General information:
Checkpoints are moments of supervision used to monitor and evaluate the progress of a PhD candidate's PhD project during the research phase. Periodic checkpoints are automatically created by Hora Finita after the PhD candidate's registration has been approved.
In general the first checkpoint (CP1 - TSP) concides with the submission of the TSP (Training and Supervision Plan) 3 months after the starting date. After this the deadlines for the follow-up checkpoints are dependent on the contract type and Faculty/Graduate School.
In order to suit their needs Faculties/Graduate Schools have different types of checkpoints depending on their work practices and preferences.
Checkpoint deadlines can only be altered by the Faculty PhD coordinator or the Graduate School coordinator. It is important that you adhere to the checkpoint deadlines.
An exit checkpoint is rolled out four years after the start date of the PhD project. This period of time differs per faculty/Graduate School and end date of the PhD project, etc.
The date of the exit checkpoint is automatically adjusted when the status of a PhD project changes to promoted or stopped; Hora Finita then assumes that an exit interview will take place, or that an exit questionnaire must be completed
In order not to lose sight of the PhD student and/or to facilitate other types of processes, various checkpoint cycles are used.
To avoid losing sight of the progress of the PhD project, checkpoints can also be used after PhD contract has expired.
Some checkpoints are accompanied by a certain outcome, "go"/"maybe"/"no go. The outcome of a checkpoint is determined by the outcome of an agreement train that starts running after the checkpoint. In an agreement train, the various stakeholders are sequentially asked to respond to a particular outcome, product or assessment (etc.).
Where can I find my checkpoints?
Option 1: PhD dashboard
On the right hand side of the dashboard under the 'Checkpoints' tab you will find a list of your upcoming checkpoints with their respective deadlines.
- You can navigate to a specific checkpoint's page by clicking on it.
- Alternatively you can navigate to a complete overview of all planned checkpoints by clicking on 'Open the complete list of checkpoints'.
Option 2: Checkpoints tab
You can also navigate to the overview of all your planned checkpoints by:
- First clicking on the 'Research phase' tab.
- Then clicking on the 'Checkpoints' tab.
Below you will see an overview of your checkpoints. Click on a specific checkpoint to go to that page.
Reminder email:
Before a checkpoint deadline you will receive a reminder email to notify you of the upcoming checkpoint. This email will contain information about the content and procedures of the checkpoint. This email is usually sent a month before the deadline of a checkpoint but this date can vary depending on the checkpoint and your Faculty/Graduate school.
See example reminder email below:
Depending on the work practices of the Faculty/Graduate school a reminder may also be sent to upload the interview report of the checkpoint interview.
Questionnaires:
Optionally, accompanying a checkpoint is a questionnaire that you are requested to fill in, in order to pass the checkpoint.
Questionnaires can be found in the checkpoint page to which they belong or under the 'Questionnaire' tab on the PhD dashboard.
As a PhD candidates you will receive an email informing you about upcoming questionnaires that you are required to fill in.
Questionnaires are sometimes marked as confidential, meaning that only the Graduate School coordinator can view them. Confidential questionnaires exist for both PhD candidates and PhD supervisors.
Interviews:
To accompany a checkpoint Faculties/Graduate Schools can request that you schedule an interview with your PhD supervisors. After a date has been set by the participants it can be filled in on the checkpoint page.
These dates are agreed upon by participants outside of Hora Finita and can then be added to the checkpoint page.
Attachments
Both PhD candidates and PhD supervisors can attach documents to a checkpoint, such as a TSP.