ECTN Working Group

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ECTN Working Group

• European Dimension
• in 2nd and 3rd cycle studies

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ECTN WORKING GROUP EUROPEAN DIMENSION IN 2nd
AND 3rd CYCLE STUDIES

• Aim of the group / Rationale To provide the
  common vision of the Master and PhD in chemistry
• During the first year of activity the WG
  discussed Master studies whereas the second year
  has been devoted to doctoral studies
• Meetings Kraków (Poland), 1 - 2 of April 2005
• Thessaloniki (Greece), 4 7
  of May 2005
• Helsinki (Finland), 24 25
  of February 2006 Vienna (Austria), 19th
  of April 2006
• Helsinki meeting was organized together with
  TUNING Chemistry Subject Area Group

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Third cycle studies

• Some important points discussed
• What is PhD for?
• to train students to be independent researches
• to produce new scientific knowledge
• to maintain succession of research chemists

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Some important points discussed

• Are PhD candidates students or employees?
• Budapest descriptors
• Duration of 3rd cycle (3 5 years) and
• ECTS credits for coursework (15 60)
• Graduate student teaching
• PhD supervision
• Assessment of PhD candidates
• Ownership of research

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Recommendations

• Maintaining records of students skill
  development
• Joint degrees supporting mobility
• Coursework
• Skills
  Supporting
• including
  courses
• language Thesis
• research
• Participation
• and
• awareness

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Recommendations

• Purpose of PhD examination/defence of thesis
  - to evaluate
• Quality and quantity of research presented in
  thesis
• Students understanding of his/her research
• Students awareness of the significance of
  his/her work to the development of the discipline
• A component of teaching included in PhD
  programmes, useful to a graduates personal
  development
• Training for supervisors of PhD encouraged

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Recommendations

• Direct transfer from 1st cycle to 3rd cycle for
  high fliers
• Cycles

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Special item

• A proposed database for Master courses in Europe
  Author Michael Gagan
• A draft introductory letter to Departments and
  draft questionnaire available on request
• jmg_at_tutor.open.ac.uk
• or
  kolasa_at_chemia.uj.edu.pl)