Formative activities

The Doctoral Programme includes the following formative activities (AF):

1. Presentation of papers at Young Researchers’ Conferences
2. Doctoral Research Seminars
3. Study of the State of the Art of a research topic
4. Preparation for the writing of scientific articles and for the presentation of research results
5. Collaboration with research groups
6. Presentation of research results at congresses and scientific journals

Activity: Presentation of papers at the Young Researchers’ Conference

Nº OF HOURS: 36

DESCRIPTION: This activity involves the presentation, in formats open to debate and criticism, of research techniques and results at the Young Researchers’ Conference organised annually by the Academic Committee of the PhD Programme, or at other conferences of similar nature organised by other entities. Doctoral students must participate in at least two of these

conferences.

This activity, supervised by researchers designated by the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme, will be aimed at training doctoral students in the different research techniques, through the sharing of difficulties and solutions discovered in research activities.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time doctoral students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Duration of the conference: 8 hours

• Preparation of the presentation: 10 hours

• Number of mandatory days: 2

• TOTAL (8 + 10) * 2 = 36 hours

Activity: PhD Research Seminars

Nº OF HOURS: 48

DESCRIPTION: The activity consists of attendance at lectures and seminars on topics related to the PhD programme and the performance and presentation of research work proposed by guest lecturers. PhD students may also participate as speakers in the Research Seminar.

The Academic Committee of the Programme will organize this activity annually and PhD students must attend the sessions of at least two of these seminars.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time PhD students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Number of seminar: 6 hours

• Duration of a lecture: 1,5 hours

• Execution of Work: 15 hours

• Number of mandatory seminars: 2

• TOTAL (6 * 1,5 + 15) * 2 = 48 hours

Activity: State of the Art Study of a research topic

Nº OF HOURS: 60

DESCRIPTION: The activity consists of the detailed study, by each of the PhD students, of a research topic directly related to their doctoral thesis, proposed by the student and with the approval of their thesis supervisor. Once the study has been completed, the doctoral student will prepare a report that will compile the techniques used and the results of the chosen topic in an orderly fashion and will make a public presentation of it.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time PhD students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Documentation: 40 hours

• Write the article: 20 hours

• TOTAL (40 + 20) = 60 hours

Students’ reports may be submitted in English or in Spanish.

Activity: Preparation for writing scientific articles and presenting research results

Nº OF HOURS: 40

DESCRIPTION: The activity consists of preparing doctoral students for the publication and presentation of their research results, obtained during the process of writing their doctoral thesis. The purpose of this training activity is to prepare for the presentation of the student’s research results at national and international conferences and for their publication in scientific journals.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time PhD students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Theory on writing scientific articles: 10 hours

• Theory on presentation of research results: 10 hours

• Execution of Work: 20 hours

• TOTAL (10 + 10 + 20) = 40 hours

Scientific articles submitted to journals or conferences will be written in English, unless other language is requested.

Activity: Collaboration with research groups

Nº OF HOURS: 810

DESCRIPTION: The activity consists in joining one of the research groups with which the PhD Programme has collaboration agreements for six months. The activity to be carried out during this time will be closely related to the PhD student’s thesis topic. Whenever possible, it will be carried out in foreign groups to facilitate the internationalization of the studies. This activity may be carried out by means of one or more research stays, or by scientific collaboration supported by telematic means.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time PhD students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Activity is equivalent to: 30 credits

• Hours per credit: 27 hours/credit

• TOTAL: 30 * 27 = 810 hours

The student’s initial report and final report will be in English, except when the group in which the stay is made is Spanish, in which case these documents may be written in Spanish.

Activity: Presentation of research results at conferences and scientific journals

Nº OF HOURS: 86

DESCRIPTION: The activity consists of the presentation of the research results obtained by doctoral students during the process of writing their doctoral thesis at conferences, preferably international, and their publication in scientific journals. In order to be able to read and defend the doctoral thesis in the doctoral programme presented, doctoral students must have given a minimum of two papers at international conferences and one publication in a JCR journal.

This activity must be carried out by both full-time students and part-time PhD students.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HOURS EXPECTED FOR THIS ACTIVITY:

• Number of hours per day at a congress: 6 hours/day

• Duration of the congress: 3 days

• Preparing the presentation: 10 hours

• Minimum number of conferences: 2

• Writing the article for the journal: 30 hours

• TOTAL (6 * 3 + 10) * 2 + 30 = 86 hours