Tips for students/supervisors
Successful research training is based on good communication between student and supervisor. Make sure that you develop an EFFECTIVE means of communication.
Doctoral education is currently limited by time to a 4 year period (full-time activity). Make sure that you have REGULAR checkpoints to assess progress. Do not let too much time pass by before realizing there is a problem and trying to fix it.
Make sure that the 3 types of reports the Department demands are COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED ON TIME. This is a way for each student and each supervisor to prove that they are doing what they have agreed to do according to the individual study plan that was accepted by the Department.
DOCUMENT(write notes) about what is discussed at your meetings. This is a way that each student or supervisor can prove that there has been an agreement about research activities. If a student does not follow their individual study plan, the supervisor has the right to cease financial and physical support of the student´s project. If the supervisor does not enable the student to conduct the project that was agreed on then they can be removed as supervisor. In this case then it is easier to prove who has not held their part of the agreement if there is appropriate documentation available. So in order to protect yourselves, document your meetings!
