PH.D. STUDY WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY AND HOW BRNO 2022 C 0 l\l T E l\l T 1.I'M THINKING ABOUT DOING A PH.D. 5 2. WHO'S WHO AND WHAT THEY CAN HELP WITH 9 3. AT THE BEGINNING OF STUDIES 11 4.IN THE COURSE OF STUDY 14 5.AT THE END OF THE STUDIES 17 c COOPERATION BETWEEN SUPERVISOR iq AND STUDENT: GOOD PRACTICE 7. USEFUL FORMALITIES 2 3 8. WHAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING FOR YOU 25 INTRODUCTORY WORD The Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University (FSS MUNI) is aware of the crucial importance of doctoral studies. It is one of the primary tools for the development of knowledge in our disciplines - the constant dialogue that new researchers, full of enthusiasm at the beginning of their academic career, have with more experienced colleagues moves both groups ahead. New scholars are expected to stand on the shoulders of the previous ones, at least to match them, and even hopefully surpass them. The more experienced ones, on the other hand, do not want to be left behind. Moreover, in dialogues, whether spoken or written, a synergy is created that is not merely equal to the sum of the potential of both parties, but often its multiplication. It is not only for this reason that the current management of FSS MUNI takes great care of doctoral studies in all its phases. One of the manifestations of this care is this text, which has a number of objectives. It is intended to help those who are thinking about whether doctoral studies are the right path for them. It is intended to be something handy for current Ph.D. students at different stages of their studies when they need to navigate sometimes unspoken expectations, confusing procedures, and requirements. It is also meant to be of use to supervisors - whether just starting out or more experienced - it can be a similar help to them in getting their bearings, and it can inspire them to do their supervisory work even better and more effectively. I wish all those who will use this text to find it a useful guide and also that it will contribute to its main goal, which is better quality doctoral studies at our faculty and, above all, excellent graduates who will be able to compete in the demanding world of international academic competition. Stanislav Balík Dean at FSS MUNI I'M THINKING ABOUT DOING A PH.D. 1.1 WHAT DO PH.D. STUDIES INVOLVE The main goal of doctoral studies at FSS MUNI is preparation for working in an international academic environment, therefore the study emphasizes the quality of scientific work and gaining international experience. The doctoral studies last 4 years. Students are treated as equal partners fully responsible for their learning and development. Doctoral studies are based on collaboration between students and supervisors, who are each other's closest colleagues. The role of the supervisor includes accompanying students in their academic growth. Therefore, supervisors dedicate their time and expertise and support the students' development. Although Ph.D. students have the legal status of students in the Czech Republic, they are researchers at the start of their careers. Their task is to carry out their own research work and to develop the knowledge and skills important for a successful career in academia. Doctoral studies are a challenging path, requiring the investment of a large amount of energy and time, in addition to conducting research, it also involves the development of professional, pedagogical, and personal competencies. Preparation for a scientific career involves preparing scientific articles or books, engaging in teaching, participating in international conferences, writing grant applications, and staying at foreign institutions. The studies are individualized and the specific conditions depend on the requirements of the department you are studying at. At FSS MUNI, doctoral studies have several fixed rules and milestones that must be met: 1. Obtain a minimum of 240 credits for the entire course of study and at the same time comply with the rule of 20 credits in each semester or 45 credits in two semesters 2. Complete the defense of the dissertation project by the end of the third semester at the latest 3. Actively participate in at least one international conference 4. Stay abroad of at least 90 days 5. Publish at least two publications 6. Prepare a dissertation 1 1 1 H 1 I If - TIP Consider whether a Ph.D. study program is for you. Find out what the requirements and your responsibilities will be during your studies. Do you enjoy figuring things out, looking for interesting questions, and finding answers? Is research what you really enjoy? Can you devote your time to reading academic texts and writing academic articles? Can you handle the repeated rejections of your manuscripts and frequent revisions according to reviewers' requests? Can you bear to wait several years before your publication is published? Think carefully about whether you are willing to devote yourself fully to your doctoral studies. If you are, you will have an interesting course of study and a working career enriched by meetings with outstanding experts from all over the world and open doors abroad. 