Regulations
The PhD Handbook is a collection of common guidelines for all PhD programmes at INN University.
In addition, the PhD programmes have their own Supplementary guidelines
- Supplementary guidelines for the PhD in Applied Ecology and Biotechnology
- Supplementary guidelines for the PhD in Health and Welfare
- Supplementary guidelines for the PhD in Innovation in Services in the Public and Private Sectors
- Supplementary guidelines for the PhD in Teaching and Teacher Education
Read more about the systematic quality work in the PhD programmes.
Other joint guidelines at INN University
Ethical guidelines for supervisors at INN University
Guidance for PhD candidates' elected representatives
Guidelines for employment in the positions of research assistant, PhD fellow and postdoctoral fellow
Guidelines for joint degree collaboration and cotutelle agreements at PhD level
National guidelines
Norwegian qualifications framework for lifelong learning
The Board
INN University’s Board has the overarching responsibility for the research education at INN University. The Board decides whether INN University should apply for accreditation of PhD programmes, and whether PhD programmes should be discontinued. The Board receives an annual report on the activities of the PhD programmes.
The rector
The Board's responsibility for research education is managed by the rector. The rector has set a mandate and composition for the PhD committees at the faculties.
INN University’s R&D committee
INN University’s R&D committee acts as an advisory body to the rector and has the responsibility for, among other things, coordinating the research education across the faculties. In its mandate, it is particularly emphasized that the R&D committee is responsible for:
- managing the overarching regulations, joint guidelines and routines for the PhD programmes
- processing the annual reports from the faculties' PhD committees and promoting measures to ensure the quality of the PhD programmes
- advising the rector on the distribution of recruitment positions from the Ministry of Education and Research
- advising the rector regarding decisions concerning §§ 5-6, 5-7 and 5-8 of the PhD regulations, regarding compulsory termination of a candidate’s PhD education
Read the full R&D committee's mandate and composition here.
The dean
- The dean has the overall responsibility for the PhD programme, its development, staffing, quality work and interaction with its surroundings.
- Each year, the dean must write a quality report that includes an evaluation of the PhD programme and its quality assurance.
- The dean appoints the members of the PhD committee.
At most faculties, responsibility for the faculty's approach to research, research culture and the development of research groups is delegated from the dean to the pro-dean of research. The pro-dean of research therefore sits on the faculty's PhD committee.
The PhD committee
The PhD committee is the advisory body for the dean regarding academic decisions in general, and regarding the content of the PhD programmes in particular. The committee is responsible for ensuring that the training/taught component of the PhD programmes together with the thesis work constitute an education at a high academic level, adhering to international standards.
The PhD committee acts as a programme committee when educational quality issues are to be considered. The course coordinators are summoned to the PhD committee meeting, so that the composition corresponds to that of the programme committee.
The PhD committee examines the annual quality report from the head of the PhD programme as stated in the quality system.
Read the full mandate of the PhD committees here. See the individual PhD programmes’ websites for information on the work of the individual committees and their members.
The head of the PhD programme
The head of the PhD programme is the academic leader and the programme manager. This means that the head of the PhD programme has the daily responsibility for the quality of the programme and for the quality work. The head of the PhD programme must ensure that the supervision functions according to the set prerequisites, and implement improvement measures that the PhD committee has approved.
The head of the PhD programme must ensure that there is an elected representative from among the PhD candidates at any time. Read more about the role of the head of the PhD programme in the quality work here.
The PhD coordinator
The PhD coordinator is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operation, and is the contact person for the PhD candidates on various issues. The PhD coordinator also acts as a secretary in the PhD committee.
The PhD coordinators for the individual programmes also participate in the PhD coordinator forum. This forum is led by the pro-rector of research’s staff.
The department / HR manager
In charge of ensuring that the PhD candidate has access to the necessary infrastructure at all times, cf. Agreement on admission to the PhD programme.
Must ensure connection to the academic environment, with international orientation and potential connection to a relevant research group.
The HR manager shall conduct annual employee conversations with PhD candidates who are employed at INN University.
The PhD candidate’s representative
The representative represents the PhD candidate in both the PhD committee and other meeting forums at the PhD programmes, and serves as the PhD candidate's voice in the ongoing quality work. The representative shall convey the views of the PhD candidates in the PhD programme, and represent in cases that are considered. The representative contributes through providing feedback on courses or lecturers, etc., and can raise major issues in the PhD committee.
The representative possesses knowledge of the personal circumstances of others, and therefore has a duty of confidentiality according to the applicable provisions of § 13 of the Public Administration Act.
Guidance for PhD candidates' elected representatives
The PhD candidate
PhD candidates must familiarize themselves with the laws, regulations and guidelines that apply to them, both as students and as employees.
The individual PhD candidate is expected to actively participate in the academic environment and in the evaluation of courses, the PhD programme and the learning environment.