Thesis Committee
Thesis advisor
The thesis advisor is responsible for the research project, its adequate supervision, the laboratory infrastructure, and the salary of the candidate and must be a lecturer with a PD title or a professor at the University of Bern.
The thesis advisor signs the annual Progress Report together with the candidate.
A co-thesis advisor can be appointed to support the thesis advisor.
The co-thesis advisor is an expert in the field of the PhD project and is chosen by the thesis advisor. They are normally part of the research team or close network of the thesis advisor. A habilitation (PD title) is not required.
The co-thesis advisor certifies their role in the supervision of the candidate with a written statement and discusses the research project with the candidate on a regular basis.
It is possible for the co-thesis advisor to replace the thesis advisor in the 1st and 2nd year exams. However, the co-thesis advisor cannot replace the thesis advisor at the thesis defense or for the evaluation of the PhD thesis, but their participation is recommended. If both the thesis advisor and the co-thesis advisor participate, they express one common grade and give one evaluation.
Co-referee
The co-referee should be an expert in the research area of the PhD project but must not be affiliated with the same institute/department as the thesis advisor. The co-referee advises and supports the candidate and meets with them at least twice a year to discuss and assess the progress of the PhD project. They are present at the exams and the thesis defense.
Mentor (only Expert Committee III/FKIII)
Together with the candidate and the thesis advisor, the mentor supports the candidate in creating their curriculum reported in the Doctoral Agreement, taking the candidate's previous education and the curriculum's relevance to the planned research work into account. The mentor also evaluates the annual Progress Report and is a mediator in case of conflict within the thesis committee. They are a member of one of the Expert Committees and are assigned during the interview. They chair the defense and can also be chosen as examiner during the 1st and 2nd year exams.
At the GHS, each candidate is supported by a team of experts. The specific role of the different kinds of supervisors is specified in the table below:
