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The right of issueing academic degrees used to be held by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. At that time the Scientific Evaluation Committee awarded scientists the Russion-type degree, the Candidate of Sciences (CSc). This degree was unknown and thus not accepted in most countries of the world. Not longer than a decade ago The Act of Higher Education, 1993, charged universities with preparing students for their academic degree as well as awarding them doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees. This decision galvanized the scientific communities and schools of doctoral studies were founded one after the other in all Hungarian universities.
 
The former Semmelweis University of Medicine was an exception. Professor Péter Sótonyi laid down the basic foundations of the SOTE Doctoral School. His successor, Professor László Kopper continuously re-organized it, carefully structuring the study programs, creating and amending the detailed regulations and working out new rules of the institution. The Doctoral School of Semmelweis University is currently one of our most successful divisions with around hundred students obtaining their Ph.D. diplomas every year. The School of Ph.D. Studies is in fact a "virtual" organisation of the university, in importance comparable to that of a Faculty. The virtuality of this "Faculty" is due to the fact that teachers and tutors are all employees or co-workers of the five official Faculties, they perfom their scientific activities in different laboratories and institutes of this (and other) universities. However, with their collaboration and organization they create new research centers that function like spiritual "melting pots". The concentration and focus of this scientific potential has a great impact on the young candidates� research work. The motivation of the students is multiplied by the presence and interaction of experienced tutors.
 
The basic unit of this complex teaching-learning team is one student - one tutor. Together they enjoy a high level of freedom and autonomy in running their research, naturally, within the limits set by the rules and regulations.
 
The first doctoral programs in 1993 were formed sporadically around the greatest personalities of the university. Each program was comprised of 5 to 10 sub-programs, the majority of which consisted of various topics or themes. It was the leader of the program who was responsible for the advance of each tutor and student. The number of these study programs was already around 25 when the Ministry of Education decided to restructure the doctoral training. A small number of branches of science were nominated and all programs must now be grouped under the umbrella of larger organizations called Doctoral Schools (the Hungarian abbreviation is TDI). The programs have retained their independence, however, the Councils of the Doctoral Schools became the real administrative centers of the doctoral training.
 
Currently the School of Ph.D. Studies of Semmelweis University has 8 Doctoral Schools. Basic Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mental Health Sciences, Sport and Educational Sciences, Neurosciences, Molecular Medicine and Pathological Sciences. Each School comprise 2 to 14 study programs, the total number of which is above 40 (see detailed information on programs and Doctoral Schools).
 
It is important to mention that the Doctoral School of Semmelweis University integrates the research groups and programs of all Faculties entitled to issue Ph.D. degrees. Originally, the School of Ph.D. Studies began its work at the former faculties which, after integration, now form Semmelweis University. Since then more than 2,000 doctoral candidates have joined the medical, biological, and pharmaceutical programs. By involving the greatest authorities from within, as well as from outside the university, the School of Ph.D. Studies has from the beginning been able to preserve the quality and prestige of the degree. By the end of November 2004, altogether 542 Ph.D. theses had been successfully defended at the School of Ph.D. Studies. The number of enrolled students at that time point was over 500, of which more than 20 were foreigners, and over 100 are about to defend their dissertation. The number of new admissions in 2005 was 190.
 

 
Table: Number of PhD diplomas issued by Semmelweis University.
 
The largest faculty (Faculty of Medicine) is represented in almost all Doctoral Schools, the Faculty of Dentistry has its own study program, the Faculty of Pharmacy as well as the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences is represented by individual Doctoral Schools. The Faculty of Health Care as a Higher Education Institute of college level does not issue doctoral diplomas, its teachers however are taking part in the study programs organized by the other faculties.
 
The activity of the School of Ph.D. is divided into two parts:

• Part I: educational phase - program courses and research activity
• Part II: qualification phase - examination, writing and defending dissertations

 
Although the educational and qualification phases can be continuous, each contains features that provide greater flexibility in obtaining a degree. Basically, anybody holding a university diploma (not necessarily a medical one) can join either Phase I or II.
 
The aim of Phase I is to train students to become scientists by providing them courses. Credit points can be accumulated upon completion of a course. The selected scientific topic will become the core of the thesis. Research is usually conducted in laboratories in collaboration with faculty members. A qualified tutor supervises each student.
 
Phase II provides an opportunity to evaluate the results of the experiments and to publish them in acknowledged scientific journals. Obviously, this is, or can be an on-going activity in Phase I as well. The student is required to pass a comprehensive examination and to write and defend a dissertation.
 
