PhD in Regional Development

Training activities

Participation in workshops and/or seminars on research methodologies applied to social sciences

  • Number of hours: 10
  • Description:
    • Workshops and seminars will be planned in collaboration with other Institutions and Research Centres, as well as with public/private companies and other entities (for example Chambers of Commerce, Regional Government Departments, NGOs, etc.) that will allow the acquisition and flow of knowledge between researchers, professionals and PhD students of the Programme. The contents may cover:
      • Structure of a scientific research project.
      • Scientific research methodologies in social sciences (both quantitative and qualitative).
      • Management of Scientific Information and Data. Depending on the budgetary possibilities and the availability of teaching load of the Program's teaching staff, the Academic Committee of the Program may organize an internal seminar of this nature or, alternatively, accredit attendance at seminars of this type in other institutions for the partial or total completion of this activity.
    • Learning Outcomes (Competencies promoted): CB16, CA04 and CA06. The activity will help the PhD student to consolidate the competencies CB16, CA04 and CA06 and in particular to gain a deeper understanding of the methodology of scientific research in social sciences and the management of scientific information in the field of Regional Development, guiding them towards specific application in the various lines of research that articulate the program. It is recommended as a first-year activity for both full-time and part-time students.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Control procedure: Each workshop or seminar session will generate an attendance check and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the lecturer or organizing institution. Attendance at each activity will require the corresponding certificate of attendance issued by the institution or center of the University itself or by any external institution that teaches or organizes it. The corresponding certificate will be included by the doctoral student in his or her respective "Document of Activities." These recorded activities will be evaluated favorably or unfavorably by the tutor and/or Director before the evaluation by the Academic Committee responsible for the Program. Both full-time and part-time students may participate in all of the training activities described. Thus:
    • Certificates of attendance will form part of the PhD student's activity document (DAD), which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the Thesis Director and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the programme.
    • The tutor of each doctoral student will try to establish with him/her an attendance plan based on the forecasts known at the beginning of each course. This plan may be adapted based on new training offers.

Collaboration in the organization of seminars, workshops, conferences, etc.

  • Number of hours: 5
  • Description:
    • It is estimated that within a three-year period, one of the research groups involved will organize or participate in the organization of this type of event (seminars, workshops, conferences, etc.), with the doctoral students collaborating in their scientific organization, either by collaborating with the scientific committees and observing how the review and analysis of communications is carried out, as well as the generation of parallel sessions, round tables, etc.
    • Learning Outcomes (Skills to be promoted): CB16 and CA04. The activity will help the PhD student to consolidate skills CB16 and CA04. Specifically, the PhD student will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the processes and mechanisms for reviewing and evaluating scientific papers and communications in the field of Regional Development. Although it is recommended that this activity be carried out in the first year of the PhD, both for full-time and part-time students, its effective completion is contemplated over the entire period (three years for full-time PhD students, and five for part-time students).
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Control procedure: Each collaboration will generate an attendance check and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the professor or organizing institution that will issue a certificate of collaboration in the event of a positive evaluation. The corresponding certificate of collaboration will be included by the doctoral student in his or her respective "Document of Activities". These recorded activities will be evaluated favorably or unfavorably by the tutor and/or Director before the evaluation by the Academic Committee responsible for the Program. Both full-time and part-time students may participate in all of the training activities described. All these checks will form part of the doctoral student's document of activities (DAD) which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the thesis Director and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the program.

Seminars given by teaching and research staff participating in the program (including visiting professors)

  • Number of hours: 24
  • Description:
    • One-hour activity, in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th months of each academic year. In the case of visiting doctoral professors, a visit of 4 researchers per academic year has been planned, each giving a one-hour seminar. Attendance is mandatory for all doctoral students in the program (for part-time doctoral students, this requirement will be graduated to make it compatible with their 5-year training period, so that it is carried out in their first and second year of the program). These seminars may include topics of a methodological nature (approaches, methodologies and research techniques), tools (English in fields of knowledge related to the Doctoral Program, preparation of scientific articles and doctoral theses) and presentation of research results obtained by the Program's researchers.
    • Learning Outcomes (Competencies that are promoted):
      The activity will help the PhD student to consolidate the competencies CB14, CB16, CA05, and CA06. In particular, to gain a deeper knowledge of innovative methodologies as well as current issues in the field of Regional Development research, guiding them towards specific application in the various lines of research that articulate the program.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Monitoring procedure: Each seminar will generate an attendance control through attendance sheets and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the academic committee, which will issue a certificate of collaboration in the event of a positive evaluation. The corresponding certificate of collaboration will be included by the doctoral student in his or her respective "Document of Activities". Both full-time and part-time students may participate in all of the training activities described. All of these controls will form part of the doctoral student's document of activities (DAD), which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the thesis Director and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the programme.

Participation in specialized conferences

  • Number of hours: 20
  • Description:
    • Depending on the dates of the conference, it is recommended that the PhD student attend at least one conference prior to defending the thesis, completing the processes of writing a communication, registering for the conference, attending the conference and presenting the communication. It is expected that said communication will be based on some of the aspects, or even partial results, of the thesis.
    • Learning Outcomes: The aim is to put into practice the set of acquired research skills related to writing a communication sent to a national or international conference and, where appropriate, presenting the content of said communication at the corresponding meeting. Specifically, the following skills are promoted: CA01, CA02, CA03, CA04 and CA06.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Control procedure: Each seminar will generate an attendance control through attendance sheets and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the academic committee, which will issue a certificate of collaboration in the event of a positive evaluation. The attendance certificate, as well as the corresponding communication submitted, will be used to issue a favorable report on said training activity that will allow it to be included in the respective "Document of Activities". Both full-time and part-time students enrolled may participate in all of the training activities described. All these controls will form part of the doctoral student's activity document (DAD), which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the thesis Director, and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the program.
  • Mobility activities: Attendance at specialized international conferences will be encouraged. Funding for this activity will be provided by grants from public or private entities, as well as, to the extent feasible, by funds from the PhD student's research group.

