Pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences at Cologne and admission to the GSGS

If you would like to be a doctoral candidate member of the GSGS, your first step is to find an advisor (professor or other person entitled to supervise doctoral candidates in the Faculty) and apply for admission as a doctoral candidate with the doctoral office of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne (UoC).

Both your advisor and a GSGS coordinator have to sign the relevant application form, which serves as your registration with the GSGS.

Before you decide to enter into a doctoral candidate-advisor relationship, we strongly encourage you to fill complete this questionnaire and ask your envisaged advisor to do the same. In a subsequent ‘preparatory’ conversation, both of you can compare your answers and then decide if you both think that you are compatible enough to start in the relationship.

For further information, check the page on doctorate.

For information about becoming a GSGS member without applying for admission, go to our membership page.

The above chart (Fig. 1) outlines how structured guidance is organised within the GSGS. More detailed information can be found in the Supervision Agreement.

The Admission section gives information on what to do to become a GSGS member.

As a GSGS member you should

1. Form a thesis advisory committee (TAC);
2. Sign a supervision agreement with the members of your TAC;
3. Report regularly to your TAC and the GSGS office;
4. Meet frequently with your TAC members.

Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)

Note 1: TAC members are not necessarily the people who will serve on the examination board for the thesis defence.

TAC Meeting Goals

The Thesis Advisory Committee (from here on referred to as TAC) is responsible for the individual scientific guidance of doctoral candidates in addition to their (official) advisor (see Glossary for different roles). The official advisor can be a TAC member. The main purpose of TAC meetings is to keep track of and discuss the scientific progress, and to offer advice on the thesis project’s development. At least one mentor is not part of the (official) advisor’s research group  and thus provides an external view of the project and an independent opinion. If necessary, this independent mentor can mediate between the doctoral candidate and the (official) advisor. In cases of serious conflict, the TAC can hand over to dedicated ombudspersons. Additionally, the TAC should advise doctoral candidates on career planning and professional development.

TAC composition

1. The TAC consists of the advisor and, if applicable the official advisor, at least one mentor and the doctoral candidate.
2. At least one mentor must come from outside of the research group(s) of both the advisor and the official advisor in order to promote  independence. Mentors may come from outside the University of Cologne.
3. In their first meeting, the TAC appoint a TAC chairperson. The TAC chairperson moderates the meetings and ensures the documentation of the TAC meetings.
4. All TAC members should be present at each TAC meeting (TAC meetings can be conducted using an online conferencing tool).

TAC Topics

1. Project progress and timeline:
   1. The main focus of the TAC should be to provide scientific guidance to the doctoral candidate and offer scope beyond the input from the doctoral candidate’s research group.
   2. Record of on-the-job training in (experimental) techniques, evaluation methods, theoretical background, literature, network, outlook /research plan /proposal
   3. Adjustments of research plans /change of topic /unexpected developments
   4. (First) results
   5. Finishing up / rounding off the project
2. Publication strategy, especially the format of the thesis
3. Conference attendance
4. Career plans, recommended workshops/ trainings
5. Conflict prevention. In addition, the TAC should point out the different contact points at Department, Faculty and University level for complaint management.

Suggested TAC meeting format

• Short presentation by doctoral candidate
• Progress discussion with all TAC members
• Discussion without advisor (mandatory)
• Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Supervision Agreement

1. The doctoral candidate and his/her/their advisor agree on and sign a supervision agreement (download to fill out) within the first 3 months of a candidate’s project. It contains the names of 1 to 3 mentors, who will also be part of the doctoral candidate's TAC
2. The doctoral candidate uploads the digitally signed agreement to Docfile, in the graduate program ("G") record.
3. The doctoral candidate notifies the GSGS office of the upload via an email to gradschool-geosciuni-koeln.de

Please consult the Docfile Frequently Asked Questions for help on uploading documents in Docfile.

In principle, the supervision agreement needs to be uploaded before any GSGS training (apart from Induction Part A) can be attended or funding can be applied for.

