Supervision and tutorial support

Guidance and review of research

The supervisor is a key figure in the preparation of the thesis. They will guide you as you progress through your research plan. In most cases, they will also introduce you to their research group, where you will prepare your thesis alongside the other researchers. For some theses, you will work side by side in the same research laboratory.

You will have a close working relationship with the supervisor. As a general role, you should have one tutorial session per month, although this can vary significantly depending on the discipline and the stage of development of the thesis. There will be more tutorials at the beginning and the end of the thesis preparation. The first sessions will be used to define the theoretical framework.

You can change the supervisor at any point during your doctoral studies. Similarly, your supervisor may choose to withdraw from the arrangement at any time, provided that the necessary justification is given. Where sufficient justification exists, the Academic Committee of the doctoral programme may also request a change of supervisor. In both cases, the Academic Committee will assess the proposal for a new supervisor and issue its approval as applicable. All doctoral students are entitled to have a supervisor and tutor for the duration of their enrolment.

  • To guarantee the scientific quality of the research and ensure that the research project is original, innovative and viable.

  • To ensure that the research is compatible with the research lines of the doctoral programme and the research projects of the research group or research institute with which it is carried out.

  • To oversee the training of the doctoral student; to recommend the most suitable training activities for your research, and facilitate your participation in specific and transversal training activities.

  • To explain the administrative aspects of preparing a thesis; to sign the commitment agreement and the doctoral student activity record and provide advice on how to present the thesis; to prepare mandatory reports for the Monitoring Committee; to ensure that you are familiar with the administrative and academic requirements for the defence and assessment of the thesis, as well as the deadlines for each step in the process.

  • To advise the doctoral student during the preparation of the research plan; review and sign the research plan

  • Supervise the preparation of the thesis in regular tutorial sessions; to conduct regular supervision (as established in the commitment agreement) of the doctoral student's research plan and provide guidance as the project is carried out.

  • Read, correct and discuss the content of the thesis before the deposit date.

  • To advise the doctoral student regarding the publications made during the preparation of the thesis (journal articles and book chapters).

  • Oversee compliance with ethical requirements; to notify the doctoral student of any rule or ethical consideration related to their research and ensure the thesis is a piece of original work.

1. 1. All members of the doctoral programme team, which you can consult for each programme.

  • ​​​​​​​​People who have accredited research experience and have already supervised a doctoral thesis can be tutors and supervisors of the same thesis.
  • People who do not have accredited research experience or have not supervised a thesis must have another joint supervisor who meets the above requirements or a tutor who meets these requirements.
  • Accredited research experience is defined as having an active six-year research premium or having registered 810 hours of research in the academic commitment plan (pla de dedicació acadèmica, PDA). Check with your supervisor to ensure that they are eligible.

2. Supervisors who do not form part of the doctoral programme team (whether they are from the UB or another university) may supervise a thesis at the UB but will be required to work with a joint supervisor who is a member of the programme or with a tutor who meets the requirements. The external supervisor does not need to have an active research premium or have supervised a thesis previously. However, if they do not meet these requirements, they must be able to demonstrate equivalent merits or research experience.

Although the UB does not have specific rules on the maximum number of theses to which a supervisor can be appointed, it is recommended (as established by AQU Catalunya) that a supervisor should not be assigned to more than two theses per year (or four, if under a joint supervision agreement).

If you have doubts about whether a supervisor is eligible, contact them directly or check with the coordinators of the doctoral programme.

Each thesis must have a supervisor. In justified cases, a second or even a third supervisor may also be appointed.

There can be two thesis supervisors in the following cases

  • Such cases include academic reasons, for example where the thesis is strongly interdisciplinary. A thesis covering aspects of two distinct scientific areas will benefit from the input and research experience of two supervisors.
  • Under joint supervision agreements or in programmes implemented through national or international collaboration agreements.
  • For policy reasons relating to the training of new teaching staff or the promotion of researchers. For example, where one supervisor has accredited research experience, but the other does not.

In very exceptional cases, there may be three supervisors:

  • In the case of theses carried out under international joint supervision or through international agreements with foreign universities or research centres, according to which there must be a supervisor for each of the participating universities or institutions.
  • When justified on scientific grounds, as long as the third supervisor does not belong to the same department, body, faculty, institution or entity involved in research, development and innovation activities (public or private, national or international). The third supervisor cannot be assigned during periods of extension to the programme.

As a general rule, retired academic staff cannot be appointed as supervisors.

If your supervisor retires while you are working on the thesis, you will have to request a change of supervisor, or the Academic Committee may request that the supervisor be allowed to continue, but with the appointment of a joint supervisor.

In many cases the supervisor will also be the thesis tutor. In general, a different tutor will be assigned with the proposed supervisor does not meet all of the legal requirements or is not affiliated to the UB.

The Academic Committee of the doctoral programme is responsible for approving the appointment of the supervisor and tutor. However, many programmes require you to propose a supervisor when you submit the admission request. In this case, the proposal will be considered by the Academic Committee and may be rejected if the prospective supervisor is not deemed suitable.