Training Activities Programme
Training Plan
Activities of the Doctoral School
Character
Optional
Hours
12
Description
It is planned as a course with compulsory attendance, with a theoretical explanation of each of the modules, which will be accompanied by a series of practical exercises which the participants must perform throughout the sessions.
Results
The doctoral student will acquire the necessary tools to access, evaluate, use and disseminate information in an ethical manner.
Assessment systems
It is an on-site seminar, and therefore attendance is compulsory and will be monitored by means of signatures for each of the modules. At the end of the activity the tutor will be given a report allowing an assessment of the acquisition of the skills associated with this activity.
Character
Optional
Hours
40
Description
These are intensive residential seminars lasting a week. They are conducted in English in an inter-disciplinary and multicultural environment. Forty researchers from each university, in their second year of doctoral training, receive extensive training designed for their future vocational integration in a socio-labour environment not exclusively linked to research at universities and/or public and semi-public centres. All the activities are dynamised by personnel specializing in the organization of doctorials and the facilitation of teamwork. The scheduled activities include visits to companies, research centres and cultural entities selected from both sides of the border, the testimonies of executive doctors and entrepreneurs and teamwork for the joint preparation of an innovative project which will be submitted at the end of the encounter. Participation in the doctorials is optional and does not entail any enrolment fee. All the maintenance, accommodation and transport costs will be financed by the organizing universities, with the help of the funding obtained from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Aquitaine-Euskadi cooperation fund of the Basque government.
Results
The doctoral students acquire practical training in communication, innovation, teamwork, leadership and entrepreneurship. Based on the testimonies and experiences of different professionals working in companies and associations in the field of culture and language, as well as visits to companies and associations, the students come into direct contact with professional experience. These seminars have an inter-disciplinary approach, grouping the students together in units which combine different universities of origin and areas of knowledge. The experience should provide a wealth of knowledge about how to articulate a future professional project both in and outside the University.
Assessment systems
The whole procedure for the doctorials is overseen by a pedagogical cabinet, with professional advisers who will provide continuous feedback on the group activity and monitor the work done every day by the doctoral students. Once the latter have enrolled for the doctorials, attendance and active participation in the sessions is compulsory.
Program activities
Character
Optional
Hours
30
Description
The lectures are promoted by the research teams participating in the doctoral program, by the program itself, the faculty and the Biocruces Institute. They are frequently the result of collaboration existing between research groups, at which the speakers who perform a mobility are invited to give a lecture/seminar. They are also the result of exclusive invitations for the doctoral program or the master's degree. The sessions last one and a half hours (exposition and debate) and take place throughout the year. Attendance at and participation in 20 seminars (30 hours) are envisaged for a full-time RPT (in the 3 years of the doctoral program) and a part-time RPT (5 years).
Results
The carrying out of this activity facilitates the acquisition of knowledge in order to develop the scientific objectives of the thesis and to expand the scientific vision of the doctoral student.
Assessment systems
The tutor or thesis director monitor the RPT's attendance and assesses his or her participation in the lecture. These controls form part of the doctoral activity document), which is regularly reviewed by the tutor and director and annually evaluated by the Academic Committee.
Character
Optional
Hours
4
Description
It consists of one or more courses, each lasting 4 hours, organized by the Prevention Service of the UPV/EHU, for the training of the doctoral students in health and safety. Aspects related to the use of chemical and biological agents, risk assessment and containment levels, waste management and emergency and action plans in the event of accidents are discussed.
Results
Training in preventive matters in aspects related to work safety.
Assessment systems
Attendance requires prior registration, which is free of charge. Once acceptance onto the course has been announced, attendance is compulsory. These courses include their own evaluation system (individual monitoring of attendance, participation in class, a test) in which the student's progress as a result of the training received is reflected and the corresponding certificate is issued. These controls will form part of the doctoral activity document, regularly reviewed by the tutor and thesis director and annually evaluated by the Academic Committee of the Program.
Character
Optional
Hours
20
Description
The General Research Services conduct Specialization Courses lasting 20 and 40 hours, which are primarily completed by the research staff undergoing training. These training courses include: - Course for the training of staff carrying out animal research procedures (category B) - DNA sequencing - Analysis of gene expression by means of real time PCR or Q-RT-PCR - Introduction to proteomics: identification, quantification and post-translational modifications - DNA sequencing and genotyping: markers, applications, methodologies and data analysis - Basics and applications of confocal microscopy, electron microscopy and flow cytometry in biomedicine
Results
The learning involves the direct application of the acquired knowledge and technology to research activities and experimentation.
Assessment systems
Once registration for the course has been completed and acceptance has been announced, attendance is compulsory. These courses include their own system for evaluation of the training received (individual monitoring of attendance, participation in class, evaluations and even practical use by the RPT supervised by the team, with the issuing, when applicable, of the corresponding diploma. These controls will form part of the doctoral activity document, regularly reviewed by the tutor and thesis director and annually evaluated by the Academic Committee of the Program.
