Information on data protection

• Supporting early career researchers is one of the strategic priorities of UZH. In accordance with § 4 of the University Act (UniG), UZH is required to ensure the quality of research and teaching.
• The pilot project Quality Assurance of Doctoral Supervision contributes to a continuous quality cycle in doctoral supervision by introducing a standardized feedback mechanism.
• Data collection, analysis and reporting are carried out in accordance with the applicable data protection regulations of the Canton of Zurich and UZH. Technical and organisational measures ensure the protection of the data.

More detailed information can be found in the privacy policy (PDF, 220 KB).

1. Purpose of data collection: General and person-related survey data are collected to ensure and further develop the quality of doctoral supervision at UZH.

2. Data collection: The survey is conducted using LimeSurvey. Data are processed exclusively within the University of Zurich and are not transferred to external parties. A technical access token is used to manage survey invitations and reminders. It serves solely to manage participation status and is not linked to survey responses.

3. Data analysis: Information provided by doctoral candidates remains anonymous, ensuring that no conclusions can be drawn about individual participants. Survey reports are produced exclusively in aggregated form and, at each reporting level, only where at least ten responses are available.

4. Data management: Data are stored in encrypted form on UZH servers and are accessible only to authorised personnel. Data management is the responsibility of the Graduate Campus.

5. Survey reports: Aggregated survey reports are made available to the deans as part of internal quality processes. Deans do not have access to raw data.

6. Security measures: Technical and organisational measures ensure the protection of the data.

• Use of feedback: The survey supports the long-term quality assurance and continuous development of doctoral supervision. It is not intended to influence individual supervisory relationships.

• Data management: Survey data are collected, managed and analysed centrally by the Graduate Campus.

• Data protection: Personal data of participating doctoral candidates are not disclosed. Supervisors do not have access to raw data. Feedback is analysed and reported exclusively in aggregated form.

• Protection against identification: The data protection measures in place are designed to prevent the identification of individual doctoral candidates.

• Use of feedback: Feedback contributes to institutional quality development. It is not interpreted as an individual assessment but considered within its overall institutional context.

• Role-based access: Access to survey reports is governed by role-based permissions. Aggregated survey reports relating to individual supervisors are made available exclusively to the respective deans as part of faculty quality processes.

• Requirements for survey reports: Survey reports at the level of individual supervisors are produced only where at least ten responses are available.

• Protection against identification and misinterpretation: Data protection measures, together with reporting exclusively in aggregated form, protect against identification and help prevent misinterpretation based on insufficient number of responses.