In case of problems

Introduction

Due to the close cooperation between supervisors and doctoral students, factual and/or personal difficulties may arise. If this occurs, both sides should address these difficulties as early as possible and try to maintain an emotion-free and objective approach to the situation and to each other. Both sides should work together to find solutions. This is not always possible. On this page, approaches to solutions are presented for selected problems.

Sometimes a termination of the supervision cannot be avoided, if for example

  • the dissertation develops in a thematic direction that is too far removed from the supervisor's field of research and interest,
  • the supervisor is called away to another university location, the doctoral candidate, however, does not consider a change of university,
  • personal and/or factual differences in the collaboration have become insurmountable.

Before a final decision is made in the event of personal and/or factual differences, it is recommended to discuss the matter together with

who can mediate in the development of solutions.

 

If the termination of supervision is unavoidable, the supervisor and doctoral candidate should make every effort to find a solution as quickly as possible. The following aspects should be considered when changing supervisors:

  • The request for a change of supervisor must be submitted by the doctoral candidate.
  • Ideally, the supervisor confirms that he/she agrees with the change of supervisor or has been informed about it.
  • If necessary, the doctoral candidate knows a suitable professor who can take over the supervision and establish a first contact.
  • In the case of a change of university location, it may be necessary to consider whether the supervisor would like to continue to participate in the doctoral project as a second supervisor (second reviewer and thus membership in the doctoral committee).

There are different retake options and modalities for the dissertation and disputation, which are briefly described on this page:

Non-acceptance of the dissertation

If the doctoral committee decides not to accept the dissertation, the doctoral candidate will be informed of this by notification. Both expert opinions are attached to the notification. The doctoral candidate can apply for a one-time revision on the basis of the expert opinions. The informal application to the doctoral committee must be sent to the doctoral office within three months after notification of non-acceptance. As a rule, the reviewers already appointed will be reappointed for the review of the repeat attempt.

The doctoral procedure is considered to have been definitively terminated without success if

  • the repeat attempt is also assessed as "failed" or
  • the application for revision is not submitted or not submitted in due time.

In these cases, the doctoral committee will issue a notice with instructions on how to appeal.

Failed disputation

If the disputation is not passed, it can be repeated once within one year. The doctoral committee will inform the student of the failure by means of a notice with instructions on how to appeal. The doctoral candidate can apply for the repetition of the disputation. The informal application to the doctoral committee is to be sent to the doctoral office within the one-year period. As a rule, the same members of the doctoral committee will be reappointed for the repetition of the disputation.

The doctoral procedure shall be deemed to have been definitively terminated without success if

  • the repetition of the disputation is also assessed as "failed" or
  • the application for repetition of the disputation is not submitted or not submitted in due time.

In both cases, the doctoral committee will issue a decision with instructions on how to appeal.