Phase II follows Phase I, but one may join Phase II without completing Phase I, providing the necessary prerequisites have been fulfilled. However, if one joins the School of Ph.D. Studies directly in Phase II it is necessary to be accepted by a tutor within a program.
 
The School of Ph.D. Studies offers three forms of education

• Full-time for scholarship holders (scholarship obtained from state, agency, foundation etc.) entering Phase I as students
• Part-time students, entering Phase I as students
• Individual studies, entering Phase II as candidates

 
Both full-time and part-time students must meet the same requirements. The main difference between those with and without scholarship is that the latter have jobs and are combining studies and work. Individuals who join only Phase II will not be students with record-book and student identity card, but they will be candidates for the doctoral degree. The total number of candidates at present is over 400.
 
Certain costs of education, scientific training and official procedures are covered for students and candidates. Most of the fees are equal to or close to what is ordinarily paid by undergraduate students.
 
The actual decision-making body of the School of Ph.D. Studies is the Doctoral Council. Its work is supported by the Education Committee and Quality Assurance Committee. The former is responsible for organizing the study courses and all matters related to the training. The latter evaluates topic accreditation applications, dissertations prior to submitting them to opponents. Later, another Committee has been established to run disciplinary procedures.
 
The Doctoral School is an autonomous educational body of the University; it functions as subject to the decisions made by Doctoral Council that meets regularly every second month of the academic year. The work of the Doctoral Council is supported by the Doctoral Secretary. The Doctoral School of Semmelweis University includes eight scientific (departmental) doctoral schools that manage the educational programmes, sub-programmes and offer the research topics which are the most important for PhD students.
 
Permanent Committees of the Doctoral Council
 
Educational Board (EB)
 
The Educational Board (EB) meets at least once in a half year. It expresses opinion on course proposals and requests for financial support for courses. If needed, the EB can alter courses. It can make proposals in the following matters:
(1) the structure of teaching,
(2) the co-ordination of courses,
(3) the nature of the method of course registration and registration dead lines,
(4) the establishment of credit points which can be given to each course and
(5) the recognition of credit points.
 
Students receiving tuition are advised to choose those courses which are promoted by the Doctoral Council of Semmelweis University. Theoretical knowledge and skills necessary for research are obtained from the compulsory course modules. Throughout the year the departmental doctoral schools organise optional courses. Some of them organise courses which are obligatory for all the students who are registered in that particular school.
 
The Educational Board fulfils the functions of the MD-PhD entrance examination committee. This function has been together with the MD-PhD education cancelled in 2005.
 
Members of this body debate and decide whether a candidate has a thorough grounding in academic work by examining his/her previous performance in education and research and the elected topic for research. The board decides whether the candidate will or will not be able to produce a thesis three or four years after his/her entrance into the system. The number of applicants for the MD-PhD training courses was six in 2001; twelve in 2002, seven in 2003 and ten in 2004.
 
The Quality Control and Evaluation Board (QCEB)
 
The efficiency of the doctoral training is shown in the frequency of completed doctoral theses and academic publications. The standards of these works are judged by scientometric indicators. This process evaluates both the academic competence of individual PhD candidates and also the academic standards of the Doctoral School.
 
One of the most important acts of quality control is that everybody involved in the process complies with the instructions given in the qualification phase by the Doctoral Council (DC). The importance of this issue led to the establishment of The Quality Control and Reporting Board. This first evaluating forum controls whether the submitted work fulfils the conceptual, structural and formal requirements of a doctoral thesis. Consequently a formal opinion is released stating whether the PhD candidate acquired the scientometric indicators prescribed in the Book of Regulations of the Doctoral School or not.
 
Considering the proposals given by the QCRB the Doctoral Council decides whether the doctoral thesis can be sent to the opponents. At a first glance this process might seem unnecessary because the control of requirements looks like a simple administrative issue. However, the process of evaluation described above - which applies the general rules (sometimes with a great deal of empathy) - is highly desirable for a number of reasons: there is a great variety of research topics, the issues discussed range from molecular biology to behavioural sciences which must be able to win academic recognition in Hungary and abroad.
 
