PhD studies Regulation

No. 2391 (2) Regulation Amendment for the PhD Studies at the Department of Midwifery of the School of Health Sciences of the University of Western Macedonia

THE ASSEMBLY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN MACEDONIA

Article 1

General principles

With the present Regulation are defined the structure, the operation, and the requirements for the admission at the Program for Doctoral Studies (P.D.S) as well as the procedures for conducting the PhD dissertation and the obtainment of the Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of Midwifery of the Schοol of Health Sciences of the University of Western Macedonia, according to the provisions of the law 4485/2017. The rules of the present Regulation for PhD studies specify and complement the legal frame, as applicable from time to time, regulating the organization and operation of the third circle of studies of the relevant Department, and defining the more specific terms and conditions for the organization of the PhD studies as well as for conducting the PhD dissertation. The department of midwifery offers a program for PhD studies in the Greek, English and German languages. The terms and conditions of the PhD internal regulation apply to all the three languages no matter the selected language from the PhD candidates. The department is obliged to offer the courses (a) “Methodology of Biomedical Research and Biostatistics, (b) “Documented and Advanced Midwifery Care and (c) “Basic Principles of Perinatal Care”, in all three languages, provided that there are PhD candidates in each case.

ARTICLE 2

Purpose of the Program for PhD Studies

The Program of PhD Studies of the Department of Midwifery of the University of Western Macedonia has as its primary purpose the substantial contribution of the researchers to the development of knowledge and applications in the field of Midwifery. Moreover, the program aims to enable them [the researchers], to conduct innovative and novel scientific research in all fields / cognitive objects which are covered in Midwifery, in order for them to be able to staff Higher Education Institutions, Research Centers, Corporations and Organizations of the private and the public sectors both in Greece and internationally.

Article 3

Entitlement to application submission

Entitled to application submission for conducting a PhD dissertation are those who meet the following two conditions: 1. They are holders of a Bachelor’s degree of a Higher Education Institution or equivalent (Technological Education Institution) to the resident country or a recognized as an equal institution to the foreign country 2. They are holders of a Master’s degree of a Higher Education Institution of the resident country or a recognized as equivalent to the foreign country or a single and undivided qualification diploma at a master’s level (article 46 of the law 4485/2017).

Article 4

Candidate selection process

The announcement for the selection of doctoral candidates is made once every academic semester, or whenever the Assembly of the Department deems it appropriate. The announcements for the doctoral candidate positions are published in the daily press and are posted on the relevant websites of the Institution. The announcement defines:

  1. The duration of submission for the applications.
  2. The fields of knowledge in which the candidates can conduct a dissertation as well as the number of entrants per field of knowledge.
  3. The supporting documents that will accompany the application.

The application must include the proposed title, the proposed language of preparation, which may be different from Greek, and the proposed as supervisor of the doctoral dissertation.

Upon submission of the application, the candidate submits the following supporting documents:

  1. Α detailed Curriculum Vitae
  2. Α copy of the degree (Bachelor’s degree) and a detailed transcript of records, and, where applicable, a certificate of equivalence from the I.O.R.A.D.I. (Interdisciplinary Organization for the Recognition of Academic Degrees and Information) for degrees from institutions abroad.
  3. A copy of the postgraduate diploma (Master’s degree) and a detailed transcript of records, as well as, where applicable, a certificate of equivalence from the I.O.R.A.D.I. (Interdisciplinary Organization for the Recognition of Academic Degrees and Information) for degrees from institutions abroad.
  4. A thesis summary (if there is one).
  5. At least two (2) letters of recommendation from the academic research personnel in envelopes sealed by the authors.
  6. Proof of adequate knowledge of the English or the German or the French language.
  7. Copies of scientific publications and certificates of participation in research projects, relevant experience, etc. (if any).
  8. A draft of the doctoral thesis (research proposal), as described below.

Issue B’ 6752 / 31.12.2021 GREEK GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 86203.

The candidate is obliged to submit, along with the application and the other supporting documents, a draft of the doctoral thesis in the Greek language, which should include the following:

  1. Indicative title in Greek and English, thematic area / areas of interest and from two (2) to five (5) keywords.
  2. Brief description of the topic.
  3. Literature review relevant to the proposed topic
  4. Contribution and innovation of the proposed dissertation to science
  5. Main purpose, goals and research proposals of the doctoral dissertation (Research propositions).
  6. Research methodology.
  7. Determining the estimated duration of the main sub-phases / stages of preparation of the doctoral dissertation, such as e.g. literature review, collection and processing of research material (Gantt chart).
  8. Relevance of the proposed topic to the subject and the overall academic (research / writing / teaching) work of the supervising member (Relevance).
  9. Bibliographic references which will appear in the proposal

The Assembly of the Department, after taking into consideration the applications that have been submitted, categorizes them based on the relevance of the research object and appoints a three-member committee per category of applications, consisting of the academic research personnel members of the Department. The committees examine all the documents submitted along with the application and invite the candidate for an interview. The committees then compile a detailed memorandum, which states the reasons why each candidate meets or does not meet the conditions in order to be accepted and submit it to the Assembly.