1.2 BEFORE APPLYING If you've considered everything carefully and your answer is yes, go for it. What do you need to do? Choose a topic and a supervisor: the choice of supervisor is crucial for one's doctoral studies. Therefore, choose your potential supervisor carefully, and consider their expertise, research projects, international contacts, and involvement in the international scientific community. It is the supervisor who will be most helpful in opening doors to the world of science and estab- lishing important contacts and collaborations. Also, consider how the cooperation with the supervisor will feel to you. Your topic should be relevant to the research focus of the department where you wish to do your Ph.D., and the focus of the supervisor with whom you would like to work. It is essential that you enjoy your research topic, as you will spend many years of interesting and demanding work on it. Think about the practical side of things too. For example, if your supervisor has a vacancy within their research project, it may be possible to adapt your topic to the project and secure a source of income in addition to your Ph.D. stipend, in addition, being involved in the supervisor's project will make it easier for you to gain teamwork skills, to share experiences with other researchers, and to collaborate on publications. If you choose a topic outside of the supervisor's current research work, you will have greater freedom in terms of your research, but with that comes greater responsibility in securing additional funding. Contact the supervisor well in advance of the application process (ideally 4-6 months). Ask for a consultation, explain why you have chosen them, present your research proposal and ask for their approval to supervise you. Look for ideas for your dissertation project in your supervisor's projects or publications. Be interested in what the potential supervisor's expectations of you are, what they will want from you, what the collaboration will look like, how they will involve you in research and teaching, and what support (professional, material, personal) they will give you. Talk about your expectations, and what kind of collaboration you would welcome. Expect that this communication will take some time, it will involve multiple meetings, so do not postpone it unnecessarily. Take advantage of this opportunity, as it is the perfect opportunity to assess how your cooperation with the supervisor may go. Prepare a proposal for your research. It must show what you want to research, how you want to do it, and why it makes sense to do it. A research proposal usually includes: — An overview of the current state of knowledge and an explanation of the contribution of your research — the theory on which your research questions and hypotheses are based — Research questions and hypotheses — Research design — Sampling method (if adequate for your type of research) — Methods of data collection and analysis Choose your form of study full-time or combined, in the full-time form, you will spend regular time at the FSS MUNI department, you will be in intensive contact with your supervisor and other colleagues, in the full-time study, you will receive a monthly stipend to support your studies and you will also have more space to complete the required internship abroad. If you opt for the combined form, expect that if you do not work directly in the field of your dissertation research, the combination of your work duties and research activities will be very challenging. When studying in the combined 7 form, you do not have the obligations of maintaining a regular presence in the department and you do not receive a monthly stipend to support your studies. TIP To find out what working with a supervisor can look like, you can ask the students the supervisor is currently supervising. Ask them about their experience with the cooperation. 1.3 DOCTORAL STUDY: FUNDING A full-time doctoral student at FSS receives a monthly scholarship of 16,000 CZK for a period of four years. The scholarship consists of a contribution from the Ministry of Education (MSMT) and an amount covered by the department where the doctoral study is conducted, from its own budget. The long-term intention of the FSS MUNI is that the monthly income of each full-time student should be such as to enable full concentration on doctoral studies without the need to earn extra money outside of the academic environment, through activities unrelated to the student's studies or expertise. Therefore, the faculty encourages supervisors to recruit students for whom they have funding, and students to engage in their supervisors' research projects. The main additional source of funding beyond the 16,000 CZK scholarship is the supervisor's research projects. Discussion of financial support and TIP Clarify with the potential supervisor what their options are for your additional funding. It is important to be clear on this before you apply. If the supervisor does not mention this topic, ask them yourself. Bear in mind that the supervisor's options are limited and depend on their success in grant competitions. Do not expect funds beyond the 16,000 CZK grant to come straight away or to "fall from the sky". Be proactive. Ask what you can do to raise your own funds. Seek out various grant and scholarship opportunities yourself. the supervisor's opportunities should be part of the communication with the supervisor before applying for the study program. Other sources of one-off income are faculty scholarships. The faculty financially supports publishing activities, as well as short-term stays and longer stays abroad. Apart from these scholarship programs, it has no other means in its budget through which it could contribute to the income of students. 