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Guidelines for midway assessments

The procedure of midway assessments entered into force on 1 January 2009. These guidelines were subsequently amended by the PFF on 1 December 2011, 25 February 2014 and 23 August 2023.

1. Objective

The objective of the midway assessment is to provide PhD candidates with a comprehensive and systematic response to their work and to offer constructive advice on the completion of the PhD project. This procedure also aims to enhance the progress of PhD projects within the faculty. The evaluation must take place when the candidate has had sufficient time to develop the project to the extent that the main structure is in place. Additionally, there should also be time for the candidate to actively engage with comments and critical feedback. The purpose is also to encourage candidates to begin writing the thesis early and to approach the work systematically from the early stages. Furthermore, the midway assessment serves to expose candidates to disseminating research to a broader audience and contribute to academic discussions within the departments' research environments. It is hoped that the candidate can use the midway evaluation as an inspiration to further work on the thesis.

2. Planning

2.1 Scheduling and announcement

The department to which the candidate is affiliated is responsible for conducting the midway assessment. The department plans seminars 3-4 months in advance. The evaluation will normally take place at the faculty. As proposed by the supervisor, the department will appoint one or two expert assessors.
The department will announce the midway assessment well in advance by using the following email-list so that other faculty members can attend the open part of the evaluation.

2.2 Timing of the midway assessment

As far as possible, the midway assessment shall take place approximately 18 months into the PhD program for candidates with a three-year contract, and around 24 months for candidates with a four-year contract.

2.3 Basis for the assessment

The candidate shall present all existing written material that is expected to be included in the thesis, either in its current or revised form. However, key chapters or sections that will form the basis for the midway assessment must be highlighted. This material should be between 50-100 pages. For article-based theses, the candidate should present an outline of the “cover article” (“kappen”), to enable comments not only on draft articles, but also on the project as a whole and the overarching links between the articles.

3. Implementation

3.1 General information

The assessment consists of an open seminar part (approx. 90 min.) and a closed meeting (approx. 30 min.). The closed meeting will involve the head of department (or their representative), the supervisor(s) and assessor(s). Usually, one assessor is appointed, unless there are academic reasons to appoint two.
The midway assessment must normally be announced internally at the faculty, and the open seminar part must be open to all interested parties at the faculty. It is up to the candidate to decide whether the midway assessment shall be publicly announced and open to external participants. In exceptional cases, the Dean of Research may decide not to announce the seminar.
Candidates are required to email their materials to the assessor(s) at least three weeks before the scheduled midway assessment. In this context, the candidate should specify the specific topics/sections on which they particularly want to receive feedback.

3.2 Open seminar

The open seminar consists of a presentation by the candidate (approx. 30 min.), a commentary by the appointed assessor (approx. 30 min.), and a discussion (approx. 30 min.).
During the candidate's presentation, they should address the research questions and overarching ideas of the project, as well as demonstrate how these have been treated in the submitted written material. The assessor shall give their assessment of the concept of the thesis, as well as of the written material. During the open discussion, participants in the audience have the opportunity to bring forward comments based on what has been presented. Sufficient time should be allocated for contributions from the audience.

3.3 Closed meeting

After the seminar, a closed meeting is held with the Head of Department, supervisor(s) and assessor(s) to discuss the project and its progression. In this meeting, the feasibility of the project's progress within the remaining contract period is evaluated, the need for measures to strengthen the progress (such as additional supervision resources) is assessed, and the need to modify significant aspects of the project is considered.
The candidate shall be invited to participate in the final part of this meeting.

3.4 Conclusion

After the meeting, the assessor(s) will write a note, summarizing the main impressions from the midway assessment (Confirmation of completion, Assessor's supplementary comments). The note is signed by the Head of Department or their representative and sent to the administration as confirmation that the midway assessment has been completed. If it is determined during the meeting that measures are needed to strengthen the progress or modify important aspects of the project, the head of department will propose appropriate measures in the follow-up section of the note. This could include project restructuring, additional supervision resources, changing of supervisor, or other measures. In exceptional cases, it may also be decided to conduct a new midway assessment after another 6 months.

If necessary, a meeting can be arranged with the Dean of Research, the candidate, the supervisor and the head of department, where adequate measures can be agreed.

 

Published Sep. 8, 2015 4:42 PM - Last modified Mar. 18, 2024 12:58 PM