The pilot project for quality assurance of PhD supervision at the University of Zurich will start in the fall of 2024. This project aims to ensure and continuously develop the quality of PhD supervision in the long term by introducing a standardized feedback mechanism.

The pilot project is based on an online survey of doctoral candidates at UZH and will run for five years. The aim of the project is both to reinforce positive aspects of supervision and to identify and address potential problems. The survey data will serve as a basis for promoting dialog about PhD supervision at various levels at UZH and between the stakeholders involved.

The data is collected throughout the project and evaluated as soon as a sufficient data basis is available (seedata protection). Until then, the data is dormant and does not result in an immediate response («regular dormant evaluation»).

The online survey is aimed at doctoral candidates from all faculties at UZH and is conducted each year in the Fall Semester. The participating doctoral candidates provide feedback on their supervision, working and research environment, and social environment at UZH. The first part of the feedback is person-related, as in the teaching evaluation, i.e. it relates to specific supervisors or superiors. The second part of the feedback addresses the experience at UZH in general.
(seesurvey).

• Doctoral candidates participate in the survey voluntarily and anonymously. They provide feedback on their supervision experiences, research framework, and social environment at UZH.
• Supervisors receive feedback from their doctoral candidates.
  The aggregated data is discussed within the faculty during management meetings with the deans.  
• Deans receive aggregated and strategically useful assessments. They discuss the findings, among other things, in management meetings with the professors.

The pilot project was designed and developed by a working group under the leadership of the Office of the Vice President Research. In addition to the Office of the Vice President Research, the Vice Dean of Research and Academic Career Development and other faculty representatives as well as the Graduate Campus and the VAUZ were also involved.