Once the doctoral student has enrolled in the program, their tutor and thesis supervisor will establish their personalized activity document for the purposes of the individualized control record referred to in Article 2.5 of the Regulations for Official Doctoral Studies at the University of La Laguna.

This document will record all activities of interest to the development of the doctoral student, as regulated by the university, the Doctoral School, the body responsible for the doctoral program, or the academic committee itself. It will be regularly reviewed by the tutor and the thesis supervisor, and evaluated by the academic committee responsible for the doctoral program.

Before the end of the first year, the doctoral student will prepare a Research Plan that will include, at a minimum, the methodology to be used and the objectives to be achieved, as well as the means and timeline to achieve them. This Plan may be improved and detailed throughout the student's stay in the program and must be endorsed by the tutor and the director. In this Research Plan, the program's Academic Committee will promote internships at other centers, particularly those where program researchers outside the University of La Laguna carry out their work and where activities are carried out that benefit the development of the doctoral student's research plan, such as conferences, seminars, or participation in activities of research groups at the institutes or research centers of the universities collaborating in the program. For example, see the extensive catalog of activities carried out at the CEDEPLAR (Center for Research and Development of the Federal University of Minas Gerais), one of the collaborating universities. To facilitate student mobility and thus lay the groundwork for obtaining International Mentions in the Doctoral Degree, which, in accordance with Article 28 of the Regulations for Official Doctoral Studies at the University of La Laguna, requires (among other requirements) a minimum stay of three months outside of Spain, the Academic Committee will inform doctoral students of the program of the grant applications published by the University of La Laguna itself, as well as those that may come from other institutions or organizations.

The program's academic committee will annually evaluate the development of the doctoral student's research plan and activities document, along with the reports that the tutor and director must issue for this purpose.

The program includes the participation of international experts in monitoring committees, which must issue annual reports at the request of the program's Academic Committee to evaluate progress in the Research Plan and the activities carried out by doctoral students. However, the in-person participation of international experts in these sessions will be subject to the availability and budgetary guidelines of the University of La Laguna.

A positive evaluation is an essential requirement for continuing in the program. In the event of a negative evaluation, the academic committee will issue a report justifying it, proposing appropriate corrective measures for the next evaluation. In the case of a negative evaluation, the doctoral student must be re-evaluated within six months, for which purpose a new Research Plan will be drawn up. In the event of another negative evaluation, the doctoral student will be permanently withdrawn from the program.

Procedures for the appointment of a thesis tutor and director

The appointment of the doctoral candidate's tutor and thesis supervisor, as well as any changes that may be made, will be made by the program's Academic Committee in accordance with the provisions of Articles 9 and 10 of the Official Doctoral Program Regulations of the University of La Laguna, which are reproduced below:

• Article 9.- Tutor. 1. Once admitted to the doctoral program and registration has been verified, each doctoral student will be assigned a tutor by the corresponding academic committee. The tutor must be a doctor and a professor of the doctoral program authorized to supervise doctoral theses according to the requirements established in these regulations. The tutor will be responsible for ensuring the doctoral student's interaction with the academic committee and their supervisor, where applicable. 2. The academic committee, after hearing the doctoral student, may modify the appointment of the assigned tutor at any time during the doctoral program, provided there are justified reasons. If it deems it appropriate, it may request reports from the tutor and the thesis supervisor. 3. The tutor's duties shall be:
  • Regularly review, together with the thesis director, the document on the doctoral student's activities, as defined in article 2.5 of these regulations.
  • Before the end of the first year, endorse, together with the thesis director, the research plan prepared by the doctoral student.
  • Sign the documentary commitment together with the University, the doctoral student and the director.
  • Issue and submit annually to the academic committee the report provided for in article 23.3 of these regulations.
  • Ensure the inclusion of the University of La Laguna in all communications, presentations, and publications that disseminate the results of research conducted by the students under its supervision.
• Article 10.- Thesis Supervisor 1. Within a period of no more than one month from the doctoral candidate's registration, the academic committee responsible for the program will assign a doctoral thesis supervisor, who may or may not be the same as the tutor referred to in the previous article. This assignment may be made to any Spanish or foreign doctor who meets any of the following requirements:
  • Be in possession of at least one section of research merits, in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 1086/1989, of August 28, on university teaching staff salaries (BOE No. 216, of September 9), amended by Royal Decrees 1949/1995, of December 1 (BOE No. 16, of January 18, 1996); 74/2000, of January 21 (BOE No. 19, of January 22), and 1325/2002, of December 13 (BOE No. 305, of December 21), or equivalent merits for those who do not have access to the assessment of these sections because they do not belong to university teaching bodies.
  • Hold three research merit groups, as established in Decree 140/2002, of October 7 (Official Gazette No. 139, of October 18), and have supervised a doctoral thesis or co-supervised two. In both cases, regardless of the university, center, or institution where the research is provided, the research must be part of one of the lines included in the corresponding doctoral program.
• 2. The academic committee, after hearing the doctoral candidate and, where applicable, their tutor, may modify the appointment of the doctoral thesis supervisor at any time during the doctoral program, provided there are justified reasons. A corresponding report from the supervisor will be requested. 3. The thesis may have another supervisor, who must meet the same requirements established for the thesis supervisor in that doctoral program, when there are academic reasons, such as thematic interdisciplinarity or programs developed in national or international collaboration, with prior authorization from the academic committee. This authorization may be revoked later if, in the opinion of the academic committee, co-supervision does not benefit the development of the thesis. 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous section, the duties of co-supervisor may be assumed by a new researcher or a professor or researcher with a minimum of research experience who does not meet the requirements established for a thesis supervisor. In all cases, the student must have a civil service or contractual relationship with the university or organization collaborating in the program. There may be no more than one co-director of this profile. 5. The academic committee of the doctoral program will ensure an appropriate and proportionate distribution of doctoral students among the research lines comprising the doctoral program and among the directors. For these purposes, the following limitations are established:
  • In the same academic year, the same thesis director may not be appointed to more than three new students with full-time dedication, or equivalent.
  • It is established that a supervisor may not simultaneously supervise more than four doctoral theses being completed full-time, or part-time equivalents. Likewise, the same team of supervisor and co-supervisor may not simultaneously supervise more than four theses.
  • The limit indicated in the preceding section may be increased to eight in the case of supervisors whose previous theses have each resulted in at least two publications in internationally reviewed scientific journals. In any case, starting with the fifth doctoral thesis, a co-supervisor is mandatory, without prejudice to the limitations indicated in the preceding section.
  • Theses completed under the joint supervision modality will not be counted for the purposes indicated in this section.
  • For each thesis that does not have proof of receipt of at least one publication from the corresponding publishing entity within a period of no more than one year after its defense, the limits indicated for thesis supervision in this section will be reduced by one.
• 6. The work of supervising doctoral students and directing theses will be recognized as part of the teaching and research dedication of the teaching staff in the
  terms established by the corresponding regulations of the University of La Laguna. 7. Any supervisor whose doctoral students defend their theses in a period exceeding four years will see the limit established in article 10.5.b of these regulations reduced by one for each thesis defended in a period exceeding the indicated one. The same will apply, in terms
  equivalent temporary positions, to theses being completed on a part-time basis. For these purposes, voluntary withdrawals by doctoral students or disassociations resulting from negative evaluations of their research plans will not be taken into account. 8. The thesis supervisor is obliged to include the University of La Laguna in all presentations, communications, and publications in which results from the research conducted by their doctoral students are disseminated. Furthermore, the department to which they are attached must be stated in the case of a professor at the University of La Laguna, unless the corresponding editorial standards prohibit this, without prejudice to mentioning their affiliation with other research entities. Failure to comply with this obligation will mean that they cannot be appointed as supervisor of new doctoral students. The supervisor may justify the cause of the non-compliance before the Academic Committee of the doctoral program, which will decide on the application of the provisions of this section.

Academic Committee, Coordination and Faculty of the Program

For its part, Articles 11 to 17 of the Official Doctoral Program Regulations at the ULL, reproduced below, define the various academic and management bodies of the program, as well as the teaching staff.

The same person may not hold the position of professor and student of an official doctoral program.

Article 11.- Academic coordination of the doctoral program.

Each doctoral programme will have a coordinator appointed by the Rector, in accordance with the terms set out in these Regulations. In the case of joint programmes with other universities or research institutions, the coordinator will be appointed in accordance with the provisions of the collaboration agreement.

This status must be held by a relevant researcher and be supported by the previous supervision or co-supervision of at least two doctoral theses and the justification of the possession of at least two periods of recognized research activity in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 1086/1989, of August 28, on university teaching staff remuneration, the last of which must be in force. In the event that said researcher occupies a position in which the aforementioned evaluation criterion is not applicable, he or she must demonstrate merits comparable to those indicated.

