Formation of Thesis Advisory Committees

During the first three months of a project, each doctoral researcher will form a thesis advisory committee (TAC) consisting of up to four advisors, of whom at least two should be completely independent. Both the student and the advisors will acknowledge the IMPRS rules of good doctoral supervision and the IMPRS curriculum by signing the IMPRS guidelines. TAC meetings are supposed to take place at least three times during the course of a doctoral researcher's PhD project (at 6, 18 and 30 months). TAC meetings serve the purpose to openly discuss a researcher’s progress, experiments, publication strategies, training opportunities and career options via a presentation and progress report jointly compiled by the doctoral researcher and the TAC. We have strengthened the role of TACs by including these meetings into the credit point system (2 credit points per meeting). The IMPRS coordinator may join TAC meetings as an independent convener or mediator if the need arises. Each doctoral resarchers also has the opportunity to speak with independent TAC members without the main supervisor(s) being present.