The proposal for a doctoral programme in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering has taken into account that the procedures for monitoring the doctoral student and supervising the doctoral thesis are appropriate to ensure that the student acquires the skills defined in the doctoral programme. These procedures arise from and are in accordance with Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies and the Resolution of 17 January 2013, which provides for the publication of the Regulations for Official Doctoral Studies at the University of La Laguna.
The Regulations for Official Doctoral Studies at the University of La Laguna describe in article 10, points 3 and 4, the activities planned to promote direction or co-direction, in those cases academically justified, for the development of the program. Thus, the thesis may have another director, who must meet the same requirements established to be a thesis director in that doctoral program, when there are reasons of an academic nature, such as the case of thematic interdisciplinarity or programs developed in national or international collaboration, with prior authorization from the Academic Committee. Likewise, a new researcher or a professor or researcher with a minimum of research experience who does not meet the requirements established to be a thesis director may assume the functions of co-director. In any case, he or she must have a civil service or contractual relationship with the university or organization that collaborates in the development of the program.
Traditionally, in the area of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of La Laguna, the involvement of the teaching staff in the supervision of theses has been very high. A large majority of the teaching staff in these areas have committed themselves to the doctoral programme and have shown their interest in supervising doctoral theses, with there being a greater offer from the directors than the demand from potential doctoral students, despite the fact that the number of the latter has remained the same or even increased in recent years.
However, in order to encourage the production of higher quality theses with a more transversal content, periodic information and coordination meetings have been planned between the potential directors of the program. The objective is to keep potential directors informed of regulatory changes, opportunities to produce theses in co-supervision or with international mention, etc.
These meetings will be organized by both the Doctoral School and the Academic Committee of the Program.
In addition, the work of direction is encouraged through the recognition of these tasks in teaching assignments within its regulations, the Model for the Estimation of the Teaching Assignment of the Areas in the New Degree and Postgraduate Degrees of the University of La Laguna. This regulation establishes a reduction of the teaching load of up to 3 credits for thesis direction. This regulation can be consulted here.
Apart from the mechanisms for information and recognition/computation of the work of tutoring/direction referred to above, the University of La Laguna has contemplated systems to encourage the incorporation of new researchers or professors with research results that do not allow them to act as thesis directors, since they have not been validated by recognition of evaluations of research merits. In this sense, the Regulations of Official Doctoral Studies in its article 10, section 4 establishes that: "Without prejudice to the As indicated in the previous section, a new researcher or a professor or researcher with a minimum of research experience who does not meet the requirements established to be a thesis director may take on the functions of co-director. In any case, he or she must have a civil service or contractual relationship with the university or organization that collaborates in the development of the program. There may not be more than one co-director of this profile. The aim is for these researchers/professors to acquire the appropriate level to be able to join the program as directors when they meet the conditions established by the ULL in its Regulations for being able to be so.
Also, in the latest amendment to the Regulation of Regulation Regarding the Hiring of Assistant Professors, Collaborating Professors, Contract Professors, Associate Professors and Assistants of the University of La Laguna, the corresponding scales, within the block of research activity, include as an assessment criterion having directed doctoral theses.
Likewise, the University of La Laguna has a Commitment model documentary with the doctoral student, stipulated by article 21 of the Regulations of Official Doctoral Studies for the supervision of doctoral theses, which defines the respective rights and duties and the reciprocal commitments of the signatories in order to ensure the achievement of the previously defined objectives during the period of preparation of the doctoral thesis, the signatories of this document being the doctoral student, the thesis director who guides the research project (or tutor, if applicable) and the Vice-Rector with responsibilities in doctoral studies.
Finally, the Regulations for Official Doctoral Studies at the University of La Laguna include Article 28, which refers to the International Mention. Based on this article, the Procedure for Requesting the International Mention in the doctoral degree has been developed. In this regard, the participation of international experts in the monitoring committees, in the issuance of reports prior to the presentation of doctoral theses and in the thesis reading tribunals is planned.
Article 30 of the Official Doctoral Studies Regulations of the ULL provides that in the joint supervision regime for doctoral theses between the University of La Laguna and a university in another country, experts from other countries participate with the aim of creating and developing scientific cooperation between research teams from both institutions and facilitating the mobility of doctoral students.
This PhD programme adheres to the European Charter for Research and Code of Conduct for Recruitment of Research, assuming the principles of intellectual freedom, ethical praxis, professional responsibility, transparent and efficient financial management of funds, joint responsibility of institutions in the appropriate dissemination of results and efforts in ongoing training and the role of established researchers in the dynamisation of younger researchers. Likewise, the ULL will guarantee the principles and rights regarding pluralism, ideological and religious freedom, non-discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality or sex, and equal opportunities with special attention to disabled people, as well as confidentiality in the custody and treatment of personal data of doctoral students in its possession.
Regarding stays at other centres, co-supervisions and international mentions, based on the evolution that these activities have had in recent years, it is expected that the number of doctoral students who opt for them will increase.
The aim is for at least 50% of students to obtain the international mention, which entails a stay of at least three months in another foreign institution.
As indicated in the context of the programme, the various research teams have signed staff exchange agreements with various non-European institutions, which can be consulted at this link for the doctorate, with countries such as Belgium, Italy, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Romania.
Currently, agreements with foreign institutions are being transformed to adapt them to the Erasmus + programme. This will allow greater flexibility when choosing a destination for stays.