Phd handbook

PHD HANDBOOK

Contents 1

ABOUT THE HANDBOOK .................................................................................................................. 3

2

RESEARCH TRAINING AT UIA ........................................................................................................ 4 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4

3

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION ..................................................................................................... 6 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8

4

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTEGRATION ............................................................................................. 11 COURSEWORK COMPONENT ........................................................................................................... 11 DUTY WORK.................................................................................................................................. 11 DISSERTATION .............................................................................................................................. 12 SUPERVISION ................................................................................................................................ 12 PROGRESS ..................................................................................................................................... 13 PUBLISHING .................................................................................................................................. 14 ETHICS ......................................................................................................................................... 14 AGDER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY........................................................................................................ 15 OPTIONAL COURSES ...................................................................................................................... 15 STUDY ABROAD ............................................................................................................................ 16 LEAVE OF ABSENCE ....................................................................................................................... 16 RESOURCES................................................................................................................................... 17

SUBMISSION AND GRADUATION ................................................................................................. 19 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9

2

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................ 6 FUNDING ........................................................................................................................................ 6 INDUSTRIAL PHD ............................................................................................................................ 6 APPLYING FOR A DOCTORAL PROGRAMME ........................................................................................ 7 AGREEMENT ................................................................................................................................... 7 CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ......................................................................................................... 8 PRACTICAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................... 8 RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................... 9

PHD TRAINING ................................................................................................................................. 11 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13

5

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RESEARCH TRAINING ....................................................................... 4 PHD PROGRAMMES AT UIA.............................................................................................................. 4 ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................................................................ 5 RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................... 5

SUBMISSION .................................................................................................................................. 19 EVALUATION OF THE DISSERTATION ............................................................................................... 19 PUBLISHING OF THE DISSERTATION ................................................................................................ 20 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ................................................................................................. 20 DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING NEW PHDS ............................................................ 20 TRIAL LECTURE ............................................................................................................................. 22 DISPUTATION ................................................................................................................................ 22 CREATION AND CERTIFICATE ......................................................................................................... 23 RESOURCES................................................................................................................................... 23

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

1

About the handbook

The objective of this handbook is to provide information mainly for present and prospective PhD students at the University of Agder (UiA), but also supervisors, other UiA staff and members of evaluation committees might find it useful.

The PhD handbook is based on the regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Agder. However, this handbook does not cover all the details described in the regulations, and the reader of the handbook is encouraged to find additional information in the PhD regulations of UiA. PhD students are expected to acquaint themselves with the PhD regulations before entering their doctoral training period.

Regulations for the PhD degree at UiA as well as supplementary regulations for the different PhD programmes at UiA are available on the following websites: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes/documents (in English) http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/om_universitetet/stoettetenester/reglementshaandbok/forskning /ph.d.-forskrifter (in Norwegian) In addition to the PhD regulations, information in this handbook is collected from the action plan for PhD degrees (Handlingsplan for forskerutdanning ved UiA) and other relevant documents.

This handbook provides general information about doctoral training at UiA. Procedures may vary slightly between the different faculties and doctoral programmes. Some faculties have made separate instructions for their PhD students, providing more details than those available in this handbook. Please consult the specific faculty/doctoral programme for more information.

The first part of the handbook presents the structure of the doctoral training and other general information. After that, the handbook follows the course of doctoral training from application to graduation, presenting the most essential phases of the training. Links to further information and relevant documents – in English and Norwegian – are included at the end of each chapter. Most links are in both languages, but please notice that some documents are only available in Norwegian whereas some of them exist in English only.

This handbook has been composed by the research secretariat of UiA. The latest version of the handbook is always available on our website http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes Comments concerning the handbook may be sent to forskningssekretariatet@uia.no

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

3

2

Research training at UiA

2.1 General information about research training The course of study leading to the doctoral degree qualifies for research activities at a high academic level and for other work in society where a high level of scientific insight is required.

The research training consists of a coursework component and a research work. The research work is written up as a dissertation which can be either a monograph or a collection of several minor works. The dissertation is evaluated by an evaluation committee. After approval of the committee a trial lecture is held and the dissertation is defended in public.

The doctoral degree programme is normally organised so that it can be completed within a three-year research education period. However, the duration of the research training period may sometimes be four years, including 25% duty work.

2.2 PhD programmes at UiA UiA provides research training at four faculties within the following doctoral programmes: Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences:  Information Systems  International Management  Public Administration Faculty of Engineering and Science:  Information and Communication Technology  Mathematics Education  Mechatronics Faculty of Fine Arts:  Popular Music Performance Faculty of Humanities and Education:  Linguistics  Literary Studies  Religion, Ethics and Society

4

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

2.3 Administration In April 2010, the University Board at UiA voted to establish the University Research Training Committee (Sentralt utvalg for forskerutdanning). The committee is an advisory and executive body of the Board in matters concerning PhD studies at UiA. There are two student members in the University Research Training Committee.

Faculties are responsible for the doctoral programmes. The faculties of UiA are organized in different ways, but each faculty has either a research committee, a research training committee or doctoral programme committees which decide about matters concerning PhD programmes. All the faculties have administrative staff that guide PhD students in administrative and practical matters.

2.4 Resources In English: Standard Regulations for the Degree of Philosophia Doctor (PhD): http://www.uhr.no/forskning/doktorgradsforskrifter_1 Research Training at UiA: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes University Research Training Committee: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes/university_research_training_co mmittee Website of the University Board: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/about_the_university/faculties_administration/board

In Norwegian: Doktorgradsforskrifter: http://www.uhr.no/forskning/doktorgradsforskrifter_1 Forskerutdanning ved UiA: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskerutdanning Sentralt utvalg for forskerutdanning: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskerutdanning/sentralt_utvalg_for_forskerutda nning Universitetsstyret: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/om_universitetet/organisasjonen/styret_og_utvalgene

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

5

3

Application and admission

Regulations concerning admission to doctoral programmes are described in details in § 2 of the PhD regulations for UiA.

3.1 Academic qualifications Applicants to a doctoral degree programme must normally hold a five-year Master’s Degree or equivalent qualification approved by the faculty as the basis for admission to the relevant doctoral degree programme. Some programmes may have additional requirements for applicants, for example minimum grades for the Master’s degree / thesis.

3.2 Funding In order to be admitted to a PhD programme the applicant must document financing for the doctoral studies. UiA does not normally grant admission for applicants without proof of a satisfactory funding.

The most common way of financing the PhD degree at UiA is to apply for PhD research fellowships which are announced on UiAs website for vacant positions. This website also provides information about working at UiA as well as terms and conditions of employment for PhD research fellows.

Application for a PhD research fellowship must include:  diploma and transcript of records  Master’s thesis  certificates (e.g. from previous employers)  references  publications, if any  description of the research project Faculties may change the contents of the list according to their needs.

3.3 Industrial PhD In order to strengthen the cooperation between Norwegian industry and educational institutions, an industrial PhD has been established. The Industrial PhD is not a new type of doctoral degree, but an alternative way of funding for those who work in a private company operating in Norway. The research project must be related to the interests or objectives of the company.

The Industrial PhD is conducted in cooperation between a PhD student, his/her employer and UiA. The student is employed by the company and receives a salary from them. The company may apply for funding from the Research Council of Norway to cover costs for an industrial PhD fellowship. UiA awards the PhD degree after a completed doctoral programme.

For more information please see UiAs and the Research Council of Norway website. The links are accessible under point 3.8.

6

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

3.4 Applying for a doctoral programme After the necessary funding is clarified, one should apply for admission to a doctoral programme. Even if the applicant has been appointed a PhD research fellowship by UiA, he/she still has to be admitted to a doctoral programme, too. This must be done as soon as possible after the appointment to a PhD research fellowship.

The application form is available on UiAs website. The application must include:  documentary evidence of the educational qualifications on which admission is to be based  a description of the research project  a progress plan for completion of the programme  a funding plan  details concerning required infrastructure  an account of the need for supervision and proposals for supervisors  plans, if any, for periods at other research institutions or enterprises, including institutions or enterprises abroad  a plan for dissemination of research results  details on any restrictions resulting from intellectual property rights to protect the rights of others The description of the research project must specify theme, the issues to be considered, theory and methodology. When applying for admission, the applicant may submit a summary of a project description provided that a complete project description is prepared no later than 12 months after admission. A shorter time limit may be stipulated by supplementary provisions.

The project description must normally be prepared in cooperation with the principal supervisor.

The dissertation must be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English, German or French.

If the student wants to use a language other than the ones mentioned, an application for approval of language must accompany the PhD plan.

3.5 Agreement When admission to a doctoral degree programme is granted, a written agreement is made to formalise this. The agreement is made between the PhD student, the supervisor(s) and the faculty, and it stipulates the mutual rights and obligations of the parties. For more details, please see the PhD regulations § 3.

There are three parts in the agreement. Parts A and B are to be completed for all PhD students admitted. Part C is to be completed only for students who receive external funding (Norwegian Research Council excluded), or who have a workplace at an institution other than the University of Agder.

Sometimes there might be specific grounds for entering an agreement about a joint degree or cotutelle with another university. A joint degree is a qualification (PhD) jointly issued by at least two universities. Cotutelle refers to jointly supervised PhD. Each PhD student entering a cotutelle or a joint PhD programme must have an agreement signed by the PhD student and representatives of both institutions. For more information, please see UiA’s guidelines for joint degree and cotutelle.

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

7

3.6 Conditions of employment This chapter only applies to PhD research fellows (stipendiater) employed by UiA. There are several sources of information concerning conditions of employment for the PhD research fellows. ”Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident” is a document which presents the most essential points about being a PhD research fellow. See point 3.8. for the links.

UiAs ”reglementshåndbok” (rulebook) includes the Working Environment Act (arbeidsmiljøloven), the Act relating to Civil Servants (tjenestemannsloven) and other laws, regulations and policies about employment, salary, vacation etc.

The website of UiAs Human Resources Office provides information about personnel policy, salary, ethics, welfare and other related issues as well as information for new employees. The Human Resources Office also organises an introductory seminar for all new employees. The seminar is compulsory, and the topics are related to being employed by UiA. The seminar is arranged twice a year, usually at the beginning of each semester.

During the first six months, the PhD students employed by UiA serve a probationary period.

During that time the student must be given the necessary guidance and appraisal of his/her work. During the probationary period, the student may be dismissed with three weeks’ notice if he/she is unable to adapt to the work or fails to satisfy reasonable demands with regard to competence or reliability.

3.7 Practical information UiA has a website ”Working at UiA” which is intended for international PhD students and other staff arriving from all over the world. This website provides information about the university as well as practical information about residence permit, accommodation, language courses etc. Another useful website with a lot of practical information about living in Norway is the site of Euraxess Norway for incoming researchers.

PhD students who are employed by UiA are expected to arrange their living conditions so that they can do their daily work at UiA (campus Kristiansand or Grimstad). If a PhD student wishes to work someplace else, he/she has to send an application. The requirements may differ for those PhD students who are not employed by UiA.

8

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

3.8 Resources In English: Vacant positions at UiA: http://www.uia.no/vacancies Industrial PhD on the website of the Research Council of Norway: http://www.forskningsradet.no/en/The_Industrial_PhD_scheme/1252498541090 Application for admission & Agreement: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes/documents Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident: http://www.uia.no/vacancies Working Environment Act: http://www.arbeidstilsynet.no/binfil/download2.php?tid=92156 Act relating to Civil Servants: http://www.ub.uio.no/ujur/ulovdata/lov-19830304-003-eng.pdf Working at UiA: http://www.uia.no/work EURAXESS Norway: http://www.euraxess.no/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1224067050882&p=12240670508 82&pagename=euraxess%2FHovedsidemal

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

9

In Norwegian: Ledige stillinger ved UiA: http://www.uia.no/no/content/view/full/23452 NFRs webside om nærings-ph.d: http://www.forskningsradet.no/no/Doktorgrad_i_bedriften/1249538426832 UiAs webside om nærings-ph.d: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/samarbeid/doktorgrad_i_bedriften Søknad om opptak, avtale om opptak, retningslinjer for fellesgrader og cotutelle: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskerutdanning/dokument Forskrift om ansettelsesvilkår for stillinger som postdoktor, stipendiat, vitenskapelig assistent og spesialistkandidat: http://www.lovdata.no/cgi-wift/ldles?doc=/sf/sf/sf-20060131-0102.html UiAs reglementshåndbok: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/om_universitetet/stoettetenester/reglementshaandbok/perso nal Personal- og organisasjonsavdelingen ved UiA: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/om_universitetet/stoettetenester/personaltjenester Studentboliger: http://www.sia.no/Bolig

10

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

4

PhD training

The implementation and completion of the doctoral training is described in § 4 of UiAs PhD regulations.

4.1 Infrastructure and integration PhD students are offered an office space with necessary equipment such as computer and access to UiAs network. It is very important that the PhD student is integrated into the academic environment from the very beginning. Supervisors, programme coordinators and heads of department are responsible for integration of the PhD student into the academic environment.