Article 12.- Functions of the academic coordinator. The functions of the academic coordinator shall be:

Chair the academic committee of the official doctoral program.

Prepare the reports required by the Rector regarding applications for authorization of enrollment of foreign students.

Carry out all necessary procedures with the Doctoral School or the body responsible for the doctoral program, as well as with the competent bodies and services for the resolution of academic problems that arise during the development of the program. Likewise, the candidate will be responsible for carrying out the procedures established as his/her responsibility in calls for applications from public or private organizations aimed at financing actions within the framework of doctoral training.

Participate in the quality evaluation processes of the programme, in accordance with the provisions of Article 36 of this Regulation.

Inform the Doctoral School of the updated list of potential thesis supervisors for each line of research, as well as the list of co-supervisors, before the registration periods established for each academic year, accompanied by documentary evidence of compliance with the conditions established for being eligible, in the case of the incorporation of new supervisors.

Monitor compliance with the provisions of these regulations regarding the dissemination of research results by students of the official doctoral program that it coordinates.

Any other functions assigned by the applicable regulations and competent bodies.

Article 13.- Validity of academic coordination

The academic coordination will last for three academic years from the date of appointment.

The position may be extended for another equal period of time.

Once the term of the academic coordination has expired, or if it becomes vacant for any of the reasons contemplated in the current regulations, the Rector will proceed to appoint a new coordinator, in light of the proposal of the corresponding academic committee, after hearing the center or body on which the doctoral program depends.

Article 14.- The academic commission.

The academic committee of the official doctoral program will be composed of a maximum of seven participating professors and/or researchers, including the academic coordinator, who will serve as its chair. The academic committee must include at least one member from each line of research within the doctoral program, respecting the aforementioned limit. If there are more than seven lines of research, the academic committee will be renewed at the end of each term, with professors and/or researchers from those lines that did not have representatives in the previous term being appointed as members. Where appropriate, a rotating system for appointing members will be established for each line of research, ensuring that each line of research does not have a representative on the academic committee for more than two consecutive terms.

Members of the academic committee who are professors or researchers must meet the same requirements established for being a thesis supervisor in the corresponding doctoral program.

In addition, up to three representatives from entities external to the doctoral program who collaborate in its development may join the academic committee as members, provided they hold a doctoral degree. If necessary, a rotating system will be established for the appointment of representatives by external entities.

Article 15.- Functions of the Academic Committee. The functions of the Academic Committee shall be the following:

Propose the admission of students.

Establish the training supplements that admitted students must complete, if applicable, based on their admission profile, in accordance with the requirements established in the doctoral program verification application report.

Assign a tutor and director to each new student entering the doctoral program.

Collaborate with the academic coordinator in the development of his/her functions.

Evaluate the research plan and activity document of each student in the program within the established deadlines.

Select the doctors who must issue the reports on those doctoral theses that aspire to the title of Doctor with International Mention.

Analyze the doctoral theses submitted to begin their defense process, with a view to issuing the corresponding report, in accordance with the provisions of Article 26.2.c) of these regulations.

Formulate the proposal for the appointment of the doctors who will form part of the thesis committee.

Propose to the Rector the appointment of a new academic coordinator once the termination occurs due to the completion of the period established in these regulations, or due to any of the circumstances contemplated in current legislation for academic positions.

Verify each academic year that the members of the doctoral program meet the requirements established to be assigned as thesis supervisors. To this end, they will send an updated list of these to the Doctoral School before the beginning of each academic year.

Any others assigned by the competent bodies.

Article 16.- Validity of the academic commission

Membership of the academic committee will last three academic years from the date of appointment, provided the qualifications for membership are maintained. Otherwise, the member will be dismissed and replaced in the academic year in which it is determined that the member does not meet these requirements.

The members of the research lines that comprise the doctoral program may replace the members they designate when any of the reasons contemplated in the regulations governing membership in collegiate bodies arise.

The membership of the academic committee may be extended once if the members of the research line to which they are assigned so deem it appropriate.

Article 17.- The teaching staff.

The teaching staff of an official doctoral program must hold a doctorate degree, without prejudice to the possibility of collaborating in certain specific activities with other individuals or professionals by virtue of their relevant qualifications in the corresponding field of knowledge.