Midway assessments and final review

Guidelines: Midway assessments

• Carried out midway through the funding period, and take approximately 2½ hours.
• Participants are the candidate, “opponent”, supervisor and coordinator of the organized research training (or the coordinator’s deputy). The arrangement may otherwise be open to everyone or can be held solely with the key participants.
• The candidate is expected to submit a text (30–100 pages), depending on how far in the process he/she has progressed. The text is written by the candidate, and the opponent should read it beforehand. This may be in the form of a first article plus an outline of further work, or similar.
• The candidate starts by giving a verbal account of how far he/she has progressed, what kinds of challenges and problems he/she faces etc. The candidate must also explain which courses have been taken and which courses have still to be taken in the organized research training.
• The research education coordinator gives an assessment of the completed course component and advice on further course completion. This is followed up together with the candidate’s supervisor.
• The opponent presents a prepared critical but constructive opposition, starting with a general assessment of the text material presented by the candidate, followed by a Q&A session where the candidate answers the opponent’s questions.
• The midway assessment concludes with a verbal recommendation of how the candidate should best plan the ongoing work for the remainder of the stipulated period. The supervisor follows this up together with the candidate.

Guidelines: Final review

• Conducted 2–3 months before the end of the funding period.
• Can take the form of a final seminar/trial public defence. Open evaluation.
• Takes a maximum of 3 hours.
• Participants are the candidate, “opponent”, supervisor and research education coordinator (or coordinator’s deputy). Other parties can be invited.
• The candidate is given the opportunity to present a draft thesis, which the opponent will have read beforehand.
• The candidate starts by giving a verbal account of what kinds of challenges and problems he/she faces and what aspects in particular he/she would like to be assessed.
• The opponent presents a prepared critical but constructive opposition, starting with a general assessment of the text material presented by the candidate, followed by a Q&A session where the candidate answers the opponent’s questions and arguments.
• The evaluation in the final phase concludes with a verbal recommendation, advising how the candidate should carry out the thesis work in the final phase. The supervisor follows this up together with the candidate