Doctoral Agreement

The Doctoral Agreement serves to create transparency and commitment, provides guidance, and facilitates the planning of the doctorate.

No later than six months after admission to the doctorate, the Doctoral Agreement between the doctoral candidate and their supervisors is concluded. This applies to all doctoral candidates, regardless of whether they are employed at the University of Bern or not.

The form for the Doctoral Agreement can be found below under “New documents”.

Content

The Doctoral Agreement sets out the framework conditions for the doctorate in a transparent and binding manner. This includes, for example, information on the topic, duration, and financing of the doctorate, the form and planning of the dissertation project, research-related training, and the supervision arrangements.

Distinction between the Doctoral Agreement and the MAG/Status Review

  • All doctoral candidates at the University of Bern (whether or not they are employed at the university) complete the Doctoral Agreement with their supervisors.
  • Doctoral candidates who are employed at the University of Bern also have annual employee reviews (MAG). The form for the MAG can be found in Uni intern (internal link).
  • Doctoral candidates without employment at the University of Bern have a separate form available for the annual status review. The form for the annual status review can be found below under “New documents”.

New doctoral agreements

The Doctoral Agreements were revised in 2025 and decoupled from the MAG form. You can find them below under “New documents”.

Summary of the changes:

  • The Doctoral Agreement is completed at the beginning of the doctorate.
  • The new Doctoral Agreement applies to all doctoral candidates, regardless of whether they are employed at the University of Bern or not.
  • This means that all doctoral candidates fill out the same form for the agreement.
  • Doctoral candidates with employment at the University of Bern: The annual target agreements and evaluations concerning research and training achievements as well as institute tasks are dealt with within the framework of the MAG and recorded in the MAG form of the Human Resources Office.

The new documents can be used immediately. For the 2025 MAG round, the old documents are still available as a temporary solution. The new documents must be used from the fall semester of 2026 at the latest.