Apart from works which meet all the standards there are doctoral theses which are inadequate in their content and structure and are therefore unacceptable. Candidates who do not fulfil the main requirements have caused the Board to stop the referee's report on a Ph.D. thesis. It is worth mentioning some of these requirements which doctoral candidates must take into consideration. Only those candidates deserve scientific degrees who are able to publish their results intelligibly and based on a coherent analysis. Summarising the content of two or three excellent publications is not equal to a doctoral dissertation.
 
Some articles which were published in magazines abroad with a sophisticated title and impact factor are not sufficient to create basis for PhD qualification. Only those articles can hope for recognition which are the result of real academic work. Therefore articles summarising the academic literature of a particular topic or commenting on the academic work of others as letters to the editor are not acceptable.  By contrast, articles published in a magazine under the latter heading could include original scientific results. But this must become clear from the presentation of scientific methods and/or from the editor�s professional opinion. The QCRB during its evaluation takes into consideration the grammatical correctness and style of the English or Hungarian language, the length, the external appearance of the thesis and the quality of illustrations.
 
These examples illustrate that the board has a high level of responsibility in defining the academic quality of PhD qualifications. At the same time the board is meticulously tactful in giving criticisms. Therefore written judgments also include constructive suggestions for correcting the deficiencies discovered. This professional opinion is sent to both the candidate and the head of the training programme. This process creates grounds for the necessary corrections and gives the possibility of legal remedies.
 
When this evaluation process is applied in practice, for instance, nine doctoral theses out of ten are found acceptable. The other one is rejected usually because basic requirements are not fulfilled, i.e. the shortage of sufficient acceptable publications. Furthermore, it occurs that two or three theses are rejected in form (i.e. the outward appearance and/or some of the essential requirements are missing from the package which was submitted to the QCRB.) In these cases the professional review of the doctoral theses will be delayed until the corrections are completed and necessary supplements are submitted.
 
One of the major duties of the QCRB is to report its experience to the Doctoral Council and to suggest proposals concerning the alterations in the Rules of the Doctoral School if necessary. Apart from the duties described above the QCRB has authority over any stage of the doctoral procedure in scientific matters. Furthermore, it passes judgements on applications, looks into the matters of complaints and makes decisions concerning naturalisations (e.g. the recognition of qualifications). Since 2000 the Quality Control and Reporting Board has had the role of quality evaluation within the entire Doctoral School.
 
Doctoral Secretarial Office
 
The administrative duties of the Doctoral School are managed by the Doctoral Secretarial Office which creates a link between the Doctoral Council, the PhD training programmes and the PhD students. It maintains permanent contact with the educational bodies outside of the university (e.g. Ministry of Education, Hungarian Accreditation Board, etc.).
 
PhD Scientific Days
 
The PhD training programme provides opportunities for every candidate to acquire practical knowledge of the methodology of presenting results gained in scientific research. PhD students therefore are required to present their work regularly both among fellow workers and in a wider professional environment. The need for an overall PhD conference of the Doctoral School was promoted even though the departmental doctoral schools organise scientific forums for their own PhD students. The prime objective was that participants would be able to familiarise themselves with the scientific work of each programme.
 
In 2000 seventy-eight lectures and fifty-two poster presentations were given while in 2004 the figures were fifty-six and forty-eight respectively. On both occasions PhD students and candidates had the opportunity to present their work in twelve sections with a jury. Candidates with works of a high standard gained awards in each section. The conferences were highly successful. PhD students participated from partner universities in Budapest and in the provinces. Scientific results were presented in high standard lectures and presentations of a high standard. The relatively low turn out, however, not only of students but by their tutors as well, did not create a good impression. But conference feedback supports the idea of organising further PhD Scientific Days. (In 2003 the students gave sixty-six lectures and forty-eight presentations.) Every academic year two highly regarded professionals have been invited to lecture with great success.
 
PhD Courses
 
Every semester there are there a number of courses (60-120) announced on the website. Previously, the Educational Board of the Doctoral school filtered down the number of courses to between sixty and seventy. The Doctoral Council of the Semmelweis University took into consideration the views the Educational Board and restricted the number of courses which can be run by each departmental doctoral school in one semester to between five and seven. 
 
Since then the following procedure has been established concerning PhD courses, i.e. the Doctoral Committee of each Departmental Doctoral School proposes between five and seven courses at the beginning of each semester which are entered the database of current courses. However, the Educational Board can recognise and award credit points for participation in PhD courses of the appropriate standard at other universities. In this case the Educational Board needs the recommendation of the tutor and the head of the departmental doctoral school of the student in question.
 