By mutual agreement of the both signatories, most parts of this document can be changed at any time. Inform the GSGS office via the procedure described above of any changes to your supervision agreement. Both parties must notify both the GSGS and the Doctoral Office of the Faculty of the cancellation of a supervision agreement.

Glossary

Advisor / Betreuer*in des Promotionsvorhabens: Person usually at the research institution where the doctoral project is being worked on. This person signs section 5.1 of the Application for Admission as Doctoral Student / Antrag auf Zulassung als DoktorandIn (see https://mathnat.uni-koeln.de/en/doctoral-candidates/forms-guidelines) 
Official Advisor / formale*r Betreuer*in: Person holding the right to supervise doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (only necessary in addition to the advisor, if the advisor does not hold this right). This person signs section 5.2 of the Application for Admission as Doctoral Student / Antrag auf Zulassung als DoktorandIn (see https://mathnat.uni-koeln.de/en/doctoral-candidates/forms-guidelines)
Mentor: Person holding a doctorate or PhD degree who joins the TAC alongside the advisor(s), without having an advisor role.
TAC Chairperson: Person with a doctorate or PhD degree appointed by the TAC from among its members to chair the meetings and ensure its documentation.

Rules and forms have changed from August, 2023. Should you have any questions, please consult the FAQs or join us during the online consultation hour.

As a doctoral candidate you have to meet with your TAC at least once every 9 months. The first TAC meeting is 6 months after your project start. These meetings are initiated and organised by you. The GSGS suggests to hold TAC meetings with all TAC members at the same time, but depending on the composition of your TAC, joint or separate meetings can be held; also teleconferences are an option.You must meet with all TAC members at least every 9 months.

The aim of these meetings is to discuss and keep track of the planning and progress of your research project and any other important matters, and to identify any training needs. See further information in the “TAC meeting goals” describe above.

All official TAC meetings are recorded using your personal TAC Status Report.

First TAC meeting

Preparation

About 5 months after your project start you

1. arrange a meeting date with all TAC members (due 6 months after your project start);
2. write a Research Plan (you can find guidelines in the downloads section);
3. create a Time Schedule;
4. download the template "TAC Status Report" from the downloads section;
5. complete the necessary sections of TAC Status Report (marked in blue).

Two weeks before the meeting date, you send the following documents to your TAC members. This ensures that they have time to look at them and give you proper feedback.

1. Research Plan
2. Time Schedule
3. pre-completed 'living' TAC Status Report

In the meeting

In the meeting, your TAC will provide feedback to your Research Plan and Time Schedule. With your TAC, you will discuss at least the compulsory sections of the TAC Status Report, and your TAC will complete at least the sections marked in yellow. In Section 2.5, your TAC members will indicate which documents you will need to supply for the next TAC meeting.

Make sure that at the end of the meeting, your 'living' TAC Status Report contains all necessary information / feedback. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT SIGNED.

At the end of the meeting, also take your time to meet with at least one of your mentors without your advisor, or agree on a separate meeting date. The mentor will have to sign for this meeting taking place (after it took place!) in Section 2.7 on a COPY of the TAC Status Report.

As soon as possible after the meeting

1. You need to have the ‘living’ TAC Status Report with all entries/information and NO SIGNATURES.
2. Keep your updated ‘living’ TAC Status Report in a safe space (by preference in Docfile G-record)
3. You need to have a signed COPY 1 (or multiple COPIES 1 (e.g. 1_LastNameA, 1_LastNameB) signed by separate TAC members) together containing the signatures of all TAC members and yourself.
4. One of your mentors needs to sign for the meeting without the Advisor (Section 2.7) on  COPY 1.
5. Check which documents your TAC want to receive and when (see TAC Status Report, Section 2.5) and write any action required in your diary.  
6. Upload to Docfile (G-record) at least:
   1. "COPY 1" of TAC Status Report (signatures from all TAC members required; either one copy signed by all or separately signed copies)
   2. your (updated) time schedule
   3. your (updated) Research Plan
7. Send an email to the GSGS office via gradschool-geosciuni-koeln.de to notify us of the upload.