1.4 ADMISSION PROCESS The admissions process takes place twice a year, in June (commencement of studies from the autumn semester, i.e. from September) and February (commencement of studies from the spring semester, i.e. from February). The entrance examination is oral and takes place before a committee. It includes a discussion of your research plan, motivation for study, professional knowledge, and English language skills. The specific format varies according to the study program. You can find more information here. 2.1 SUPERVISOR The supervisor is your closest collaborator. He/she will accompany you throughout the process of your studies. Their task is to support you in your studies and your development professionally, materially, and personally. The supervisor creates opportunities for you to learn skills relevant for working in an academic environment, involves you in their research team, in teaching, provides feedback on your research progress and your performance in teaching, helps you to write publications, evaluates your work and progress on the assignments you will agree on. The supervisor is the person with whom you can seek financial support beyond the stipend given by the state and the FSS MUNI. 2.2 THE GUARANTOR AND THE DOCTORAL BOARD The study guarantor is responsible for the quality of one's doctoral studies and its development. The doctoral board is his/her advisory body. Among other things, the guarantor and the doctoral board evaluate the quality of your study program each year, evaluate students, and resolve problematic issues related to your studies. The guarantor can be contacted if you are not clear about the rules of your studies or if things are not working as they should (e.g. the supervisor of the course is not communicating with you, the cooperation with the supervisor stagnates, the conditions for completing the course are not stated, the conditions for completing the stay abroad are not clear, etc.). You can find the guarantor of your doctoral study program and the members of the doctoral board in the program catalog in the MUNI information system (IS). 2.3 OFFICE FOR STUDIES Office for Studies is responsible for the administrative side of your studies (e.g. enrollment in the study/semester, handling requests for exceptions, scholarships). At FSS MUNI, all of the applications that you will need to submit during your study can be handled online. 2.4 OFFICE FOR INTERNATIO RELATIONS AL The Office for International Relations will provide you with information about studying abroad, the stipends associated with it, and the administrative procedures related to studying abroad. You can find out about the possibilities of trips abroad in this presentation and additional information here. 2.5 MUNI CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION The MUNI Center for International Cooperation can also help you with your stays abroad. On their website, you will find all the important information regarding stipends and applications. Take a look at the interactive map. You will find universities in Europe and beyond where you can study thanks to MUNI. 2.6 AC AD E SENATE I C It is an academic body that looks after the affairs of the faculty's students and staff and is involved in the functioning of the faculty (e.g. approving scholarship programs and the conditions of the admissions process). Student representatives in the Senate are the right people if you want to know more about how things work at the faculty or want to propose a change. The composition of the Academic Senate can be found here, as well as the Rules of Procedure of the Academic Senate. 3.1 ENROLLMENT IN STUDIES When you receive the decision that you were admitted to the doctoral studies program, you become eligible for enrollment in the study program and the first semester. You become a student once you have enrolled in the study program. You will receive enrollment information in your application and can find it on the faculty website. Information about your obligations in the doctoral studies program can be found in the study catalog in the IS or on the website of the department where you are studying. If you are unclear about something, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or your doctoral studies program guarantor. TIP You can enroll conveniently from home. The link to enroll can be found in the application form. You can enroll by the deadline or by an alternative deadline, provided you present a compelling reason why you were not able to enroll in standard time within 5 working days. Otherwise, your right to study will expire. TIP The rules of doctoral studies are regulated by the MUNI Study and Examination Regulations. You can find your rights and obligations there. TIP Save the study rules in force on the day of your enrollment. These are binding for you. If they are changed, then the change should only be mandatory for you only if it does not make it significantly more difficult for you to complete your studies or if it does not put you at a significant disadvantage in terms of your studies. TIP You can generate your own confirmation of studies in the IS. There is no need to contact the Office for Studies. 