RSA CE&C 2015-2021

5. Evidence and accomplishments 39 TU/e level, including the obligatory course ‘Scientific Integrity’). PhD students contribute to the educational tasks of the department (supervising guided self-study elements of bachelor’s and master’s courses, co-supervising laboratory courses and co-supervising bachelor’s and master’s graduation projects). Agreements related to supervision, attendance of courses/conferences and overall research planning are set up by the PhD student and the supervisors upon mutual agreement and formally written down in the Training and Guidance Plan (TGP) three months after the start of the PhD trajectory and annually as part of annual interviews. During the years, additional courses and conferences not mentioned in the formal documents can and are regularly followed upon mutual agreement. Administrative aspects related to the onboarding and graduation of PhD students are registered in an administrative system for PhD trajectories (Hora Finita). All PhD candidates are formally enrolled in the TU/e Graduate School. Alongside annual interviews for all TU/e employees, PhD students have a formal evaluation after their first year (effectively around month 10). A self-reflection report by the PhD candidate, together with a written evaluation by the supervisors, form the basis for this meeting in order to evaluate whether the PhD student is expected to successfully complete his/her PhD. At a higher level, the Department Board has regular meetings with the PhD Council of the department, composed of a PhD representative of each research group in the department. The PhD Council also organizes regular social gatherings for all PhD students in the department. In addition, the dean of the department has an exit meeting with each PhD student leaving the department. Close to 100% of PhD students find a new position quickly after graduation. Human resource policy The department wants to provide an inclusive environment with room for all students and employees. We embrace an open culture with freedom to discuss aspects related to science and personal aspects. To accommodate this, there are frequent meetings of the Department Board with e.g., the University Council, all professors, all scientific staff, the PhD Council, all management assistants and all research group representatives responsible for safety at the level of the research group. Recently, academic culture has also been addressed as an agenda item in all of these meetings. In terms of HR management, the department naturally complies with the agreements of the Collective Labor Agreement and TU/e policy. In terms of academic promotions for staff, the department has well-defined criteria for promotion. In compliance with its mission, scientific quality remains a leading principle in all hiring/promotion trajectories. Candidates are evaluated according to formal appointment and promotion protocols. The departmental Promotions Committee, complete with additional experts related to the field of expertise of the candidate, advises the Department Board on the hiring/promotion of a candidate. The department keeps putting effort into increasing the amount of female scientific staff and is making use of specific search committees to proactively scout talented (female) candidates for open positions. For new hires at a scientific staff level, the department provides start-up packages (typically a PhD position and €50 k of investment for starting tenure-track staff; more extensive start-up packages are required when hiring senior staff, done in conjunction with the Executive Board). All senior scientific staff (i.e., associate and full professors) have ius promovendi .