Solving Problems

 

PHD STUDENT

Depending on the nature of the problem, you have different possibilities:

 

Professional problems

If you, the PhD student, run into problems in relation to your PhD programme, we encourage you to bring the issue up with your supervisor – the sooner the better.

 

Personal problems

If your problem is of a personal nature, you could still bring this up with your supervisor, depending on the agreement you made with your supervisor from the beginning (see Clarifying Expectations (link)). If you think that your working capacity will be affected, then you should at least inform your supervisor of this.

 

Psychological assistance

If you need psychological assistance, you can contact the HR section for Occupational Health and Safety  at University of Copenhagen (website in Danish only). This is free and anonymous.

 

If you wish to complain

If you wish to complain about a supervisor, you should consult the local PhD coordinator. The coordinator will attempt to settle the dispute locally. If the local PhD coordinator is a close colleague of your supervisor, check if your department has another PhD coordinator.

 

You can also state problems in the half-yearly assessment report which is seen by the coordinator and the PhD Board. If problems are stated in the half-yearly, assessment reports, they will be dealt with by the PhD Board or the head of the Graduate School.

 

You can also contact anyone from the PhD Board or the head of the Graduate School if other options do not work for you.

 

5. Problems regarding the work environment

If the problem is related to the physical or psychological work environment. the natural route is to contact the head of section.

 

 

SUPERVISOR

If you as a supervisor run into problems with one of your PhD students, you can consult the local PhD coordinator. The coordinator will attempt to settle the dispute locally, and if this fails, the Graduate School of Life Sciences can be contacted.

 

Stating problems in the half-yearly assessment

You can state problems in the half-yearly assessment reports. If you state that progress is not satisfactory in the half-yearly assessment form, the PhD student is offered a three-month period to improve and demonstrate that he/she can continue education – a document will be made with mutual agreements about what needs to be done during the three-month period.

 

If the PhD student improves and the three-month period is evaluated positively , he/she can continue. Alternatively, the enrolment will be terminated.

 

 

CHANGING SUPERVISOR AND COMPLAINTS 

Complaints concerning decisions made by the Head of the Graduate School of Life Sciences or by the PhD Board may be referred to the Dean (except for legal issues, see regulations section 6.1). Such complaints must be submitted within two weeks of the complainant having been informed of the decision. All complaints must be submitted in writing and be reasoned.

 

If you wish to change supervisor for any reason, you must submit a written application to the Graduate School of Life Sciences. The reasons for a supervisor change should be given in the application.