The Doctoral Studies Programme
The Doctoral Studies Programme, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus
The following is a general description of the principles and guidelines that apply to the activities of the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
1. Name:
The name of the school in Danish is: Ph.d.-skolen ved Handelshøjskolen i Aarhus, Aarhus Universitet. Short version: Ph.d.-skolen ASB.
The name of the school in English is: The Doctoral Studies Programme, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus. Short version: The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
2. Objective of the programme:
All students enrolled in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme are trained as researchers at international level. By the end of the programme, students must be able to independently and at the highest level conduct research and communicate research findings within their fields of research.
The objective of the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme is at all times to provide:
- Good conditions for the education of PhD students as researchers
- Good PhD projects resulting in approved PhD theses of high quality
- Completion of the programme by students within the granted period of study
The programme is therefore ultimately responsible for ensuring that:
- Students attend requisite and relevant PhD courses
- Students receive necessary and competent supervision throughout their studies
- The PhD process is regularly assessed to determine whether progress is on schedule and satisfactory to everyone involved
- Students are nominated for relevant awards and scholarships
- External funding of research activities at PhD level is applied for, where relevant
To guarantee that the activities of the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme are of the highest possible quality, efforts will be made for an external evaluation of the programme to be carried out, possibly in the form of an independent accreditation, if such is possible.
3. Research areas within the scope of the programme:
The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme offers PhD degrees within the following four main subject areas:
- Business studies and management
- Economics
- Language and business communication
- Business law
The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme admits students who are attached to other departments and research centres at Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus. Within most of the subject areas, close partnerships also exist with network-based educational programmes established in collaboration with other educational institutions.
Students in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme are attached to the following graduate schools:
The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme follows and participates in the development of these graduate programmes with a view to ensuring that all students enrolled in the programme generally receive a high-quality and uniform education.
4. Admission of PhD students to the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme
4.1 Advertising available scholarships
Available scholarships are advertised by the Aarhus School of Business on the initiative of the relevant departments, normally in international contexts and on the ASB website www.asb.dk under Available Positions. The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme provides assistance with the preparation of the ads to ensure that they all have a uniform look. At the moment, there are no general notices covering all research areas under the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
4.2 Selection of applicants
For the purpose of selecting applicants to the individual positions, an expert assessment committee comprising three members is appointed based on the recommendation of the department. The departments decide independently whether to have external researchers on the committees, and whether committees should be appointed on an ad hoc basis or for longer periods.
The committee's nomination must divide the applicants into three categories:
- Highly qualified
- Qualified
- Not qualified
The assessment of each applicant must contain a justified evaluation of:
- The applicant's educational background and other professional qualifications
- The quality of the project
- The applicant's presumed ability to realise the project
- The project's relation to the field of research within which the position is created
The committee's assessment is sent to the applicant after the assessment process has been completed.
The head of the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme reviews all applications with a view to ensuring that applicants meet the formal, educational requirements for enrolment in the programme, and especially that applicants have completed their Master's studies or can be seen to have acquired in some other way knowledge at Master's level. The result of the review conducted by the head of the doctoral programme is reported to the assessment committee.
Applicants who have not yet completed their Master's studies may apply for PhD positions on equal terms with others, and may – if they are found qualified – be appointed, provided that they complete their Master's studies with a satisfactory overall result and with a high mark for their Master's thesis, where applicable.
Enrolment may be contingent on other conditions, e.g. that persons with atypical educational backgrounds must pass specified courses (such as Master's courses) within a specified timeframe (possibly with a specified minimum performance) or they may be appointed for a limited period with the possibility of an extension of the period of appointment after additional assessment of the person's academic skills.
The selection process takes place among the qualified applicants after an overall assessment based especially on the following criteria:
- Applicant's grade point average (preferably in the top 25%)
- High mark for Master's thesis
- Nature and quality of the project
- Correlation with ASB's research strategy
- Any letters of reference
- Any prior research production
- Any practical experience
4.3 Other recruitment methods
The recruitment procedure described above must to the greatest extent possible be adhered to, also in the case of alternative recruitment methods, e.g. where specific persons are listed as candidates for a PhD position in an application for research funding. If the procedure is deviated from, it must be ensured in some other way that the academic background of the person in question is found satisfactory following an impartial assessment.
4.4 Who may be enrolled?
Anyone employed at Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, with a view to writing a PhD thesis must be enrolled in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
PhD students employed elsewhere may also be enrolled, including students writing a PhD under the industrial PhD scheme, provided always that the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme finds that the person in question meets the general admission criteria.
It is also possible to submit a PhD thesis for evaluation to the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme without prior enrolment. Such PhD theses must be accompanied by a statement from the author indicating whether the thesis has previously been submitted for evaluation elsewhere. The PhD thesis may be accepted for evaluation even though the author has not completed a PhD programme if the Doctoral Studies Programme finds that the author has acquired equivalent qualifications elsewhere. In such cases, a fee is charged and an assessment committee is appointed according to the applicable guidelines.
5. PhD studies
5.1. PhD plan
Within three months after enrolment, the student and the supervisor must together draw up a plan for the student's PhD programme. By that time, at the latest, the student and the supervisor must have discussed the expectations of both parties. The PhD plan must subsequently be approved by the head of the doctoral programme and the head of department.
5.2 Regular evaluation of the PhD programme
Throughout the entire process, the progress of the PhD student and the project must be regularly evaluated. Every six months, an evaluation report must be submitted, signed by the PhD student, the principle supervisor and the head of department. These evaluations should be viewed as updates of the initial PhD plan, with a view to ensuring that everyone involved always has the best possible overview of the process and that the student's workload is distributed in the most appropriate manner within the available timeframe.
Approx. one year after enrolment, the student must present a Thesis Proposal to a committee of experts, including at least one external representative. The objective of the committee is to consider whether the project should continue, possibly in a different form. The presentation is announced and is open to students as well as scientific and academic staff.
Approx. two years after enrolment, at the latest, the student must be given the opportunity to present his or her project at a seminar organised, e.g., by the department.
Upon completion of the PhD process, the supervisor prepares a report evaluating the process as a whole.
5.3 Rights and duties of employed PhD students
Pay and terms of employment are regulated by current legislation, including the Danish Holidays Act (Ferieloven) and the Danish Employers' and Salaried Employees' (Legal Relationship) Consolidation Act (Funktionærloven), the contract of employment/the letter of enrolment, the applicable collective agreement etc. The student therefore has the right to, e.g., maternity leave in accordance with the applicable rules on leaves of absence.
In connection with their position at ASB, students enrolled on the usual conditions have an obligation to work for 840 hours, which is to be realised according to agreement and according to the rules that apply in this area. This obligation is normally fulfilled through teaching activities.
Only in exceptional cases may students carry out other paid work alongside their PhD studies. In such cases, the activity must be approved by the head of department and the head of the doctoral programme as well as being recommended by the principle supervisor.
In addition, PhD students are subject to the applicable rules stated in Danish Ministerial Order no. 18 of 22 January 2008 on the PhD Programme at Universities (PhD Order).
5.4. PhD courses
The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme organises compulsory courses in teaching/dissemination and supervision for all PhD students at regular intervals.
In collaboration with the departments and graduate programmes, the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme seeks to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in relevant research courses or equivalent activities so that they can earn the required 30 ECTS points.
5.4 Supervision of PhD students
Each student is assigned one or more supervisors, with one acting as the principle supervisor. Only persons with adequate academic and personal qualifications to provide the necessary supervision may be appointed as supervisors.
For new supervisors within the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme, compulsory participation in courses to develop supervisory skills has been introduced.
In relation to the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme, the principle supervisor has overall responsibility for ensuring that the PhD programme progresses satisfactorily, that the PhD plan is followed and that the six-monthly evaluations are submitted.
The supervision must be appropriate for the project in question and must be carried out in accordance with the internal guidelines, which are available online.
The supervision process is evaluated by both the student and the supervisor as part of the annual employee performance interviews carried out by the head of department.
If it is deemed necessary in exceptional cases, it is possible upon agreement with the head of department and the head of the doctoral programme to change supervisor(s) in the middle of the PhD programme.
5.5 Cancellation of enrolment before the end of the enrolment period
A PhD student may be deregistered from the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme before the end of the enrolment period for the following reasons:
- The student gives notice to terminate his or her position at ASB
- The ASB Doctoral Studies Programme finds that the student has not met the requirements set out in the PhD plan, after which the student is expelled in accordance with one of the procedures described in section 10 of the PhD Order.
5.6 Special terms and conditions concerning industrial PhDs
Students enrolled under the industrial PhD scheme are, as a general rule, subject to the same terms and conditions as all other students enrolled in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
However, the following procedures shall apply to industrial PhDs:
- Enrolment in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme may only take place after an academic assessment corresponding to that carried out for PhD students appointed at ASB
- Prior to project start, a meeting must be held between the student, one or more representatives of the student's company, including the company supervisor, and one or more representatives from the department to which the student is attached. The objective of this meeting is to harmonise the stakeholders' preliminary expectations of the PhD programme
- The Thesis Proposal must be presented at a meeting attended by representatives from the company as well as from the department to which the student is attached
6. Completion of PhD programme
6.1 Submission of the PhD thesis
All PhD students are expected to submit their thesis on time. After submission of the PhD thesis, the student is no longer enrolled in the ASB Doctoral Studies Programme.
The thesis is expected to comply with all applicable norms within the research area in question. The number of copies and format of the submitted PhD are described in more detail at the website of the ASB.
6.2 Evaluation of the PhD thesis
To evaluate the PhD thesis, an assessment committee is appointed consisting of three specialists within the research field in question. Two members of the committee must be external specialists, and at least one member of the committee must be from another country.
6.3 Defence of the PhD
If the assessment committee's preliminary recommendation is that the PhD thesis can form the basis for a public defence, this defence must take place within the applicable time limits, such that the PhD student has the opportunity to present his or her research and such that the assessment committee has the opportunity to pose questions to the author. Detailed guidelines on the defence of the PhD thesis are available at the website of the ASB
Aarhus V, 29 January 2008
| Karen Korning Zethsen Deputy Head of Doctoral Programmes | Hans Henrik Edlund Head of Doctoral Programmes |
