Are you satisfied with your PhD programme?
Until November 27 all PhD students at Aarhus University can participate in a new survey with the aim to provide an in-depth understanding of the quality of PhD programmes throughout the university.
Well-being, supervision, research environment, publication and career plans. These are some of the parameters which will be explored in the large survey which AU’s four graduate schools launched this week. The aim of the survey is to map PhD students’ perception of the quality of their programmes.
Educating highly qualified researchers is an important task for Aarhus University, and in this connection understanding how PhD students experience the conditions offered by their programmes as well as their organization is decisive. According to Lise Wogensen Bach, vice-dean at Health and chair of the committee of the heads of AU’s graduate schools, this knowledge is the key to maintaining the quality of PhD programmes and ensuring their continued development:
“I hope that as many PhD students as possible will take the time to complete the questionnaire. The insight we gain from the answers will help set the direction for our work on quality and the identification of the most important focus areas.” Bach emphasises that this knowledge is particularly relevant in the current climate, in which the value of doctoral education is often challenged – for example by politicians.
The university’s four graduate schools are behind the survey, which is being carried out for the second time.
The first survey took place in autumn 2013, and the response rate was 79 per cent. The graduate schools place a high priority on achieving an equally high or higher response rate this year.
A link to the survey was sent to all PhD students on Monday 30 October. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete the survey, which will be open to respondents until 27 November 2017.
If you have any questions about the survey, you are welcome to contact Associate Professor Gitte Wichmann-Hansen, project manager.