Faster PhDs

Doc.CH is an efficient funding scheme that meets a real need. This was the conclusion drawn by a study conducted at the University of Bern in April 2019. The SNSF annually awards a grant to around 50 doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences. Fritz Schlunegger, President of the Specialised Committee for Careers: “On average, doctoral students with a Doc.CH grant need less time to complete their thesis.”

But the study also pinpoints some aspects that could be improved. For example, the grant allows doctoral students to devote more time to research, but does not provide enough support for other tasks, such as teaching. “The study gives us some valuable insights,” says Schlunegger. “We will take them into account when we next review the scheme.”