You will find below the relevant instructions regarding the annual progress report.
Within two years of your enrolment, you are required to submit an annual report detailing the progress of your work (art. 10 of the Ordinance on the doctorate).
You are requested to complete the following three sections as soon as possible to ensure that the entire process is completed on schedule:
- your basic information
- your research progress: you will fill out this section and then discuss it with your thesis advisor (and co-advisor, if applicable) during the collaborative meeting
- a self-assessment of your progress: this section should be completed separately by you and your thesis advisor (and co-advisor, if applicable), then discussed during the collaborative meeting.
Please note that the information you provide is not confidential and will be accessible to all parties involved during the collaborative meeting and once the process is completed.
You will also discuss this report with your mentor in a confidential face-to-face meeting, and they will reach out to you in due course.
If the report is rated as “Unsatisfactory” or if you disagree with the content, a meeting will be arranged with the Program Director.
Finally, the report will be submitted to your Program Director for verification, and everyone involved will receive a PDF version of the report via email.
Please note that the information is not stored in the online tool.
Starting date
Each October, following the successful completion of your candidacy exam, you will receive an email from EDPY to initiate the annual report process.
Note: The thesis co‐advisor can be external to EPFL. To access the tool, please use your EPFL Gaspar account.
Within two years of the enrolment, your PhD student is required to submit an annual report detailing the progress of their work (art. 10 of the Ordinance on the doctorate).
Once the report is completed, we kindly ask that you:
- review the basic information and comments on research progress provided by the PhD student
- complete the progress assessment section, which should include collaborative insights with the PhD student and the co-advisor, if applicable..
Note: At this stage, you will not have access to the progress assessment comments from the PhD student or the thesis co-advisor (if applicable).
Please be aware that the information you provide is not confidential and will be accessible to all parties involved during the annual report meeting and after the process is completed.
You will subsequently receive an email prompting you to arrange a face-to-face meeting with your PhD student (and the co-advisor, if applicable) to review the information, discuss achieved and planned goals, and evaluate overall progress.
During this collaborative review, as the thesis advisor, you will have access to edit and complete the report content.
If the report is rated as “Unsatisfactory” or if the PhD student disagrees with the content, a meeting will be convened to address any issues and seek appropriate resolutions.
Finally, the report will be submitted to the Program Director for verification, and all involved parties will receive a PDF version of the report via email.
Please note that the information is not stored in the online tool.
Annual report deadline
The annual report process begins each October, following your PhD student’s successful candidacy exam.
The entire process must be completed by 30th November of the current year.
You are kindly requested to:
- review the annual reports
- discuss with the PhD student
- confirm that the meeting has taken place by selecting “Yes, we have met” under “Tasks to do” and “Proceed”, with the meeting date entered accordingly.
Note: The tool does not allow for adding comments, as the discussion remains confidential.
The following topics could be explored during your meeting:
- Advancement as a researcher (what has gone well, what needs improvement, setting goals, identifying necessary resources, etc)
- Career-building (Contributions to the academic or research community, conferences, awards, networking opportunities, and participation in soft skill courses (e.g., writing, communication, management, spin-off training, etc)
- Work-life balance
- Communication (interaction within the lab, with the thesis advisor(s) and lab members, aligning expectations for progress and future goals, etc)
- Post-PhD plans (career options and how to explore them, etc)
At the end of the process, you will receive a PDF version of the report via email.
Please note that the information is not stored in the online tool.