Self-reflection report
What is the annual self-reflection report?
The self-reflection report is a tool to monitor your research trajectory. This annual report provides a basic structure to the supervision process by inviting you to reflect on the work you did in the past academic year, the work you want to do in the coming academic year, and the professional direction you want to take.
In principle, your report can take whatever form you wish, on the condition that your supervisor(s) and supervisory committee agree. As a general guideline, we recommend writing no more than two A4 pages in which you reflect on:
- Your research progress
- Your research planning
- Your professional development
We offer a free template in which these aspects are addressed: template self-reflection report
If you are looking for tools to discuss your professional development please refer to the PhD Career Hub on Ufora .
If you want to use a different reporting template for your self-reflection report (e.g. because your external financier uses his/her own template) then you can. Make sure you submit a copy of your self-reflection report to both your funding organisation and Ghent University. Guidelines on how to submit your annual self-reflection report to Ghent University can be found below.
Who has to submit an annual self-reflection report?
All PhD students must upload and submit their annual self-reflection report between 1 April and 30 June each year. This also applies to PhD students who are working on a joint PhD, regardless of whether Ghent University is the main institution or not.
The only exceptions to this rule are PhD students who:
- Will defend their PhD thesis during the current academic year
- First enrolled for the doctorate a month or less prior to the 30 June deadline
- Have discontinued or will discontinue their PhD during the current academic year. These students are strongly recommended to officially discontinue the PhD.
An approved self-reflection report is a necessary condition to re-enrol in the doctoral training programme and your PhD in the following academic year. Once your supervisor has approved your self-reflection report, you will receive an e-mail to let you know. At that point you will be able to re-enrol online for the PhD and the doctoral study programme via OASIS.
Do not forget to complete your re-enrolment for the new academic year before 1 October each year. Without a valid registration you may lose access to your Ghent University account.
When can I submit my annual self-reflection report?
Every year, between 1 April and 30 June.
Where do I submit my annual self-reflection report?
You submit your self-reflection report via Oasis.ugent.be. Consult our technical guidelines and tips to submit this self-reflection report.
What happens after I submit my annual self-reflection report?
After submission, your Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC), or, if no committee has been appointed, your supervisor(s), will review your report and make a recommendation based on your progress.
This may lead to one of the following outcomes:
- A positive assessment: your report is approved and you can re-enrol for the next academic year.
- A negative assessment: your DAC or supervisor(s) conclude that your progress is insufficient to lead to the completion of a PhD within a reasonable timeframe, or your supervisor(s) indicate that they are no longer willing to supervise the project.
In the latter case, the Doctoral School Office will forward your self-reflection report and the negative assessment to the relevant Faculty Doctoral Committee for further review. You can find the full procedure in article 18, §6 of the Education and Examination Code for Doctoral Matters.
Questions?
Contact: doctoralschools@ugent.be