Annual Progress Reports

Doctoral candidates have to submit a progress report every year once they have passed the public presentation. The annual progress reports serve two purposes:

First, they take stock of the progress made during each year of the doctoral studies. This may sound trivial, yet it helps both doctoral candidates and their supervisors to keep track of their doctoral projects and to avoid pitfalls that could have been easily avoided in retrospect (e.g. unrealistic timetable, procrastination, etc.).

Second, in the annual reports changes can be documented that become necessary or even desirable during the doctoral studies which could not have been anticipated when the dissertation agreement was signed. For instance, it might occur that the initially intended data collection becomes impossible because access to special archives or datasets was denied. Alternatively, it might be that new opportunities turn up, such as a new conference or workshop on the topic of the doctoral project. These changes to the dissertation agreement need to be documented in the annual reports. However, it is important to emphasize that ultimately it is up to the Director of the Doctoral Study Programme to accept these changes.

The annual progress report has to be sent to the respective SSC. Please check the website of your SSC for submission deadlines and for documents which have to be submitted in addition to the annual progress report.

Please note that for many funding schemes (e.g. dissertation completion fellowship) studying according to the university regulations is required. This includes the subsmission of annual progress reports.