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The aim of the new employment model for doctoral candidates and teaching / research assistants is to strengthen PhD candidates at UZH by making their employment conditions clear and transparent, especially in the area of research time. In order to increasingly promote research work during the qualification phase, a minimum limit is set for the amount of time spent on own research work (so-called "protected time").
Protected time includes all research work that is necessary and desirable to achieve the qualification goal, such as writing the dissertation, conducting field studies, data collection and analysis, or participating in congresses. Likewise, curricular achievements in the context of a doctoral degree can be part of the protected time.
Teaching duties required by ordinances on obtaining a doctoral degree in order to achieve the qualification goal. Teaching duties and related activities are not considered working time for own research. "Other tasks" are tasks that serve the further academic qualification but are not directly related to one's own research or teaching, such as collaboration in research projects of a chair, scientific contributions that are not in the research context of one's own dissertation, methodological or technical support of other persons from academia, activities in university boards and commissions, or advising and supervising students. Other tasks are not considered working time for own research.
The scope and nature of teaching and other tasks are specified in the individual outline of rights and responsibilities.
(*1) Cf. §7 and §8 of the Regulations for the General Outline of Rights and Responsibilities of the Faculties for Teaching and Research Assistants and Doctoral Candidates.
The doctoral agreement regulates the process, the goals, and the general requirements of the doctorate of the person doing the doctorate, in particular also the tasks for the own research as well as milestones and work steps. It is updated annually on the occasion of a career discussion. The doctoral agreement is part of the individual outline of rights and responsibilities.
In career discussions between the PhD candidate and the supervisor, the professional situation, performance and further qualification goals and steps are discussed. Career discussions must be held at least once a year and documented in writing. For PhD candidates in junior academic positions, they replace the performance appraisals. The doctoral agreement is updated annually as part of these career discussions.
These guidelines provide orientation for career discussions relating to research.
The individual outline of rights and responsibilities is prepared for each person doing a doctorate with a junior academic position. It defines the tasks within the scope of the employment, in particular the teaching and other tasks. The individual outline of rights and responsibilities is signed by the Doctoral candidate and the supervisor at the latest when the doctoral agreement is concluded.
Own contribution is understood as the time spent by the person doing the doctorate while employed in a junior academic position for the purpose of their academic qualification at UZH. It is understood as a personal contribution to the doctorate, which is done for further qualification, for the achievement of the doctoral degree. The personal contribution is expected to be at least 20% full-time equivalent
No, the salary for doctoral candidates will remain the same as before for a 60 % position. Positions under the title of "doctoral candidate" are often financed by SNSF grants or other third-party funds. The SNSF salary for doctoral positions is based on the expectation that doctoral candidates will devote 80-100 % of a full-time position to the dissertation. With the new regulation, UZH is adapting to the requirements of the SNSF.
No, for each PhD candidate in a junior academic position, the supervisor prepares an individual outline of rights and responsibilities, which is signed by both persons at the latest when the doctoral agreement is concluded. The individual outline of rights and responsibilities specification defines the tasks of PhD candidates in junior academic positions.
No, the existing regulations continue to apply to these two types of junior academic positions (document only available in German):Reglement über die Rahmenpflichtenhefte der Fakultäten für die Inhaberinnen und Inhaber von Qualifikationsstellen (PDF, 227 KB)as well as the previous General Outlines of Rights and Responsibilities of the Faculties.
No. It is not mandatory that the supervisor also be the superior. However, the doctoral supervision and respectively the doctoral agreement must be integrated into the individual outline of rights and responsibilities and both documents must be signed by both the supervisor and the superior. The superior's work must be relevant to the academic qualification. It is also important that coordination between the supervisor and superior is ensured in such a constellation.
If the supervisor and superior do not belong to the same faculty, the dissertation must also be in an interdisciplinary research area or research project.
The "Temporary Teaching & Research Support" function is not a qualification position and job holders are therefore not entitled to protected time or working time for the development of a dissertation project. It is at the discretion of the superior whether and how much working time may be devoted to the candidate's academic qualification and the pursuit of their own academic goals within the scope of employment in the "Temporary Teaching & Research Support" function.
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