Doctoral Agreement

Doctoral Agreements serve to create transparency and commitment, provide orientation and facilitate the planning of a doctorate.

A Doctoral Agreement must be concluded between a doctoral candidate and his/her supervisors at the latest six months after admission to the doctoral program. This applies to all doctoral candidates irrespective of whether or not they are employed at the University of Bern.

The Doctoral Agreement form is available below, in the section “New Documents”.

Content

The Doctoral Agreement sets out the general conditions of the doctorate in a transparent and binding manner. This includes, inter alia, information about the topic, duration and funding of the doctorate, about the form and planning of the doctoral thesis project, as well as about research-integrated coursework achievements and supervision modalities.

Distinction from the performance review/MAG

  • All doctoral candidates of the University of Bern (with or without employment at the University of Bern) must fill in the Doctoral Agreement with their supervisors.
  • Doctoral candidates who are employed at the University of Bern also have annual performance reviews (MAG). The MAG form is available uni-internally (internal link).
  • There is a separate form for the annual performance review of doctoral candidates who are not employed at the University of Bern. This form is available below, in the section “New Documents”.

New Doctoral Agreements

The Doctoral Agreements were revised in 2025 and are now separate from the MAG form. You can find them below, in the section “New Documents”.

Summary of changes:

  • The Doctoral Agreement is to be completed at the start of a doctorate.
  • The new Doctoral Agreement applies to all doctoral candidates irrespective of whether or not they are employed at the University of Bern. This means that all doctoral candidates fill in the same form for the Doctoral Agreement.
  • Doctoral candidates who are employed at the University of Bern: The annual target agreements and assessments of research and study achievements as well as institute tasks are covered within the scope of MAG and documented in the MAG form of the Human Resources Office.
  • Doctoral candidates who are not employed at the University of Bern: The results of the annual performance reviews are documented in the “Annual Performance Review” form.

The new documents are available for use with immediate effect. The old documents are still available as a transitional solution for the MAG round 2025. The new forms must be used from the fall semester 2026 at the very latest.