First TAC meeting (=public presentation) + Thesis Agreement

First TAC meeting (=public presentation) + Thesis Agreement

Six months after the start of your contract, you should have assembled your Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) and scheduled your first TAC meeting (also known as the public presentation). Along with this first meeting, you’ll also submit all documents required for thesis registration including your Doctoral Thesis Agreement.

This is a key moment to start shaping the direction of your project and to define clear goals and objectives. It’s a good idea to arrange a mentoring meeting with your supervisor beforehand to discuss your ideas and set personal development goals for your PhD. This will help you make the most of your TAC meeting - both in terms of scientific feedback and support for your growth as a researcher.

What is the thesis advisory committee (TAC)?
The thesis comittee consists of your supervisor plus 2 scientists of your research area. In exceptional cases 3 scientists can be chosen). TAC members can be recruited from the VBC Faculty, but also from other institutions in Austria and abroad. However, TAC members should not belong to the same institution.

Who is eligible for the TAC?
Your PhD supervisor and scientists who are acknowledged experts on the topic of your thesis project. TAC members must be tenured (“habilitiert”) or independent group leaders who have their own funds. The committee should provide support and guidance for your project by following it from the initial presentation, through annual work progress presentations, to the final thesis defence.

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Before the first TAC meeting

• Write the Thesis Proposal (also called Exposé) using the following template:

  VBCPhD_Template_Thesis_Proposal_&_Development_Plan (Degree program code: A 794 620 490 (University of Vienna) or UN 794 620 (Medical University of Vienna)

  To be sent via email to your supervisor and TAC members latest one week before the first TAC meeting.

• Prepare all documents necessary for thesis registration:

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During the first TAC meeting

• During the TAC meeting, the chair fills in the following TAC Report form, that needs to be signed by all TAC members and PhD student:

  First TAC Meeting Report Form

• Collect all signatures for the documents of thesis registration (TAC members need to sign the title page of your exposé, all other documents are signed by you and your supervisor).

• If you have external TAC members (not IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs), please have them sign the confidentiality agreement:

  ConfidentialityAgreement (This agreement is mandatory for IMP/IMBA PhD Student).

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After the first TAC meeting

University of Vienna

please send the following documents to Theresa:   

• Thesis proposal
• Doctoral thesis agreement
• Registration of the topic
• Registration topic_supplementary sheet
• Regulations good scientific practice
• TAC report

The Doctoral Thesis Agreement will be signed by the SPL, and a copy will be returned to you by email.

Medical University of Vienna

please send the following documents to the PhD and Doctoral Office (Dieter Breitenbaum and Vesna Domikovic):

• Registration for Doctoral Thesis (this also needs to be signed by the programme coordinator of your thematic programme)
• Progress Report meeting of the doctoral thesis committee  
• First TAC Meeting Report Form
• Thesis proposal