4.2 Coursework component All students admitted to a doctoral degree programme must follow the prescribed organised academic training. The coursework component normally comprises 30 credits (ECTS) and includes training in ethics and the philosophy of science. The course in ethics and philosophy of science can not make up more than 10 credits. Faculties offer their own courses in ethics and philosophy of science, but there is also a joint course of 5 credits which is open for PhD students from all the faculties.

The volume of the coursework component may vary between the programmes. The PhD student normally discusses the contents of the coursework component with the supervisor(s).

No bachelor level courses may be included in the training.

Organised training must be completed at the latest before submission of the dissertation, but it is recommended that the coursework component is carried out during the first half of the doctoral programme. It is also recommended that the PhD student gets his/her organised training approved as soon as it is finished, and does not wait until submission of the dissertation.

The faculty is responsible for offering all PhD students training at a high academic level. If the unit responsible for the doctoral degree programme is unable to provide the whole training, the faculty must arrange for the student’s participation in equivalent training at another unit or institution that provides approved doctoral degree training.

The organised training may be provided partly as regular lectures/seminars, partly as shorter, intensive gatherings or in another form approved by the faculty. In subjects where no relevant courses are available, individual syllabuses may be approved as part of the programme.

4.3 Duty work The doctoral degree programme must be organised so that it can be completed within a threeyear period. Sometimes a PhD student may have a fellowship for four years including 25% duty work.

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

11

Duty work may include various tasks such as teaching, research assistance, administrative work related to projects etc. Tasks and the workload should be agreed upon in cooperation with the supervisor(s) and the employer.

4.4 Dissertation The dissertation must be an independent piece of scientific work that meets international standards within the relevant subject area. The dissertation must contribute to the development of new knowledge within the subject area and represent such an academic level that it can be published as part of the academic literature in the subject area.

Parts of collaboration projects may be approved as a dissertation, provided that the PhD student’s own independent contribution can be identified and documented.

Collections of several minor works, e.g. articles, may be approved as a dissertation when they in content constitute a totality. A summary must then be prepared to give an overall perspective.

4.5 Supervision The work on the doctoral dissertation must be carried out under individual supervision by one or several persons. Normally, one of the supervisors holds a position at the faculty to which the PhD student has been admitted. If an external supervisor has been appointed, an internal supervisor is also appointed. In cases where the student has several supervisors, one of them will be appointed principal supervisor. The principal supervisor should be appointed prior to appointment of the PhD student.

The PhD student and the supervisor(s) are expected to maintain regular contact during the doctoral degree programme. Normally, the student should be given the opportunity to discuss his/her dissertation work during seminars.

The agreement concerning supervision, specifies that the supervisor(s) must:  offer advice on the formulation and limitation of topic and problem statement  discuss and consider hypotheses and methodology  provide assistance in finding specialist literature and data sources (libraries, archives, etc)  discuss the form of presentation and work on the research topic (outline, linguistic form, documentation, etc)  keep informed about the progress of the work and assess progress in relation to plan  assist in introducing the student to relevant scientific communities  discuss results and the interpretation of these results  give the student guidance with respect to ethical research principles relevant to the dissertation The PhD student must:  submit reports on, or drafts of, parts of the dissertation to the supervisor on a regular basis, possibly in connection with seminars  comply with the ethical research principles applicable to the relevant academic field

12

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

Sometimes there may arise problems related to cooperation or relations between the PhD student and the supervisor. If this is the case, the PhD student and the supervisor should first try to settle the matter between them. If the attempt fails, however, it is possible for any of the two to request to be released from the supervision agreement. The faculty is then requested to appoint a new supervisor for the student. For more information, please see point 5 in the agreement on supervision (part B of the Agreement concerning admission to doctoral degree programme).

Some PhD students are employed at UiA but graduate from another institution. These students must be integrated into active research environments, preferably in cooperation between the institution where they are employed and the institution where they take their doctoral training. The student must have an academic contact person at his/her faculty, and this person can also function as co-supervisor.

Gender-based or sexual harassment are not tolerated at UiA. Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual attention, and it must be taken seriously if it occurs. If a PhD student is harassed, he/she should first confront the person exercising harassment, informing him/her that they find this kind of behaviour unpleasant. If the problem persists, or if it becomes very difficult to discuss the matter with the person in question, the PhD student should contact the head of the program, the dean or the faculty director. More information can be found in UiA’s action plan for prevention of sexual harassment.

