Progress reports

Why are we doing them?

The purpose of the DRA progress reports is to help DRA PhD students keep their PhD on track and ensure an efficient and contin­uous evaluation of the course of the PhD project. The progress reports allow the PhD student to step back from the experimental work, evaluate progress and set milestones for the next period. In addition, the report sets the stage for bringing together and getting feedback from all supervisors. It serves as a way to:

• Keep the PhD on track
• Reflect on current status and identify challenges
• Train thinking/planning ahead and taking ownership of the PhD
• Train in progress reporting for future employments
• Secure engagement of all involved supervisors

How is it done?

The format of the regular assessments at the Graduate School has changed End 2024. Therefore the DRA steering committee has decided to adapt our format of the biannual DRA progress meetings to reflect this: 

• DRA strongly recommends that PhD students continue to have two annual meetings with all supervisors, and that PhD students complete reports in connection to both meetings. This secures that PhD students continuously align goals and expectations with supervisors.
• The new report template from the Graduate School will replace the previous DRA progress report form. However, DRA strongly recommends that PhD students under “2. project summary – feedback from supervisors” make sure to include ‘Future research plans’ (a Gantt chart or bullet point listing for the next 6 months and until submitting the PhD thesis) following the structure in the DRA addendum. Simply fill this out and cut and paste it into the regular assessment document from the Graduate School.
• The deadline for the reports depends on the end date of enrolment:
  

  The reports to the Graduate School are due 26 months (10 months in), 14 months (approx. 22 months in), and 6 months (30 months in) before the expected end date. For the first required meeting, the PhD student fills in the report and has the meeting with all supervisors and the external assessor (if appointed). Afterwards the report must be uploaded in PhD planner when filling in the regular assessment.

  In addition to the three required meetings by the Graduate School, DRA recommends that the PhD student fills in similar reports and has a meetings with all supervisors around 32, 20, and 10 months before the expected end date, i.e. the first meeting the PhD student will have is before the one announced in PhD Planner. The PhD student fills in the report and has the meeting with all supervisors as usual. This report is for the PhD student and supervisors and must not be uploaded in PhD planner. See schematic overview: