipline code Texts: summaries Additional information: signature sheets, you can also upload documents for your reference, etc 19
KULoket tool PhD Progress Your Network 20
PhD researchers representation o In the Executive Committee (groepsbestuur): Jens Hermans o In the Bureau ADS: - Science: Saskia Chambille - Engineering Science: Roel van Beeumen - Bioscience Engineering: Arno Wouters - Architecture: Robin Schaeverbeke - Engineering Technology: Jessika De Clippeleer o In the Faculty Doctoral Committee: - Science: Saskia Chambille, Tom Broeckx and Floris Schoeters - Engineering Science: Roel Van Beeumen and Wouter Aerts - Bioscience Engineering: Arno Wouters, Thomas Van de Peer, Barbara De Coninck and Anneleen Pauly - Architecture: Tom Callebaut - Engineering Technology: Katrien Van Nimmen Support: Ombuds Science, Engineering & Technology: Miet Maertens - Science: Jan Beirlant and Veerle Darras - Engineering Science: Guido De Roeck - Bioscience Engineering: Jan Michiels - Architecture: Marc Dujardin - Engineering Technology: Luc Vanhooymissen 21
Some basic rules for ombudspersons You can contact them if you perceive to have a problem They will work in absolute confidentiality if requested Contacting other persons (e.g. your promoter) will only be done wity your permission (but this may be necessary to get the problem solved). However A PhD training aims at developing independent, critical professionals: So, you (=the PhD researcher) are the owner of the project You are responsible for the management of your own file o Filing reports in time o Making sure that all the requirements for a doctoral training are met 22
You are in charge of your project! And that includes the admin! 23
Young Researchers Careers (YouReCa) YouReCa aims to improve and widen the career perspectives of KU Leuven s young researchers by co-ordinating activities related to: o Training and education o Career development o International orientation Junior Mobility Programme: PhD researchers can request financial support to YouReCa to go abroad: https://www.kuleuven.be/gedocumenteerd/k/s/oproep/35998.html Financial support from ADS PhD researchers can request financial support to ADS for the organisation of: o Summer Schools o PhD symposia: meetings where PhD students exchange knowledge and discuss o Meet the jury : bringing eminent scientists to Leuven as members of PhD jury s o Grassroots initiatives https://set.kuleuven.be/intranet-associatie/ads/ojocall-eng 24
International Collaboration 2152 PhD researchers enrolled (dd. March 2016) 89 different nationalities: 1114 Belgium (52%) 134 China 94 Italy 91 India 64 the Netherlands 48 Spain 47 Iran 40 Germany 35 Vietnam 35 Greece 25
There is a vibrant community of international students at KU Leuven: enjoy it! How to stay informed ADS: http://set.kuleuven.be/phd The roadmap: http://set.kuleuven.be/phd/roadmap.htm The thematic training calendar: http://set.kuleuven.be/phd/thematictraining.htm The skills calendar: http://set.kuleuven.be/phd/skills.htm Information for PhD researchers: http://set.kuleuven.be/phd/phd_researchers Twitter! @KULeuvenADS (only informative tweets) Newsmail in your emailbox 26
Other useful websites Portal site regulations and guidelines: https://set.kuleuven.be/phd/regulations.htm with information about o your status, taxes, social security, insurance, etc. o intellectual property and publishing o scientific integrity YouReCa (Young Researchers Careers): http://www.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/youreca YouReCa Career Center: http://www.kuleuven.be/youreca-careercenter Thank you! www.shapetheworld.eu 27