4.6 Progress After admission, an updated progress plan for the completion of the PhD programme has to be prepared. The plan must be endorsed by the principal supervisor who thereby confirms that he/she considers the plan to be feasible. The plan must also be approved by the PhD committee of the faculty within three months.

The progress plan must include a detailed outline of the planned course of study, where the normal time for completion is taken into account and concrete milestones for each semester up to the submission of the dissertation. In addition, the plan must indicate the anticipated dates for when data collection, processing, analysis, etc, and writing of the dissertation will be completed. Planned training, periods abroad (of shorter or longer duration) and periods at other Norwegian institutions of higher education must also be included. If supplementary funding or particularly expensive equipment is required, details must be provided.

The PhD student must update the plan by providing annual progress reports on a separate report form. Also the supervisor(s) must report the student’s progress annually. In some doctoral programmes the student and the supervisor(s) are expected to report twice a year.

Preparing and updating of the progress plan is an essential part of UiAs quality assurance system.

According to the quality assurance system for UiA, both the PhD student and the principal supervisor are asked to evaluate the PhD programme at the same time as submitting the annual progress report. Single PhD courses are normally not evaluated.

If the PhD student fails to meet his/her obligations, the faculty may decide that the PhD student must terminate his/her doctoral training prior to completion.

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

13

4.7 Publishing Agder University Research Archive - AURA AURA is UiAs open archive containing scientific works in full text. AURA contains masters and doctoral theses and scientific articles. Open archives such as AURA are an important way of providing access to scientific research for the general public and researchers without institutional access (Open Access).

PhD students at the University of Agder should, if possible, publish their work in peer reviewed scientific publishing channels that accept parallel publishing in open archives. If possible, articles must be deposited in AURA. Open Access publishing The university covers publication fees for articles published in open access journals. For more information please contact the University Library, or check the details on their website.

Documentation of research publications (ForskDok) All research publications published by researchers at the University of Agder must be registered in the research documentation system ForskDok, a system administered by The University Library. A part of the funding of the Norwegian universities and university colleges is based on the reported amount of publications in approved publication channels.

To get approval, the publication channels must fulfil the definition of a scientific publication given by The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR). The main criterias are scientific quality, and a proper peer review system. Doctoral dissertations do not meet these requirements unless they are revised and published in an approved channel. The dissertation must nevertheless be registered in ForskDok. A research documentation system called Cristin will replace ForskDok from Feb 1, 2011.

4.8 Ethics It is very important that the PhD student complies with good ethical research principles. There are certain regulations and guidelines which need to be followed.

Ethical Guidelines for the Public Service, offers national guidelines for all employees of the Norwegian State (e.g. UiA). UiA has their own ethical guidelines, and there are also guidelines specifically for research ethics at UiA. Links to these documents are available under point 4.13.

According to the Regulations for the PhD degree at UiA, the coursework component must include training in ethics and the philosophy of science (see chapter 4.2). Also, the supervisor is responsible for giving the PhD student guidance with respect to ethical research principles relevant to the dissertation.

14

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

4.9 Agder University Library Agder University Library is a regional academic library supporting research and studies. The University Library offers a large collection of printed and electronic books and journals. All new PhD students are encouraged to acquaint themselves with the library and library services.

Each faculty has at least one dedicated academic librarian who renders professional assistance when needed. The University library offers services such as: Courses  General library introduction and training  Journal ranking / citation index  Relevant electronic resources/journals (how to access, search and find)  Use of reference management systems Publishing  Journal ranking and impact factor  The research documentation system (ForskDok)  Copyright  AURA – Agder University Research Archive (Institutional repository) Software  Reference management systems (End-Note and Reference Manager)  Survey tool (SurveyXact) - a web based tool for data collection and analysis, administered by the University Library.

(For SPSS: software for advanced analysis of datasets, contact IT-department)

4.10 Optional courses Centre for Educational Research and Development (PULS) at UiA offers a variety of courses for PhD students and other employees at UiA. These courses are not compulsory, but can be very useful for PhD students at UiA. PULS offers courses in various other subjects such as academic English, university pedagogics, ICT-supported teaching, e-teaching, elocution and use of body language. They also have ”Pulsebua” which is a place where you can learn more about technical skills, for instance use of the electronic whiteboard. PULS also offers online courses in subjects like study technique, essay writing and presentation techniques. Please consult PULS for more information about the courses available.