3.2 INDIVIDUAL STUDY PROGRAM: THE WHOLE STUDY An Individual Study Program (ISP) is a binding timetable for your entire course of studies. It tells you what subjects/duties/activities you will do and when you will do them. You create it in collaboration with your supervisor, who also formally approves it in the IS. Your ISP is also approved by the doctoral board. One part of doctoral studies is the courses. Many of them work in the form of self-study or relate to participation in conferences, a stay abroad, publications, and a dissertation. TIP In the IS, you will find the doctoral study plan for your field of study, which clearly lists the courses you must take during your studies. T I P How to create an ISP? Include theoretical subjects at the beginning of your study, and subjects related to publications and the preparation of your dissertation in the later semesters. Include the dissertation project defense no later than the 3rd semester. Include the first (foreign) conference in the 2nd - 3rd semester. You can use it to get feedback on your dissertation project and to make contacts for your study abroad. Schedule this stay so that you can use it to collaborate with experts on your research and so that it does not complicate your graduation. 3.3 INDIVIDUAL STUDY PROGRAM: SEMESTER PLAN Each semester you will prepare a plan for your work - a semester plan (SP). You will do this in collaboration with your supervisor no later than the beginning of the semester. This is important because the SP details what you will be working on during the semester. Completing it is a condition for moving on to the next semester. The semester plan is the result of a mutual agreement between you and your supervisor. It is approved by your supervisor. At the end of each semester, an assessment of your delivery of the SP takes place, i.e. whether you have fulfilled what you and your supervisor agreed on. First you comment on the fulfillment of the SP, then the supervisor 1 2 does so. At least once a year, there is also an overall evaluation of your studies by the doctoral board. If the supervisor assesses your SP as not met, then it will be assessed by the doctoral board. If your SP is also assessed as not met by the doctoral board, then your studies are terminated. The dates when it is possible to fill in the SP and its evaluation can be found for each semester directly in the IS in the application for an Individual Study Program for a Ph.D. and its evaluation. Arrange your semester plan earlier than at the beginning of the semester. This way you can plan your work for the upcoming semester well. Be proactive, approach your supervisor to prepare the SP, and offer them your ideas about the scope and form of the work. Include in the SP, for example, what activities you will carry out in your research, what your involvement in teaching will be, what conference Are you interested in what MUNI recommends to doctoral studies program students, their supervisors, and guarantors? Check it out. you will go to, what grant application^) you will submit, etc. The more specifically you can describe what you will do, the better the goals can be achieved and the better it can be evaluated whether you have met them by the end of the semester. SEMESTER PLAN: SAMPLE Preparation of the dissertation: 1. Data collection for the AB research, 2. Data analysis for the CD research and writing the Results section. Publications/articles: 1. Completion of the AB manuscript, 2. Dealing with the CD article reviewers' opinions. Professional forums / conferences / lectures Internships: no internship this semester Other: Study program: 1. Completion of AB, CD, EF, 2. Teaching: AB course (Estimated length: 30 hours): a. Administration of 3 tests, b. Teaching 1 lecture on XY, c. Teaching 1 seminar (2 seminar groups) on XY, d. Correcting approximately 30 written assignments. FAKULTA SOCIÁLNÍCH ' M STUDIÍ 1 3 4.1 ENROLLMENT IN THE SEMESTER Before the beginning of each semester (except the first semester), you submit an application for registration for the next semester in the IS. This is a prerequisite for you to be enrolled in it. You can be enrolled in the following semester if you: — have completed the semester plan and gotten the supervisor s approval to advance to the next semester, — have met the credit requirement for the semester (usually 20 credits in the current semester, or 45 credits combined from the current and previous semesters), — have successfully completed all repeated courses enrolled in the current semester, — will not exceed the maximum duration of the doctoral program (8 years). TIP The standard length of study is four years. The successful completion of the studies within this period is one of the important parameters in monitoring the quality of doctoral studies. The maximum length of study is eight years. Interruptions of studies due to serious health reasons or maternity/parental leave are not included in this period. TIP You can interrupt your studies. You can request an interruption if you have met the requirements for advancement to the next semester. You can interrupt your studies for a maximum of four years in total. 