Active participation in seminars organized by the academic committee of the doctoral program

  • Number of hours: 18
  • Description:
    • Two three-hour meetings are scheduled per academic year, in the fifth and eleventh months, in which the doctoral students will present the results obtained so far, as well as the difficulties or problems that the research poses to them. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory for all persons enrolled in the program, and first-year students and their tutors will also participate. For part-time doctoral students, this requirement will be graduated to make it compatible with their 5-year training period. It will consist of the presentation of short papers by each of the doctoral students and a debate on them. The academic committee, in agreement with the thesis directors, will establish the participation procedure.
    • Learning Outcomes (Competencies promoted):The activity will help the PhD student to consolidate the competencies CB11, CB12, CB15, CA01, CA04, CA06. The existence of an interdisciplinary work space aims to achieve mutual knowledge, the exchange of ideas and opinions, advice and guidance that enrich the theoretical/methodological foundation of the PhD students and encourage the development of a broad and interdisciplinary view of the issues related to their research in the field of Regional Development. As well as being capable of intellectual criticism and defense.
      of solutions.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Control procedure: Each seminar will generate an attendance control through attendance sheets and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the academic committee, which will issue a certificate of collaboration in the event of a positive evaluation. The corresponding certificate of collaboration will be included by the doctoral student in his or her respective "Activity Document".
    Both full-time and part-time students may participate in the training activities described above. All these controls will form part of the PhD student's activity document (DAD), which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the thesis Director and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the programme.

Preparation of a scientific article

  • Number of hours: 12
  • Description:
    • With the advice of the director in the preparation and design of the article, the doctoral student will prepare the article in accordance with the set of rules for organization and writing established by the chosen journal and will be subject to review by the journal. Acceptance of the original by the journal will not be a condition required for validation of the activity, but the comments from the evaluation received will be taken into account to improve the original before obtaining final validation of the activity. The development of this activity is recommended in the second and third year.
    • Learning Outcomes: The aim is to put into practice the set of acquired research skills focused on a specific and manageable case: writing an article based on one of the aspects, or even partial results of the thesis. The PhD student will learn the structure and design of academic and scientific publications, and how to deal with the review processes of scientific texts for their publication in high-impact publications. The skills promoted are the following: CB13, CB14, CB16, CA04, CA05 and CA06.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Control procedure: A basic element in the evaluation of this activity will be the reports of the reviewers of the corresponding journal. The director will have access to them in order to guide - if necessary - the doctoral student in improving his original. This activity will be evaluated favorably or unfavorably by the tutor and/or Director before the final evaluation by the Academic Committee responsible for the Program. The corresponding certificate will be included by the doctoral student in his respective "Document of Activities."

Internships in R&D Centers

  • Number of hours: 480
  • Description:
    • Stays of a minimum of 480 hours (12 weeks) will be encouraged. PhD students will be encouraged to undertake research stays, whenever possible, during the time required to obtain the European mention. PhD students, under the advice and coordination of their tutor or director, may arrange with an external academic centre, national or international, a research stay supervised by a professor or researcher from said centre, in order to develop instrumental or specific aspects of their thesis, from learning specific techniques, designing measurement or analysis instruments, critical review and design of specific sections of their research, etc. The reception centres will be determined based on existing agreements, or from specific contacts of the thesis tutor or director. If the PhD student has external co-directors, the stay may be carried out at the centre and under the supervision of that co-director. In cases where the thesis director deems it appropriate, various short stays of four weeks each will be promoted to learn methods and techniques useful for the development of the research being carried out by the doctoral student, as well as collaboration in research activities of research groups of interest to the student.
    • Learning Outcomes (Competencies that are promoted):
      The activity will help the PhD student to consolidate the competencies CB11, CB12, CB13, CB14, CB15, CA01 to CA06. In particular, to gain a deeper knowledge of the methodology of scientific research in social sciences and current issues in the field of Regional Development, guiding them towards specific application in the various lines of research that articulate the program. Likewise, it will serve to establish contacts with certain international specialists, first relationships with researchers from other networks.
      that offer special interest, consolidate these if they have already been started, etc.
      This activity is recommended from the second year for full-time PhD students and from the third year for part-time PhD students. In any case, the stay is recommended after the first year, both for full-time and part-time students.
    • Teaching Languages: Spanish and English.
  • Monitoring procedure: Each stay will generate an attendance check and an evaluation (positive or negative) by the doctor supervising the doctoral student at the host centre in the event of a positive evaluation. The corresponding certificate of stay will be included by the doctoral student in his or her respective "Document of Activities". These recorded activities will be evaluated favourably or unfavourably by the tutor and/or Director before the evaluation by the Academic Committee responsible for the Programme. Both full-time and part-time students may participate in all of the training activities described. All these controls will form part of the doctoral student's document of activities (DAD) which will be regularly reviewed by the Tutor and the thesis Director and evaluated by the Academic Committee responsible for the programme.
  • Mobility activities: The mobility activity programming for part-time students is developed in the same way for this type of students with the only particularity that those enrolled in this second category have two additional years to be able to develop it. For the financing of this type of activity, public and/or private aid will be used:
    • FPU/FPI programs
    • Erasmus Programme
    • Ministry grants support for student mobility in programs with a Mention towards Excellence
    • European, national, regional and ULL calls for short research stays
    • The research group where the doctoral student is integrated