The list of courses, which have to be taken during the PhD training period, is finalised. In 2002 the Departmental Doctoral School published a plan which restricted the number of courses for the entire three years long training period. The database of available courses is accessible at the website of the Doctoral School. Consequently, students are able to access the database and construct their own individual study plan.

 
Admissions to doctoral education
 
Requirements
 
Doctoral applicants must be university graduates or students registered for the last semester of their studies at the university. The Doctoral Council of the University might accept the application of other students in exceptional cases.
 
Applicants are required to indicate on the application form the training programme and research topic selected inside a Departmental Doctoral School. The Doctoral council determines the content of the PhD programmes, the admission procedures and the admission fee. The Doctoral Secretariat Office provides detailed information about these to the applicants.
 
Applicants can be admitted to the educational phase (with state grants, private scholarships and fee based education) or to the qualification phase (PhD examination, writing and defending a thesis) of the doctoral training.
 
The admission procedure is based on evaluating

• the candidates� level of general knowledge and personal ability,
• his/her special (topic related) knowledge and academic competence.

 
Candidates must have a university degree with the result at least 3.51 (cum laude) in order to gain admission. The result of their diploma is taken into consideration at the oral entrance examination only if it was acquired within the three years prior to application. A further condition is that applicants must possess at least a certified C type (oral and written) state language exam or an equivalent certificate.
 
The admission board of each departmental doctoral school creates a ranked list of candidates which is submitted to the Doctoral Council of the University. This committee makes decisions about the final admissions by considering the number of (state) grants available and the positions candidates have on the ranked lists.
 
Table 1 summarises information about the students of the Doctoral School at Semmelweis University.
 
 
The Doctoral Students' Union (DSU)
 
The DSU is a body elected by the doctoral students in order to legally represent their interests both inside and outside the university; e.g. in the Doctoral Council and the National Association of Doctoral Students. Members of the union participate in the ad hoc commissions dealing with matters in their interest and are responsible for organising the Scientific PhD forums. The head office of the DSU is: The Students� Office of Semmelweis University (H-1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad square Nr. 4. - ground floor, No. 18.) Members of the Union of the Doctoral Students are also accessible through the Doctoral Secretarial Office.
 
Representative: Dr. Bálint Szuromi (Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy)
 
Hundreds of PhD students take the courses as part of more than fourty training programmes of eight doctoral schools under the supervision of hundreds of tutors in different locations. Every half year the school organises 60 - 120 courses; the lectures and seminars are given in more than 50 locations within the university.
 
There are great advantages stemming from the intensity and variety of our education system. Therefore, it is a high priority to publish information which is clear-cut and accessible by everybody. The gradual augmentation of the website leads to the accumulation of information about every training programme and sub-programme and of every teacher and doctoral defence since 2000. Importantly, the website provides information about on-going courses and application possibilities. All application forms and documents, which are necessary for the administration of doctoral matters and the resolutions of the Doctoral Council, are also accessible on the website. Other detailed information and curricula are also available electronically. The website provides addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.
 
The website of the Doctoral School at Semmelweis University is an essential means for organising doctoral education. The website was completed in the end of 2002. Website (http://www.phd.sote.hu). In 2000-2001 - after the internet server of the Doctoral School had been installed - the system was entirely renewed. The previous Windows NT server was cracked several times by unknown hackers, so the Linux-Apache system based on new technology was introduced. Additionally, the informative database of the website was modernised.
 
The new, database website opens a possibility for course leaders to put the information about their courses directly on the website. The Doctoral Secretarial staff manages and publishes all the relevant information: e. g. general news, advertisements and PhD defences without the assistance of a web supervisor.
 
The website has considerable web traffic according to statistical figures. The average number of visitors a day was 3000 between 1 March and 30 June 2005, in May it went up to 5000 daily visits. The number of downloaded files was 1000-1200 every day and in May it reached a daily 2000. Since then this figure then has increased due to the high demands for electronic admission information. These figures represent only the general turnover not the actual numbers of visitors. Repeated visits by the same person are registered each time therefore the real numbers of inquirers are unknown.)
 
The database system of presenting doctoral theses on the internet was set up. One hundred and fifty doctoral theses and synopses there of are accessible and their number increases on a day to day basis. It is required that doctoral theses be available to the public before the defence so they may be accessed electronically in full through the internet simultaneously with the announcement of the PhD defence.
 
Budapest, 2005-11-17

Dr. Ágoston Szél
President of the Doctoral Council