International PhD students are encouraged to participate in Norwegian courses, especially if they plan to stay in Norway for a longer period of time. The courses are arranged by Kristiansand and Grimstad municipalities, but PULS at UiA will cover the costs of participating in these courses.

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

15

4.11 Study abroad PhD students are encouraged to include a study period abroad in their doctoral training.

Studies abroad can give great academic benefits and an opportunity to get international contacts as well as language skills, cultural competence and new experiences. Normally a PhD student will spend such a period abroad at a university where his/her supervisor has contacts and/or research cooperation.

The Research Council of Norway grants scholarships for this purpose, and their website provides more information about possibilities for studying abroad. Other sources of information are Euraxess and UiAs websites for research mobility. Links are available under Resources, chapter 4.13.

Organising a period of study abroad might be time-consuming and the deadlines for funding early, so the student should make sure he/she starts planning early enough. Such plans should preferably be included in the plan made at the beginning of the doctoral training.

When travelling to certain countries, for example to the USA, the PhD student might get exempted from some taxes. For more information see the tax convention between Norway and USA, or contact the Norwegian Tax Administration.

4.12 Leave of absence PhD students have to report any longer period of absence from the PhD studies, for instance parental or other leave, longer periods of sick leave or reduced workload because of other projects. It is very important that all longer periods of absence are reported in order to register the correct time that has been used for completion of the PhD degree. This concerns all students who are admitted to a PhD programme at UiA, regardless of their source of funding.

In case of a longer period of absence, the student must also contact the source of funding in order to apply for prolongation of the funding period. In order to qualify for a prolongation, absence must amount to at least two continuous weeks.

For more information about leave of absence and prolongation of the period of appointment, please see ยง 2-3 of the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident (link available on 3.8 Resources).

16

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

4.13 Resources

In English: Progress plan/report for the PhD student: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes/documents Ethical Guidelines for the Public Service: http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/fad/Documents/Handbooks-andbrochures/2005/Ethical-Guidelines-for-the-Public-Service-2.html?id=88164 Research ethics at UiA: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/research_activities/research_ethics Library’s website about research and publication: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/library/research_publication Online courses by PULS: http://www.uia.no/no/div/sentre/pedagogisk_utviklingssenter/ressursbank/nettkurs Language courses: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/about_the_university/working_at_uia/language_courses Researcher mobility website of the Research Council of Norway: http://www.forskningsradet.no/en/Researcher_mobility/1193731603755 EURAXESS: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm Euraxess Norway: http://www.euraxess.no/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&pagename=euraxess%2FHovedsidemal &cid=1224067050882 Tax conventions between Norway and other states: http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/fin/Selected-topics/taxes-and-duties/skatteavtaler/Taxtreaties-between-Norway-and-other-st.html?id=417330

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

17

In Norwegian: Framdriftsrapport/-plan: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskerutdanning/dokument Tiltaksplan mot plagsom seksuell oppmerksomhet: http://www.uia.no/no/content/download/104701/1687824/file/tiltaksplan+mot+plagsom+s eksuell+oppmerksomet+2006.pdf Etiske retningslinjer for statstjenesten: http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/fad/dok/veiledninger_og_brosjyrer/2005/etiskeretningslinjer-for-statstjenesten.html?id=88164 Etiske retningslinjer for ansatte ved UiA: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/om_universitetet/stoettetenester/personaltjenester/etikk Forskningsetikk ved UiA: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskningsaktiviteter/forskningsetikk Bibliotekets websider om forsknings og publisering: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/bibliotek/forskning_og_publisering Pedagogisk utviklingssenter PULS: http://www.uia.no/no/div/sentre/pedagogisk_utviklingssenter NFRs websider om forskermobilitet: http://www.forskningsradet.no/no/Forskermobilitet/1138882226419 UiAs webside om forskermobilitet: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/samarbeid/eu_og_internasjonalt_samarbeid/forsk ermobilitet Skatteavtaler mellom Norge og andre stater: http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/fin/tema/skatter_og_avgifter/skatteavtaler/skatteavtaler -mellom-norge-og-andre-stat.html?id=417330

18

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

5

Submission and graduation

Conditions relating to the dissertation, submission and graduation are described in § 5-11 of the PhD regulations of UiA. In addition to the general procedures described below, some faculties/programmes have detailed instructions for their PhD students in the final phase of the doctoral training. Please consult your faculty for more information.