Character
Compulsory
Hours
40
Description
Participation in the scientific congress includes the drawing up of a report in summary (or abstract) form based on the results of the experimentation conducted, the preparation of a poster and attendance at the congress, where the contents of the poster will be presented, explained and/or defended, and interaction with scientists from other research centres. Problems/methodological approaches and experimental designs will be exchanged in an ideal environment for this purpose.
Results
The carrying out of this activity: - Facilitates bibliographical search and synthesis work and written and oral expression, which the doctoral students will apply to the preparation and defence of the doctoral theses. - Facilitates the acquisition of knowledge to develop the scientific objectives of the theses. - Allows the doctoral students, on their return, to apply methodologies and techniques in the laboratory where they develop their doctoral theses.
Assessment systems
The preparation of the summary and the poster is supervised by the thesis director. An evaluation committee defined by the congress organization accepts, when appropriate, the report sent out and selects the form of its presentation at the congress. Attendance at the event is accredited by the certificate issued by the organizing committee and, finally, the summary/presentation is published in the congress summary book. In addition to submitting the attendance certificate and presenting the work, the PIF must make a summary of the specific scientific sessions in the field of his or her doctoral thesis project and submit it for discussion with the director and the other RPT in a seminar for monitoring the results within the research team he or she forms part of when preparing the thesis. The director, based on these indicators, assesses the participation of the RPT in the congress. These controls will form part of the doctoral activity document, regularly reviewed by the tutor and thesis director and annually evaluated by the Academic Committee of the Program.
Character
Optional
Hours
75
Description
The seminars are regularly held within the research group. With sufficient notification, an article related to the topic of the thesis is selected, which must be read by all the team members in advance. During the seminar the doctoral student briefly outlines the contents of the article (its objectives, the methodology used and the lessons learnt). During the session there is a critical analysis of the experimentation, the results arising from it and the final conclusions. The articles selected may have a methodological nature, discussing aspects related to the research. The seminars take place throughout the training period of the program (3 years full-time and 5 years part-time). The sessions last for one and a half hours and are held approximately every three weeks. The full-time RPT presents about 4 works per year. A part-time RPT will have a 50% reduction in attendance (presentation of 2 works per year).
Results
As a result of the learning, the RPT will adopt strategies to write articles, analyze his or her own research results and contextualize them.
Assessment systems
Attendance is monitored by the thesis director, who is always present at the seminars and assesses the participation of the RPT at them; he or she will issue a report which will be reflected in the doctoral activity document, annually reviewed by the Academic Committee of the Program.
Character
Optional
Hours
75
Description
The seminars are regularly held within the research group. During them, the members undergoing training explain to the rest of the team the main results obtained and their future research. Aspects related to the research are discussed and questions are raised. The seminars take place throughout the training period of the program (3 years full-time and 5 years part-time). The sessions last for one and a half hours and are held approximately every three weeks. The full-time RPT presents about 4 works per year, preferably beginning the first exposition from the second semester of the first year onwards. A part-time RPT will have a 50% reduction in attendance (presentation of 2 works per year, the first presentation preferably beginning during the first or second semester of the second year of stay on the program).
Results
The learning is manifested in the focus undertaken and in the resolution of the problems which may have arisen in the course of scientific experimentation and the vision of how the different objectives established in the thesis project are obtained.
Assessment systems
The attendance of the doctoral student is monitored by the thesis director, who always participates in the seminars and assesses the participation in them. The PIF making the presentation of his or her work will prepare a written or electronic document on the contents of the seminar, which will be evaluated by the thesis director. The monitoring of the activity will be reflected in the doctoral activity document, annually reviewed by the Academic Committee.
Character
Optional
Hours
500
Description
Stay at a work centre, at home or abroad, different from the usual one, for a period of three months. The doctoral students develop a technique and become familiarised with other work dynamics, contributing to their training. The thesis director often advises the doctoral student to perform the stay in a centre he or she cooperates with; at other times the doctoral student contacts the receiving group.
Results
The learning involves the application of the knowledge and/or methodologies acquired, as well as new approaches to research activities and experimentation, which can improve the scientific objectives.
Assessment systems
At the end of the stay, the doctoral student must draw up a report justifying the activities conducted in the receiving laboratory, enclosing the letter of certification of the institution and the documents necessary for the justification of the financial aid received to perform the stay by the competent body. The monitoring is carried out by the thesis director, who checks the achievements of the doctoral student on his or her return. This document will form part of the doctoral activity document. The researcher who oversees the work carried out in the receiving centre issues a certificate or document accrediting the activities conducted during the stay. This document will indicate the start and end dates of the stay. In addition, after completing the mobility, the doctoral student must write a report justifying the activities and achievements made which, together with the invoices and the letter from the receiving centre, is sent to the mobility financing body for inspection. The activity report must include the approval of the thesis director, who controls the activity, and will form part of the doctoral activity document.