We will check your uploaded documents in the Docfile G-record as soon as possible and give you feedback if necessary.

Subsequent TAC meetings

Preparation

About 14, 23, 32 (and 41) months after your project start you

1. arrange a meeting date with all TAC members (due 15 / 24 / 33 (and 42) months after your project start);
2. update your Time Schedule;
3. prepare any other documents required by TAC for second / third / fourth TAC meeting (see Section 2.5);
4. retrieve the updated ‘living’ TAC Status Report, e.g. from Docfile (G-record);
5. if applicable, record any changes in the Formalities in the TAC Status Report;
6. complete the necessary sections of the ‘living’ TAC Status Report for second / third / fourth meeting

Two weeks before the meeting date, you send the following documents to your TAC members. This ensures that they have time to look at them and give you proper feedback.

1. updated Time Schedule
2. updated 'living' TAC Status Report
3. any other documents required by the TAC

In the meeting

See "In the meeting" section for first TAC meeting.

As soon as possible after the meeting

1. You need to have the ‘living’ TAC Status Report with all entries/information and NO SIGNATURES.
2. Keep your updated ‘living’ TAC Status Report in a safe space (by preference in Docfile G-record)
3. You need to have a signed COPY 2 / 3 / 4 (or multiple COPIES 2 / 3 / 4 signed by separate TAC members) containing the signatures of all TAC members and yourself.
4. One of your mentors needs to sign for meeting without Advisor (Section 2.7) on COPY 2.
5. Check which documents your TAC want to receive and when (see TAC Status Report, Section 2.5) and write any action required in your diary.  
6. Upload to Docfile (G-record) at least:
   1. "COPY 2 / 3 / 4 " of TAC Status Report (signatures from all TAC members required; either one copy signed by all or separately signed copies)
   2. your (updated) time schedule
7. Send an email to the GSGS office via gradschool-geosciuni-koeln.de to notify us of the upload.

We will check your uploaded documents in the Docfile G-record as soon as possible and give you feedback if necessary.

About 43 months after your project start date, the GSGS will check if your fifth TAC meeting was planned to be your last TAC meeting before submission of your thesis. If yes, GSGS monitors your thesis submission; if not, GSGS will contact both you and your advisor (and /or TAC member(s) for consultation.

Compulsory parts of GSGS membership for doctoral candidates are:

1. Forming a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC, previously called doctoral committee, DC);
2. Signing a supervision agreement
3. Reporting regularly to your TAC and the GSGS office;
4. Meeting frequently with your TAC members;
5. Participating in the GSGS induction module;
6. Presenting a poster at a GSGS Research Conference.

GSGS Induction Module

An induction module is organised in four (previously three) parts. Every doctoral candidate member should attend each part. Besides general information about the GSGS, there are sessions on issues such as good scientific practice, scientific ethics, data management and data storage.

The general set up is:

• Part A - Being a GSGS member (several times per year, organised by GSGS)
• Part B - Good scientific practice (c. twice a year, organised by GSGS)
• Part C - Cooperation and Self-Management (c. twice a year, organised by GSGS)
• Part D - Research Data Management (several times per year, organised by AMC/C³RDM)*

You only need to attend each part once, but make sure that you attend all parts.

Please upload the certificate of participation from Induction D in DocFile. We will be notified automatically by e-mail about the upload.

*) If you attended Part C before 2020, you will not need to partake in Part D (the "old" Part C was split into the "new" parts C and D). If your latest transcript lists a "full induction module", you will not need to attend any further sessions. Please check with Karin if you are unsure.

See the Training table for planned induction meetings.

Each GSGS candidate has to present a poster at a GSGS Research Conference at least once during his or her project, ideally between 3 and 18 months after the project start date.

Special arrangements for members of doctoral programmes within the Geosciences: please contact GSGS coordinator Karin Boessenkool for details. Existing programmes are

• HITEC
• Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) of CRC TR172 (AC)³
• Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) of CRC 1211

Previous programmes were

• Marie-Curie Initial Training Network ITaRS
• IRTG of TR32
• Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) of CRC 806