Senzorske tehnologije

The Doctoral Study Program in Sensor Technology is an interdisciplinary Doctoral Study Program that was started at the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School Ljubljana (MPŠ) in the academic year 2016/17. The goal of the Doctoral Program is to acquire knowledge about sensors and sensor technologies from selected fields of Physics, Chemistry, Materials, Environmental and Technical Sciences, Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies, and Information and Communication Technologies. The Study Program is placed in the broader field of one of the dynamically developing research areas, the field of Sensors. The Doctoral Study Program is conducted as a full-time Study Program lasting 3 years and is comprised of 180 ECTS. After completing the studies, the student obtains the title of Doctor of Science. The Study Program links well the set goals, with the competences that can be achieved through the learning outcomes, which are designed appropriately in the contents of the course curricula and belong to the required doctoral level of study. The course is intended for students with above-average achievements in undergraduate studies, who are enabled to participate in the projects of internationally established research groups within the framework of participating institutes, centers of excellence and industrial development centers in order to complete their Doctoral theses. The review of the work and achievements of the MPŠ is monitored within the framework of the review of reports on the research work of students, which are an integral part of the annual reporting on the prescribed form. The success of the work is also monitored within the pedagogical process and during the presentations of Seminars I, II and III. In order to monitor and improve the quality of the Study Program, the institution's regulations stipulate the implementation of a regular annual self-evaluation of the Study Program. In accordance with the guidelines for the self-evaluation of Study Programs, the institute collects data for the compilation of the report in formal and informal ways. 26 The conclusions of the self-evaluation process are included in the self-evaluation reports on the quality of the institution, and then in the summary of the self-evaluation report. During the review of the reports, the group of experts identified certain shortcomings in the reports, mainly insufficient reporting on the evaluation of coursework and research work of students, as well as on the realization of self-evaluation and proposals for improvements or changes to the Study Program. Above all, it is necessary to improve the execution, preparation and publication of the entire self-evaluation report, and to conclude the quality circle of the Doctoral Study Program formally. The Study Program maintains all the necessary forms of quality in terms of content, goals and purposes. The basic curriculum includes two professional compulsory subjects and optional, elective subjects. With this, the institute offers students an individualized form of teaching with an emphasis on research work, which allows students more time to develop scientific thinking related to the topic of research work. In terms of monitoring and updating, the group of experts identifies the necessary improvements in terms of refreshing and updating curricula, and a clearer explanation for updating the content of the Study Program. In doing so, the group also suggests an opportunity for improvement in management, whereby the management of the institute should be separated from the Quality Committee, and only communication should be maintained between the two bodies. The Study Program is primarily individualized, and is mostly devoted to research work and the preparation of a Doctoral thesis. Seven of the 9 compulsory courses are related to the preparation of a Doctoral thesis, of which the supervisor is listed as the supervisor for 4 of these courses. The study is adapted to solving a scientific research challenge, either within a group or with appropriate connections, and in cooperation with other groups or experts in interdisciplinary fields. The teaching method is focused on the student, depending on the level of education; it also offers to a greater extent the development of the student's initiative and the development of scientific thinking and solving challenges. Students have compulsory professional courses totaling 10 ECTS. In the first semester, in addition to the two compulsory courses, the student also chooses elective courses in the amount of 20 ECTS. In the second semester, the student performs "Individual research work" with a mentor in the amount of 20 ECTS. He/she presents a critical review of the research field and his/her first results in the seminar for the course "Seminar 1", which has a scope of 10 ECTS. According to the institution's rules, surveys are conducted before enrollment in the next year for all subjects that are taught in a particular academic year, and for the functioning of the institution as a whole. The answers can then be processed in the information system after the completion of the survey. The group of experts noted the necessary improvements, such as more consistent implementation and processing of student survey responses, which should also be processed numerically/statistically. It is also necessary to improve the systematic track of collecting the opinions of higher education teachers, e.g. implementation of the self-evaluation of the course, which is carried out by each holder and each executor of the course. From the materials sent, the group of experts understood that the Study Program maintained the necessary forms of quality: balance and structure of the course, evaluation with credit points, lesson plans, coordination of professional work, and guaranteed high 27 professionalism in execution. The content of the Study Program is coordinated comprehensively both horizontally and vertically, with clearly defined goals, outcomes and competencies that students must acquire during their studies. The Study Committee is submitting to the Senate constantly proposals for resolutions for the third-level Study Program in Sensor Technology. The Study Committee proposes updating course descriptions, especially the distribution of contact hours, goals, competences, study results, content, study literature, methods of knowledge verification, references of the subject and the list of subjects and collaborators of the course. From the given documentation, the group of experts notes that, despite the given conclusions and some changes to the text, the contents are updated insufficiently, and suggests a more appropriate update. In addition, the group of experts notes that it is still necessary to improve the current updating of curricula in terms of content, literature and references, especially, the literature in some places was not in accordance with the content of the course. It can be seen from the Curriculum that the conditions for study and the mandatory components of the Study Program are defined appropriately, transparent and understandable. They make it possible to exercise the rights and fulfill the obligations of all stakeholders in the study process. The prescribed methods and forms of checking and evaluating knowledge are specified for each subject or listed in the curricula of each individual subject. When choosing course holders and mentors, the institute takes into account the quality conditions from the "Criteria for elections", from which it is clear that the requirements meet the criteria of NAKVIS. Holders of compulsory and elective subjects are mostly fulltime professors, except for the 10 subjects, where they have a lower valid Habilitation degree. For the 4 accredited compulsory courses, the supervisor is a mentor, which means that the mentor must have a valid Habilitation degree. It is clear from the scientific publications that the mentors are working actively and successfully in the fields of research. The mentors are either employed at the Jožef Stefan Institute or other reputable institutions (NIB, ZAG, etc.). The students carry out individual research work in the top laboratories and premises of the institutes of the Institutes, the founders of MPŠ. As part of projects for economic partners, MPŠ students are also involved directly in their development laboratories. MPŠ also set up its own research laboratory for the development of measuring instrumentation for selective proximity detection of materials. The excellent equipment of the research groups, the scientific quality of the professional researcher-mentors and research groups at the research institutes is also reflected in the high-quality publications of the Doctoral students. In this part, a group of experts proposes the introduction of a Personal development plan for students, and a better coordination of the content of Doctoral theses with the content of the Doctoral Study Program, whereby the mentors should also be listed as lecturers of the program. The protection of students' rights is adequate and exemplary. The students are familiar with their obligations and the forms and methods of knowledge verification. The students receive all information about the course and method of implementation of the course in 28 the online classroom, the student information system and at the introductory lecture of the course, where the obligations, assessment method and assessment criteria are explained. They also have regular meetings with the Study Program Manager. Higher education teachers and colleagues participate in various consultations, professional and scientific conferences and trainings, with the institution's management supporting them greatly. The Institute informs the interested public about the Study Program and its activities mainly through websites, social networks and through the Competence Center of Factories of the Future (KOC-TOP). The Office for Student and Academic Affairs provides all information regarding the implementation of the Study Program, conditions for advancement or repeating the year, and other information related to studies daily by phone, e-mail and in person during office hours. In this part, the group of experts sees necessary improvements in the area of increasing the activities of the Alumni Club, and in the greater promotion of the involvement of Doctoral students in the operation of the school.