Wetenschap - 20 juni 1996

MSc students in favour of research contracts

The International Student Panel feels that MSc students should be given the opportunity to sign a contract with their research supervisor in order to make clear the responsibilities of both student and supervisor. They would also like to see availability and access to facilities, like computers and copying, included in such an agreement.

At present a similar kind of contract is being introduced for students in the regular Dutch programmes, to cover their practical period. It was felt that the educational goals and academic standards of the practical period had been neglected. The contract requires that a work plan be written in advance of the practical period and a report afterwards. Furthermore, it includes general guidelines with regard to the availability of facilities.

The ISP's plea for a similar arrangement results from the ongoing debate on the lack of uniformity in the facilities offered by the different MSc programmes. At present, part of the tuition fee can be allocated by the programme management to be spent at their discretion. This situation will change shortly, when all tuition fees will be channelled directly into WAU's central budget. ISP is bringing up the topic once again, because there is now even greater uncertainty about equal access to and uniformity in offered facilities.