Guidelines of the Rectorate for the establishment of doctoral programmes at the University of Innsbruck

DC are intended to complement the existing successful research area at the University of Innsbruck. DC are therefore linked to existing research centres or research platforms. In exceptional cases, the connection to a research centre may be justified. The establishment of a DC is carried out by unanimous decision of the Rectorate after appropriate assessment.

Applications can be submitted by the founding members at any time to the Rectorate member responsible for the research area, together with a description of the planned DC. The assessment is carried out according to the criteria mentioned above under point 3. After the Rectorate has decided to set up the DC, the members of a DC adopt the statutes.

Members are academics who team up for the purpose of setting up and carrying out a DC and are authorised to supervise dissertations. Academics from other universities or research institutions may also participate in DC.

The founding members must establish statutes for the DC that fulfil the requirements set out in this guideline and therefore contain, among other things

• Description and research context of the DC
• Programme
• Transparent quality criteria for the admission of doctoral candidates
• Bodies of the DC including responsibilities (e.g. spokesperson, deputy spokesperson, meetings of the members, scientific advisory board, doctoral candidate advisory board)
• Procedure for the adoption of decisions

The statutes may not deviate fundamentally from the preliminary description submitted to the Rectorate. In addition, before a decision is made regarding the programme contained therein, they must be reviewed by the responsible study law body with regard to the allocation of DC courses, DC conferences and summer/winter schools taking place as well as any necessary allocation in the catalogue of teaching objectives or recognition of examinations (§ 78 UG) within the framework of the respective curricula of the doctoral programmes concerned. The Rectorate provides a model for DC statutes.

Decisions are generally made by the members of the DC. Decisions must be made in accordance with the procedure laid down in the statutes (quorums, quotas, majority requirements, etc.). All curriculum-related decisions of the DC must be approved by the responsible body responsible for study law.

A spokesperson and a deputy spokesperson shall be elected from among the members. The spokesperson must have an active employment at the University of Innsbruck.

Other highly qualified academics can submit an informal application to the spokesperson at any time to become a member of the DC. Admission requires at least one doctoral candidate to join the DC.

A member leaves the DC at his/her own request. Each member is obliged to inform the spokesperson immediately of any expected resignation. The remaining DKCmembers must ensure that the doctoral candidates supervised by the departing member continue to be supervised for their ongoing research work and their dissertation, insofar as the doctoral candidate wishes to remain in the DC.

All doctoral candidates who are accepted into a DC must be enrolled as full students in a doctoral programme at one of the universities participating in the DCCand registered for continuation. For admission to a DC, criteria based on transparent quality criteria and an application process (e.g. written application including a letter of recommendation) must be defined in advance in the DC statutes. Applications must be submitted to the DC spokesperson via the supervisor. The selection and admission of doctoral candidates is carried out by the members of the DC in a closed meeting according to the defined criteria.

The doctoral candidate leaves the DC (i) at his/her own request, (ii) upon completion of the doctoral programme or (iii) after exmatriculation - whichever occurs first.

After successfully completing all the coursework prescribed in the respective curriculum of the doctoral programme, the doctoral candidate is awarded the academic degree specified in the respective curriculum, irrespective of participation in a DC. For participation in a doctoral programme, the doctoral candidate receives a formal confirmation of participation from the spokesperson, which certifies the participation as well as the achievements including the stay abroad as part of the doctoral programme. The spokesperson must forward a copy of the confirmation of participation to the Examination Office.

A DC ends after:

• Decision of its members or
• permanently falling below the minimum number of members or supervised doctoral candidates or
• two negative evaluations or
• Decision of the Rectorate.

In the event of the dissolution/termination of the DC, the doctoral candidates already admitted to the DC must be given the opportunity to receive a confirmation of participation in the DC. However, this presupposes that the doctoral candidate concerned has completed the majority of the programme and only the dissertation is still pending.