Supervision

The advisory panel comprises the doctoral candidate and three (optionally four) supervising scientists: the principal supervisor, the co-supervisor (optionally two), and the panel chair. All members of the advisory panel agree to support the doctoral candidate while pursuing and completing their doctorate.

• The principal supervisor has to be authorized to supervise doctoral candidates in accordance with the doctoral regulations of the respective faculty or university.  The principal supervisor assumes key responsibility for both, scientific supervision and quality control of the doctoral candidate’s research and academic training.

• The co-supervisor (possibly two) should be an expert in the candidate’s field of study, either from CEN or from external institutions. For interdisciplinary doctoral projects, principal and co-supervisor(s) should cover the two most relevant fields, ensuring access to scientific and technical support in more than just one area.

• The panel chair may originate from CEN or external institutions. He/she acts as a trusted third party on the doctorate’s overall progress. While the panel chair should not have any scientific self-interests in the doctoral project, they should have experience in supervising doctorates. The panel chair should be independent of the other panel members in terms of their position at the university or research institution.

Candidates should set up their advisory panel during the first two months after start. The composition of the panel is contractually established in the supervision agreement, signed by all members and by the school Head. Please provide the SICSS Office with a signed copy of your supervision agreement, not later than three months after starting your doctoral project. 

If you are new in Hamburg and not familiar with the scientific environment in CEN or if you feel you need help in finding a panel chair we, the SICSS Office Team, is ready to help you!

Every six months an advisory panel convenes for an advisory panel meeting (APM) to discuss the scientific development, challenges and further goals of the doctoral project. The purpose of the meetings is to ensure the doctoral project's scientific quality, scientific development and academic training, as well as the timely completion of the doctorate. At the beginning of the final year of the doctoral project, a more extensive APM is to be held in which the goals for the remainder of the doctorate and career options thereafter are discussed.

Note that APMs do not replace the regular discussion and supervision of the doctoral candidate by the supervisors.