4.2 PUBLICATIONS An important part of doctoral studies is getting published. The following common minimum standard applies to all doctoral studies program students at the FSS: 1. The student must publish at least 2 publications during his/her studies. 2. One publication is an article in a journal included in the Web of Science Ql - Q3 database. 3. The second publication is an article in a journal included in the Web of Science / Scopus database / a foreign or domestic monograph / a chapter in a foreign monograph (publishing house category A, B). 4. Contribution of authorship: the student must be the sole or first author of both publications; in the case of co-authorship, the minimum contribution must be 50%. 5. A publication is accepted if it is accepted for publication (an email from the editor is sufficient) or published (also online first). 6. Rules for determining the quartile a. The highest quartile from the time of submission of the manuscript to the submission of the Application for Dissertation Defense is counted. b. The quartile of the journal is determined according to AIS (Web of Science) / SJR (Scopus). If the journal is not assigned to AIS, the quartile is calculated according to IF. 1 5 c. The quartile of the journal is calculated according to the "higher takes" rule, i.e. if the journal is in more than one field (so-called FORD), the highest quartile is counted. d. If the journal is in both the WoS and Scopus databases, the WoS quartile counts. T I P Be aware that the publishing process is long, and can take several years. Therefore, start working on publications as soon as possible. Rejected manuscripts represent 80% or more of those submitted to higher-quality journals. Your manuscript will likely be repeatedly rejected by editors. Dont be discouraged. Rejection and repeated revisions are part of a scientific career and are encountered by the world's top scientists in the field. If the quality of the manuscript allows it, start with the best journals. Even if they reject you, reviews are useful to improve the quality of the manuscript. T I P The Central Library of the FSS MUNI offers support for publishing and science. Check out their services. You will also find explanations of abbreviations that you might not be familiar with. 4.3 STUDY ABROAD An internship abroad at least 90 days is a compulsory part of the doctoral studies program at the FSS and its content is mainly cooperation with foreign colleagues on their / your research, the preparation of publications, or your dissertation. You can do your internship at any foreign university or research institute except for Slovakia. You choose the department abroad in cooperation with your supervisor according to the focus of your research. Ideally, you should do your internship at a department that is dedicated to your dissertation topic or a topic close to it. You can obtain funding for your stay abroad from the faculty's scholarship programs, mobility programs (e.g. Erasmus+), or specific research projects in the department where your doctoral study program is being done. You can combine funds. The most suitable period for a study abroad is the 4th - 6th semester. If the internship cannot be completed continuously, it can be split into two or three internship periods of a minimum of 30 days. TIP International conferences are a good opportunity to network with colleagues from abroad. Go to a conference, present your research project or some of your results, and meet people. It's a good way to find a department for your stay abroad. Another way is to actively reach out to foreign experts who are working on your topic or something similar. Reach out to the author of an interesting/influential/ important article you've read. Don't hesitate to reach out to the world's top experts. They often respond quickly and are usually helpful. If they don't accept you, they may recommend another colleague. When reaching out, be specific about what you do, your track record, and why you are reaching out to that particular international colleague. Be proactive. Finding a department that you would like and find useful is in your hands. 4.4 CONFERENCES the student must actively participate in at least one international conference over the course of his/her studies. Active participation means having a presentation or a poster presentation. Attending a conference is useful for you in that you can get feedback on your research and network with international researchers or other Ph.D. students. When selecting conferences, pay attention to who is organizing it (ideally it should be an expert society or a university) and the history of the conference. Beware of low-quality conferences focused on the so-called conference business. Your supervisor can help you choose a conference, and they may also have tips on significant con- TIP Discussing the extent and form of your involvement in teaching and the support your supervisor will give you in developing your teaching skills should be part of your communication with your supervisor before you apply for the program and also before each semester when you are developing your semester plan. If the supervisor does not mention your involvement in teaching, ask about it yourself. 