Learning by Research

The Doctoral Student

Under the responsibility of a doctoral dissertation supervisor, the doctoral student, as a young researcher, learns how to develop his/ her skills to solve difficult issues and find innovative solutions. During his/ her doctoral studies, he/ she will have to take initiatives, present his/ her arguments to his peers, work as a team, carry out projects, and show his/ her results to a variety of audiences.

The Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor

Awarded with a "Habilitation à diriger des recherches" or HDR (Accreditation to supervise research), the doctoral dissertation supervisor prepares the doctoral dissertation scientific programme. He/ she supervises the doctoral student during the entire doctorate period, and helps the student to begin his/ her professional career. If necessary, the doctorate student can be supervised by two supervisors known as "doctoral dissertation joint supervisors".

The Laboratory

As a young researcher, the doctoral student is linked to a research laboratory, also known as the "host team" or the "research unit" in administration terms. This is also the laboratory to which the doctoral dissertation supervisor belongs. The laboratory often acts as a daily workplace: it is a scientific environment, allowing the doctoral student to access all the necessary equipment for his/ her research (desk, computer, experimental equipment, etc.).

The Doctoral School

A doctoral school groups research teams together around a scientific subject. It manages the administrative follow-up of the doctoral dissertation (enrolment, viva, etc.) and the training of its doctoral students.
The doctoral school proposes scientific seminars and additional research training courses. The school is managed by a director and his board, including representatives elected by doctoral students, whose role is to follow, lead and organise events in the doctoral school.

The Doctoral Department for Training, Initiation and Professional Insertion (“Service Doctoral pour la Formation, l'Initiation et l'insertion professionnelles" in French: DFI, former CIES)

The DFTIP is a department of the Grenoble University Doctoral School. Its aims are to organise recruitment, training and follow-up of doctoral students enroled in one of the five proposed labels. It is thus responsible for the organisation of the numerous internships, primarily intended for doctoral students enroled with a label. However, most internships are open to all Grenoble University doctoral students. The DFI ensures monitoring of the training plans scheduled within each label, and follows up doctoral students during their studies. This follow-up allows the label to be validated for doctoral students.

The University Librairies

The university libraries aim to guide the doctoral student throughout his/ her doctorate with full access to documents for research, as well as adapted workplaces (equipped with computers, wi-fi connection, etc.). Its employees also offer training in specialised documentary research and assistance when submitting dissertation electronic versions. After the viva, they are responsible for the notification, definitive archiving and dissemination of the dissertation on dedicated internet platforms.

The Doctoral College

The Université Grenoble Alpes Doctoral College federates site doctoral schools in order to simplify procedures for the doctoral student, standardise the scientific framework for dissertations and offer a comprehensive and trans-disciplinary training. It also aims to promote the international reputation of the Grenoble University doctorate programme and to develop relations with companies.