5.1 Submission The PhD degree is awarded on the basis of:  approved dissertation and a satisfactory disputation  approved completion of the organised training component, possibly other approved training or qualifications  approved trial lecture Application form for evaluation of the dissertation must be submitted to the relevant faculty, with the number of copies of the dissertation enclosed as specified by the faculty. In addition, the application must be accompanied by documentary evidence of completed organised training. When the dissertation is accepted for disputation, additional copies must be submitted as required according to supplementary provisions. The dissertation is to be accompanied by an abstract which may be used as a basis for a press release.

5.2 Evaluation of the dissertation The faculty must appoint an evaluation committee of at least three members, on the basis of proposals from the relevant unit/academic staff. The committee evaluates the dissertation, the trial lecture and the defence of the dissertation. The PhD student must be informed about the composition of the evaluation committee.

The evaluation committee submits a report, normally no later than three months after receipt of the dissertation. The report must justify the conclusions and state whether the work is worthy to be defended for the doctoral degree. In the event of dissent, reasons must be given.

The committee may request to be provided with the student’s source material and supplementary or clarifying information.

If a doctoral dissertation is rejected, it can be evaluated in revised form, but not earlier than six months from the date of the rejection. Evaluation of a revised dissertation can only be done once.

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

19

5.3 Publishing of the dissertation The dissertation is published after the evaluation committee has approved it for disputation.

Dissertations are published in the publication series ”Doctoral Dissertations at the University of Agder”. The student has to contact the University Library in order to receive an ISBN and a serial number.

The library can also assist in practical matters concerning publishing of the dissertation.

Instructions for layout and templates for the first pages of the dissertation are available on their website.

Dissertations are printed in the Printing Office of UiA. The dissertation must be printed and available to the public at the latest two weeks prior to the date of the disputation.

The dissertation must be registered in ForskDok and Agder University Research Archive AURA. If possible, the dissertation should be deposited in AURA early enough in order to be available online by the time of the disputation. See point 4.7. or contact the library for more information.

5.4 Intellectual Property Rights No restrictions may be imposed on the publication of a doctoral dissertation, except an extension, agreed in advance, of the deadline for publication. Such extensions may be accepted when the doctoral degree programme is funded, in whole or in part, by an external party so that the external party may be able to decide on patenting/commercialisation. An external party cannot require that a dissertation or parts of a dissertation be exempted from publication.

The student’s rights with respect to the use of results, utilisation of patentable inventions, immaterial property rights, etc, are regulated by the university’s general rules and regulations in this area and the provisions of the Act respecting the right to employees’ inventions (arbeidstakeroppfinnelsesloven).

Those parts of the doctoral dissertation to which the student holds the sole intellectual property rights, and any other academic or creative work resulting from the student’s work on the dissertation and to which the student holds the sole intellectual property rights, may be reproduced by the university for use, free of charge, in its teaching and research activities. In the event of such use, the student’s name must be disclosed.

5.5 Dissemination of information concerning new PhDs Responsibilities of the faculty Each faculty is responsible for providing its PhD students with information about the procedures for the publication of PhD dissertations. Guidelines, examples of press releases and a press release template should be forwarded to the PhD student as soon as his/her dissertation has been approved.

20

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

The faculty is responsible for announcing the publication of the dissertation. A press release must be available prior to the publication of the dissertation.

The faculty is responsible for quality assurance of the proposed press release, and for ensuring that the proposal contains the required information provided by the student and the faculty.

The proposal should be submitted to the Information Office (Informasjonstjenesten) via email (aktueltsiden@uia.no) no later than four weeks prior to publication.

The faculty has to make sure that the proposal sent to the Information Office includes the following information:  Title of the dissertation  Time and place of the disputation  Names of opponents  Administrator/head of the evaluation committee  Name of the person leading the disputation and the trial lecture, inclusive position and the department/faculty  Time, place and topic of the trial lecture (to be forwarded to the Information Office as soon as it is known) Responsibilities of the PhD student The PhD student must, well in advance of, and no later than four weeks prior to the publication date for the dissertation, submit to the faculty a proposal for a press release drawn up in accordance with a template forwarded by the faculty to the PhD student. The student should also be provided with examples of previous press releases.