1 6 ferences in your field or ones that are related to your research topic. You can obtain funds for the conference from faculty scholarship programs, your supervisor's projects, or specific research projects conducted at the department where your doctoral program is being conducted. You may combine funds. 4.5 INVOLVEMENT IN TEACHING An important part of doctoral studies is the development of teaching skills. Therefore, you will be involved in teaching during your studies program. Its scope is determined by the doctoral boards of the individual doctoral studies programs. At the FSS, the maximum recommended limit for the entire FSS study is 10 credits, i.e. approximately 250 hours of your work. You should be involved in teaching the lessons gradually according to your abilities and skills. Supervision by the supervisor or more experienced colleagues designated by the supervisor should be a matter of course. Your involvement in teaching should take place mainly in the initial semesters of your studies (1st - 4th semester), in the later stages of your studies, you should have a lighter teaching load, which should give you enough time to complete your studies. T I P You can also develop your teaching skills through the courses offered by the MUNI Pedagogical Competence Development Centre. You can take their courses for free as part of your studies. T I P If you need more detailed information about the form of the dissertation and its components, ask your supervisor or the guarantor of your studies. 5.1 STATE EXAMINATION The State Doctoral Examination (SDE) is an important part of completing your studies. It is always held before the dissertation defense, either during your studies or at the end of it. It usually takes the form of a discussion over pre-defined problem areas or a list of literature. 5.2 THE DISSERTATION AND ITS DEFENSE The form of the dissertation is determined by the MUNI Study and Examination Regulations, Article 31. More detailed information about the form of the dissertation is determined by the doctoral board of your study program. the dissertation defense is the final step toward completing your studied. You must submit your dissertation by the deadlines set by the faculty. Deadlines are always known no later than the beginning of the academic year. Before submitting your dissertation electronically, ask the Office for Studies to open a dissertation archive. This will allow you to submit the dissertation to the IS. You must submit your dissertation, including the application for its defense, well in advance so that the defense takes place before your maximum study period expires. TIP Detailed information on how to apply for the state doctoral examination and dissertation defense can be found here. 5.3 SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF STUDIES By successfully passing the state doctoral examination and defending your dissertation, you will complete your doctoral studies and receive the title of doctor, abbreviated as Ph.D., written after your name. You will receive a diploma and a diploma supplement as proof of the successful completion of your studies. 4 COOPERATION BETWEEN SUPERVISOR AND STUDENT: GOOD PRACTICE 6.1 MAKING THE COLLABORATION W 0 R K The quality of the cooperation between the supervisor and the student is one of the key elements influencing academic success. If collaboration is to thrive, its form and rules must be established and adhered to by both the supervisor and the student. The supervisor and the student are equal partners who have an equal amount of responsibility for the quality of the cooperation. Both parties communicate with each other respectfully and politely. Shouting, profanity, lack of interest, non-responsiveness, refusal of feedback or discussion, humiliation, etc. do not belong in mutual communication. The supervisor gives students his/her time, expertise, and support, and creates opportunities and a safe environment for students to develop. The student is active and responsible for his/her study, its progress, and the fulfillment of the study program's requirements. 6.2 GOOD PRACTICE The supervisor meets regularly with his/her students in person. Meetings are held approximately once a week / once every two weeks. The frequency of the meetings depends on the intensity of the cooperation. At the meetings, they discuss topics related to the student's research, their involvement in teaching, and his/her study issues. The supervisor and the student talk about their expectations regarding the collaboration (what they need from the other, what each one would welcome). They clarify their expectations repeatedly and continuously. Feedback is a normal part of communication. It is seen by both parties as a way of nurturing the cooperation and as a means of development for both the student and the supervisor. Feedback works both ways - from the supervisor to the student and vice versa. Both parties can ask for feedback and can also communicate