Annual self-reflection report: guidelines for supervisors

The annual self-reflection report: mandatory for all

From 1 April until 30 June each PhD student has to upload and submit the annual self-reflection report. A positively evaluated and approved self-reflection report is a necessary prerequisite for the activation of the online re-enrolment for the Doctoral Training Programme and the doctorate for the next academic year. Only PhD students enrolled for the first time after May 31 do no have to submit a report.

Guidelines for the evaluation

• It is highly recommended to discuss the progress made in the doctoral research and (if applicable) the doctoral training programme with the doctoral student before submitting the advice.
• When evaluating the progress made in the doctoral research and (if applicable) the doctoral training programme specific attention should be given to the following questions:

1. Is the progress sufficient to finish the doctorate in a reasonable time frame?
2. Was the doctoral student in the course of the past year given ample opportunities to make progress in the research?
3. Should the doctoral student be allowed to continue the research (and thus to re-enrol for the next academic year)?

Guidelines for the advice

• The progress made in the doctoral research is considered sufficient, and the doctoral student is allowed to continue the research (and thus to re-enrol):

1. The administrative supervisor submits a positive advice in OASIS. It is highly recommended to include additional feedback (e.g. concerns about the research plan, positive remarks).
2. The doctoral student will be able to re-enrol for the next academic year.

• The progress made in the doctoral research is considered insufficient and the supervisor(s)/doctoral advisory committee recommend(s) that the doctoral research should be stopped (and thus re-enrolment should be refused):

1. the administrative supervisor submits a negative advice in OASIS. Additional comments on this negative advice have to be included.
2. the Doctoral Schools will start the procedure to check whether or not re-enrolment can be refused.

• The progress made in the doctoral research is sufficient, but the administrative supervisor no longer wishes to supervise the doctoral student:

1. the administrative supervisor submits a negative advice in OASIS. Additional comments on this decision have to be included.
2. the Doctoral Schools will start the procedure to check whether or not the administrative supervisor can be replaced.

For the official regulations regarding the self-reflection report, please check Art. 18 in the Education and Examination Code for doctoral matters.

Guidelines to submit the advice in OASIS (for administrative supervisors only)

(1) Login to OASIS

(2) Select 'Promotor PhD (admin) DB'/'Supervisor PhD (admin) DB' in the upper menu of your OASIS screen. Then choose ‘self-reflection report evaluation (UGENT)’/’Advies zelfreflectierapport (UGENT)’ in the left-hand column under ‘Doctorates’/’Doctoraten’.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: There is only one annual round for submission of a self-reflection report through OASIS, i.e. from 1 April through 30 June. Should you receive an invitation to evaluate a self-reflection report prior to 1 April, it most probably concerns a late self-reflection report from the previous academic year. In this case please select the previous academic year (left margin).

(3) Here an overview is given of all your doctoral students who submitted their self-reflection report for approval. For all these students an advice should be formulated. Select the doctoral student whose report (and curriculum) you wish to evaluate.

(4) Next you can view the 'self-reflection report'/'zelfreflectierapport' as well as the curriculum. Other members of the (UGent) doctoral guidance committee (if appointed) can also submit an optional comment. Several options for the advice are applicable.

(5) Having submitted your advice, the name of the doctoral student will disappear from the overview ‘self-reflection report evaluation (UGENT)’/’Advies zelfreflectierapport (UGENT)’. This procedure should be repeated for each student who submitted the self-reflection report for annual approval. To get an overview of all the doctoral candidates for whom you are the administrative supervisor, you can choose ‘my students’/’mijn studenten’ in the left-hand column. This will also show you a more detailed overview of the curriculum.

Guidelines to submit an optional advice in OASIS (for (co-)supervisors & doctoral guidance committee members - UGent only)

(1) Login to OASIS

Please note that only UGent guidance committee members have access to OASIS. External (i.e. non-UGent) members of de doctoral advisory committee are kindly requested to send an evaluation by e-mail to the administrative supervisor.

 (2) Select the appropriate role: ‘Supervisor DB’/'Promotor DB' or ‘Member of the Doctoral Advisory Committee DB'/’Doctoraatsbegeleidingscommissielid’ in the upper menu of your OASIS screen. Then choose ‘self-reflection report evaluation (UGENT)’/’Advies zelfreflectierapport (UGENT)’ in the left-hand column under ‘Doctorates’/’Doctoraten’. Select the doctoral student whose report (and curriculum) you wish to evaluate.

(3) Next you can view the 'self-reflection report'/'zelfreflectierapport' as well as the curriculum and submit an (optional) evaluation.