The proposal for a press release must include:  Name and year of birth of the PhD student  Phone number(s) and email address of the student  Position of the student and his/her connection to UiA  Information about how the doctoral studies have been funded  Name of the supervisor(s)  Suggested title of the press release (2-6 words)  Brief captivating summary of the dissertation (approx. 15-20 lines). Special terminology should be avoided – the summary must be written in a language that the general reader can understand.  The PhD student must submit a portrait photo of him/herself. The image must be a separate file with minimum resolution of 800 kb. If the student does not have a suitable photo, he/she can make an appointment with the Information Office (e-mail: aktueltsiden@uia.no) to have a photo taken.

Responsibilities of the Information Office The overall responsibility for contact with the media rests with the Information Office, which is also responsible for the final wording of the press release, on consultation with the PhD student or the supervisor.

Press releases will be published on the University of Agder’s website Aktuelt and will be released 3-4 days prior to the date of the disputation. Press releases will always be sent to the PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

21

Norwegian dailies of Aftenposten, FĂŚdrelandsvennen, Agderposten, Grimstad Adressetidende when applicable, and to newspapers suggested by the PhD student. In addition, press releases will be forwarded to dailies, radio broadcasting and television companies, journals and weekly magazines in accordance with specific information criteria, and to Norwegian universities and colleges.

For dissertations of particular interest, the Information Office will use its contacts in the media in order to give the project as much publicity as possible. In such cases, the PhD student will be contacted.

5.6 Trial lecture Once the dissertation has been found worthy of defence, the doctoral degree programme will be concluded with a public trial lecture and a disputation. The trial lecture must be on a prescribed topic. The topic of the trial lecture is decided by the evaluation committee and it is announced to the PhD student 14 days prior to the date of the lecture. Both the lecture and the disputation are normally held in the same language as the dissertation is written.

In the beginning of the trial lecture, the committee administrator or the Faculty Dean introduces the PhD student. The evaluation committee will evaluate the trial lecture, which must be considered satisfactory.

5.7 Disputation When the trial lecture has been found to be satisfactory, the PhD student must defend his or her dissertation at a disputation. Normally, the disputation must be held within six months after submission of the dissertation for evaluation.

The disputation must be in public. There are normally two opponents. The two opponents must be members of the evaluation committee and be nominated by the faculty or by the committee itself. Under special circumstances, opponents outside the committee may be nominated.

A disputation starts with an introduction by the disputation chair. After that, the PhD student presents his/her dissertation and gives an account of the purpose and results of his/her scientific investigation. Then follows a discussion about the dissertation between the opponents and the PhD student. Any person present may speak as an opponent ex auditorio.

Persons who wish to speak as opponents ex auditorio are requested to give notice of their intention to speak.

Routines concerning the disputation may vary between the different faculties and doctoral programmes. Most faculties/programmes have prepared detailed instructions for the disputation. Please consult your faculty for more information.

If the trial lecture and/or the defence are found to be unsatisfactory, a new disputation may be held, but no earlier than six months from the date of the original defence.

Some costs related to disputation are tax-deductible expenses, such as printing costs, travel expenses and some costs related to dinner for the opponents.

22

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

5.8 Creation and certificate On the basis of the report from the evaluation committee and the faculty that the trial lecture and the defence have been approved, the student will be created Philosophiae Doctor by the Board.

The doctoral degree certificate will be issued by UiA. The certificate must include the title of the dissertation and details on the organised training programme that the student has completed.

5.9 Resources In English: Guidelines for evaluation of Norwegian doctoral degrees: http://www.uhr.no/forskning/doktorgradsforskrifter_1 Application form for evaluation of the dissertation: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/research/phd_programmes/documents Library’s instructions on publishing of the dissertation: http://www.uia.no/en/portals/library/research_publication/doctoral_dissertations Act respecting the right to employees’ inventions (translated in 1971): http://www.ub.uio.no/ujur/ulovdata/lov-19700417-021-eng.pdf In Norwegian: Veiledning om bedømmelse av norske doktorgrader: http://www.uhr.no/forskning/doktorgradsforskrifter_1 Søknadsskjema om å få avhandlingen bedømt: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/forskning/forskerutdanning/dokument Bibliotekets instruks for publisering av avhandlingen: http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/bibliotek/forskning_og_publisering/doktoravhandlinger Fradragsrett for kostnader vedrørende doktor-/ lisensiatgrad: http://www.skatteetaten.no/no/Bibliotek/Publikasjoner/Handboker/LigningsABC/Kapitler/U/?mainchapter=112116#x112116 Arbeidstakeroppfinnelsesloven: http://www.lovdata.no/all/hl-19700417-021.html

PhD handbook of UiA Updated Dec 7, 2010

23