it in a way that is considerate and respectful of the other party. Before the start of each semester, the supervisor and the student jointly prepare (preferably through a personal discussion) a semester plan. This is specific and the result of a mutual agreement and takes into account the needs of both parties. At the end of each semester, the semester content is evaluated (preferably through a personal discussion). The evaluation is specific, based on facts, the student's self-assessment, and the supervisor's evaluation. The supervisor forms a team with his/her students. The supervisor's students know each other, and they cooperate in teaching (e.g. the joint teaching of seminars, mutual supervision of the evaluation of written assignments of Bachelor's and Master's students, preparation of course content), research projects (the super- visor's or their own), discussing their dissertation projects, ideas for further research, collaborating on grant applications. They give feedback to each other. There are regular joint meetings. 6.2.1 EMAIL COMMUNICATION It's normal to answer emails. We reply within a reasonable interval (with regular emails, within about two working days). If our response is going to take longer, we will let the sender know that we have received their email and by when we will reply. Emails sent outside normal working hours (weekends, public holidays, night times) can be responded to during normal working hours. 6.2.2 INVOLVEMENT IN TEACHING It is gradual, matches the student's skills, and is the result of the agreement between the student and the supervisor. If the student has minimal or no teaching experience, they are first involved in simpler activities, e.g. communicating with students in the context of routine administration (assigning them to seminar groups, mid-term tests, reminders of deadlines, etc.), and may progress into grading and providing feedback on written assignments. This may be followed by involvement in some contact teaching, e.g. as part of a seminar in collaboration with a more experienced col- 20 league (supervisor, another person designated by the supervisor), or later by teaching an entire seminar (in collaboration with a more experienced colleague or alone). The last stage is the involvement in the lectures, first in parts of them and in collaboration with a more experienced colleague, later by delivering an entire lecture. The student may teach their own course, usually an ECTS B course, under the supervision of the supervisor. The supervisor's support consists of providing ongoing feedback on the quality of the student's teaching. It is usual for the supervisor to observe the student teaching because they co-teach with the student or watch them teach. This is followed by consulting on topics on which the student needs advice concerning his/her involvement in a lesson (e.g. teaching content, teaching methodology, communication with students, criteria for assessment of written assignments, etc.). The student may be the supervisor/opponent/consultant of Bachelor's theses. The support of the supervisor is an essential part of this pedagogical activity as well. 6.2.3 PUBLICATIONS The supervisor helps with the creation of publications, e.g. helps to find a suitable journal, provides feedback on parts of the manuscript, may write some parts of the manuscript, helps to find funding for the proofreading of the manuscript, and helps to incorporate suggestions from reviewers. The co-authorship of the supervisor is discussed by both parties before the writing of the manuscript begins and before the supervisor is involved in the manuscript. The supervisor initiates the discussion. The size of the co-authorship share is proposed by the first author (the author who had the largest contribution to the writing of the manuscript). It is the result of the agreement between the co-authors and is determined after the completion of the manuscript. The co-authorship share corresponds to an estimate of the extent and importance of the work done on the manuscript. It is stated truthfully and identically in any registration of the publication. The CRediT system, defines the classification of activities that constitute work on a publication. T I P Deciding on co-authorship and the size of the authorship share can be a difficult matter. Check out the MUNI Best Practices in Scientific Publishing for helpful recommendations on who is or is not an author or how to determine the order of authorship. 2 1 T I P Talk about your experiences, thoughts, and feelings about the cooperation with your classmates, more experienced colleagues, and supervisor. Sharing your experiences can help you clarify things, change your perspective or reassure you in how you see things. When you are uncomfortable with something in your collaboration, tell your supervisor. This will both please them and let them know what you need to make things go smoothly. If something doesn't work for you, say so, too. Part of functional collaboration and functional relationships is being able to talk to each other about what types of change we might need. Giving feedback is a useful skill not only in the work environment but also in close relationships. T I P It is normal for difficulties to arise in a collaboration, it is normal for the parties involved to try to resolve them, and it is normal and helpful to involve a third party in resolving the situation. 