Charter for PhD candidate and supervisor
The charter is in line with the prevailing Ghent University regulations and policy plans, and observes the principles included in the European Charter for Researchers (European Commission, 2005).
Drafted on the initiative of the Doctoral Schools Steering Committee, the charter is based on the good practice guidelines derived from a broad stakeholder consultation at Ghent University.
The commitments included in the charter are not legally binding (except for those that are a translation of legal or other regulations).
The charter relates to all kinds of collaboration involving a doctoral student, his/her supervisor(s) and the doctoral advisory committee (if appointed), and the chairman of the department to which the doctoral student is affiliated, or to which the main supervisor is affiliated if the doctoral student is not on the payroll of Ghent University.
Supervisors and their doctoral students can use the charter as a tool to shape the supervisor-supervisee relationship (agreements, preferably written, at the start of the project with regard to various aspects of the doctoral project), to monitor progress and outcomes, and to prepare for completion of the project and next career steps.
Furthermore, the charter can serve as a point of reference for all parties involved (including members of the doctoral advisory committee, (delegate of the) head of department, ombudspersons, etc.) in case problems arise in the collaborative relationship as well as in the process of remediation or conflict resolution.