Supervision & Thesis Advisory Committee

Doctoral researchers at MPIP benefit from structured supervision and mentoring throughout their PhD project.

Supervision

Each doctoral researcher is supervised by a principal supervisor, typically a director. A  second supervisor, such as a group leader, provides guidance and direct supervision in day-to-day research.

Regular meetings with supervisors help doctoral researchers:

• discuss scientific progress

• refine research strategies

• plan publications

• address challenges during the project

Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)

To provide additional guidance, every doctoral researcher establishes a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) within the first six months of the PhD.

The TAC supports the doctoral researcher throughout the project and offers scientific and professional advice.

Composition of the TAC

The committee typically includes:

• the first supervisor (director or independent group leader)

• the second supervisor (group leader or direct supervisor)

• an independent third member from another research group or department

TAC Meetings

The TAC meets at minimum once per year to review the progress of the doctoral project. Meetings usually last 60–90 minutes and include discussion of:

• scientific progress

• future research directions

• publication plans

• working conditions and professional development

This supervision structure ensures continuous feedback and support throughout the doctoral phase.

The corresponding forms and guidelines for setting up the TAC and for documenting TAC meetings can be found in the form center of the MAX intranet.