6 . 3 W H E N COLLABORATION IS NOT GOING WELL Various difficulties may arise in the cooperation between the supervisor and the student. Most of these can be avoided by repeatedly clarifying mutual expectations, giving feedback, accepting it, and making a sincere effort to change. If even then the cooperation does not work and repeated attempts to improve it do not help, you can: 1. ask a colleague you trust for help in resolving the situation, 2. contact the doctoral program guarantor, the head of the department, the vice-dean for research and doctoral studies, the dean of the faculty (in that order), 3. approach a representative of the Academic Senate, 4. contact the faculty representative of the MUNI Students' Advisory Services, 5. write to stiznosti(q)fss.muni.cz, 6. request a change of supervisor. 6.4 ETHICS Masaryk University has established a system of ethical rules and principles that are binding on all members of the academic community, expert and research staff as well as all the other employees of the university. The basic ethical requirements are summarized in the MUNI Code of Ethics. The basic rules of research ethics at MUNI are defined in the MUNI Research Ethics. Doctoral studies program students, like other researchers at the FSS, are responsible for the objectivity of the research conducted, respect the principles of authorship and co-authorship, do not commit plagiarism, and respect the principles of good citation practice. 7.1 ARRANGE YOUR I S I C ISIC is the basic identification document required of all students at MUNI. At MUNI, the ISIC serves as an ID card for identification in the cafeterias, and libraries, for photocopying and printing, for access to the university computer room, etc. An ISIC ID can be used to take advantage of student discounts up to the age of 26. If you don't have a card from your previous studies at MUNI, get one. 7.2 SET UP AN ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR PAYMENT OF THE STIPEND Stipends at MUNI are only paid by cashless payment to a bank account held with a Czech bank. Please provide this number in the IS. 7.3 COMPLETE THE OSH Fire protection and occupational health and safety training is compulsory by law. The training takes place in the form of e-learning. For more information on completing the training, please refer to your application form. 1 8.1 DOCTORAL STUDIES AND PARENTHOOD Since 2013, the so-called recognized parenting time (UDR in Czech) has been introduced. It can be used by students on both maternity and parental leave. Take a look at what the UDR provides. 8.2 CHILDCARE The FSS has a children's playroom offering informal babysitting for children who are looked after by volunteers, who are usually students, or parents who help each other with babysitting. 8.3 WHEN I'M OVER 26 If you are over 26 you are required by law to sign up for health insurance as a self-payer. If you are employed, then health insurance is part of your employment and is paid out of your gross pay. If you are employed under a specific work agreement (DPP), then health insurance is paid from your wages if your monthly income exceeds CZK 10,000, or CZK 3,499 in the case of a DPC work agreement, in months when you do not have such an income, you must pay the insurance yourself. If you do not have any of the employment relationships on which the insurance contribution is paid, then this period is not counted for the calculation of your pension and you are not socially insured. You do not have to sign up to pay social security as it is voluntary. 8 . 4 S Ul W INTER UER AND SCHOOLS As part of their doctoral studies, many students also attend short-term school programs that allow them to develop a variety of research skills and teaching knowledge. Attending these is a good opportunity to meet other students as well as more experienced colleagues. Such schools can be recommended by your classmates or supervisor. You can find a selection of these schools on the MUNI Center for International Cooperation web- Take advantage of the free opportunity to improve your foreign language skills during your studies through the MUNI Language Centre. 8.5 MUNI INFORMATIO SYSTE The information system is a great thing. Thanks to it, you can sort out most things related to your studies. That's why it's good if you can familiarize yourself with it. 8.6 SOFTWARE The holdings of all university libraries are available to you, including subscription-based electronic resources. As a student, you automatically have access to MS Office 365. For teaching and research, you can use licenses from Atlas.ti, Stata, Qualtrics, Gram-marly, Writefull, citation software (EndNote Web, CitationPRO), Adobe Creative Cloud, and more. For more in formation, you can contact CIKT. 8.7 E D U R 0 A M NETWORK You can connect to the Eduroam wi-fi network on most MUNI premises and anywhere else in the world. Connecting is easy. 8.8 GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, CONTACTS, SOCIALIZATION, HELP Student associations at MUNI MUNI Career Center Czech Association of Doctoral Re-searchers FSS.MUNI.CZ