If the candidate does not recommend a supervising professor in his / her application, one is proposed by the committee and submitted for approval by the Assembly. The Assembly of the Department considers both the memorandum of the committee and the opinion of the proposed supervisor and approves or rejects justifiably the application of the candidate. In the approval decision, the language of writing the doctoral dissertation is also defined.

A change of the title of the doctoral dissertation or the language in which it is written, can be possible after a documented suggestion of the Three-member Advisory Committee and after the approval by the Assembly of the Department.

Article 5

Supervision of Doctoral Dissertation

  1. Legal right for supervision of the doctoral dissertations have: a) Faculty members of the Teaching and Research Staff (TRS) at the rank of professor, associate professor and assistant professor of the relevant or other Higher Education Institution, b) A’, B’ or C’ level researchers from research centres of article 13A of law 4310/2014 and the provisions of article 39.1 of law 4485/2017, including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Medical Biological Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens. Each faculty member may supervise a total of five (5) doctoral dissertations. In the case of co-supervision, a Special Cooperation Protocol is drawn up.
  2. Three-member Advisory Committee
    The Assembly of the Department assigns to the proposed supervisor the supervision of the Doctoral Thesis and appoints a Three-member Advisory Committee, which is authorized to frame and support its preparation and writing.
    Members of the Three-member Advisory Committee
    The Three-member Advisory Committee includes the supervisor and two other faculty members at the rank of  professor, associate professor, and assistant professor of the relevant or other Higher Education Institution, or professors of foreign institutions, which are recognized as equivalent institutions, who hold a doctorate degree, are researchers of A’, B’ or C’ level from research centres of article 13A of law 4310/2014 and the provisions of article 39.1 of law 4485/2017, including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Medical Biological Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens or from recognised research centres or foreign institutions and have the same or related subject matter as the doctoral thesis under judgement. Professors who are on sabbatical leave, can be also appointed as members of the Three-Member Advisory Committee.  At least one (1) faculty member from the relevant Department participates in the Three-Member Advisory Committee. The Supervising Professor guides and supports the research of the PhD candidate. In particular, the direct cooperation between the Supervisor and the PhD candidate must be regular and continuous.

Supervisor Replacement

If  for any reason the supervisor isn’t available or is found to be incapable to fulfil the duties of supervisor for one year, the Assembly of the Department, assessing the circumstances, assigns the supervision to another person, following an application from the PhD candidate and the opinion of the proposed supervisor, otherwise, to any of the two (2) members of the Three- member Advisory Committee, even in excess of the maximum number of doctoral candidates that can  be supervised by each supervisor, as defined by the present regulation. If the original supervisor moves to another Higher Education Institution or Department of the Higher Education Institution or retires, he/she continues to supervise the doctoral theses that he/she has undertaken, and the title is awarded from the Higher Education Institution to which the Department belongs, where the preparation of the thesis began.

Publication of admissions

Following the appointment by the Department’s Three-Member Advisory Committee, the names of the doctoral candidates and the members of the Three-member 86204 GOVERNMENT’S PAPER Issue B’ 6752/ 31.12.2021 Advisory Committee, the title and a brief summary of the doctoral thesis to be prepared are uploaded to the website of the Department.

Article 6

Preparation process

Each year, the PhD candidate presents orally before the Three-Member Advisory Committee and submits a detailed written report concerning the progress of his/ her doctoral thesis. Both a copy of the report and comments on it by the supervisor or the Three-Member Committee as well as progress reports are entered in the candidate’s individual file. Failure to submit a progress report is tantamount to a negative recommendation.

Article 7

Preparation time of the Doctoral dissertation

Preparation time

According to the current legislation (par. 1 of article 40 of law 4485/2017), the process of preparing a doctoral thesis cannot last less than three (3) full calendar years from the date of appointment of the Advisory Committee. The maximum time for preparing the doctoral thesis cannot exceed five (5) full calendar years from the date of appointment of the Three-Member Advisory Committee. The closing time may be extended for two (2) additional years following a reasoned request by the candidate, which, after being approved by the members of the Three-Member Advisory Committee, is recommended to the Assembly of the Department for its approval.

Suspension

The doctoral candidate may request the suspension of the preparation of his/ her thesis, for a maximum total duration of one (1) year, which is accompanied by a sufficiently justified recommendation of the Three-Member Advisory Committee and is approved by a decision of the Department’s Assembly. During the suspension, the doctoral candidate’s status and the rights deriving from it are revoked. The time of the suspension is not counted towards the maximum total time for preparing the doctoral thesis.

Accessibility by WAH