Other opportunities

Other opportunities Contribute to Young Researcher Editorials A primary objective of the PhD is the publication of peer-reviewed research papers. A Swiss TPH PhD student initiated a discussion about the lack of opportunities for PhD students to debate and express their views about public health sciences more broadly. This resulted in a new educational initiative of the International Journal of Public Health (IJPH) of SSPH+: The Young Researchers Editorials (YRE). It was launched in September 2017 to strengthen the academic voice of students in the public health sciences. YRE is an independent editorial board of SSPH+ PhD students. They acquire, review and publish Editorials written and submitted by PhD students from all over the world. As all IJPH Editorials, these are citable open access publications. Please note that YRE is not the place to publish parts of your thesis. Editorials may refer to public health topics or papers published in IJPH or in any other journal or the news. It may also address issues of being a PhD student in public health sciences. Find more information here: https://ssphplus.ch/en/teaching-training/yre/.

Pursuing a PhD in Africa Students interested in PhD studies in Africa may consider the highly competitive and successful African CARTA PhD program. CARTA provides full-term fellowships to do a PhD at one of the CARTA Universities (only for those who have a contract as an employee at the respective university). CARTA also offers courses for its students, which are also open for PhD students from elsewhere. Swiss TPH chairs the Non-African Partners of the CARTA network (Julia Bohlius) and contributes to some of its courses. For questions please contact barbara.buerkin@swisstph.ch

Part-time jobs during PhD studies Some PhD students work part-time to make some extra income. As this may compete with the timely advancement of the PhD, it is important to discuss and agree this with the supervisor. For foreign students, working permissions may be restricted and subject to approval from the migration office (permit arranged by HR), e.g. those with Cantonal or Federal fellowships and/or non-EU/EFTA nationalities are usually allowed to work up to 20% maximum (ca 15 hours per week), although exceptions may apply. Some may find job opportunities within Swiss TPH. In those cases, salaries need to be clarified with the supervisor of the related job. Depending on the duration of the work and the tasks (job description), PhD students may be hired on an hourly basis with a flat hourly salary or on some fixed contract (e.g. as 20% research assistant).

Students’ Rights and Obligations

Students at the University of Basel and the Swiss TPH have rights as well as obligations.

Students have the right to: • Be treated in a respectful and responsible way by the supervisor and all other staff members • Regular supervision • Adequate representation in the different bodies of Swiss TPH • Adequate working space – for PhD students this means lab and / or office space; for MSc-students, working space is available in the library • Adequate equipment and supplies for work • Computer and network access • Be introduced to the security guidelines (for offices, labs and field trips) by his/her supervisor, in association with the Swiss TPH Security/Travel Officer • Accident- and Travel Insurance accoring to their contracts (PhD)

Students are obliged to: • Respect the rules and regulations of Swiss TPH and the University of Basel, and those of scientific and personal conduct at all times • Read all emails that are sent to their Swiss TPH and unibas accounts • Actively participate in Swiss TPH academic life, including attending weekly department semi-

nars, presentations, and student meetings, especially the biannual student meetings (March &

October) • Contribute to the Swiss TPH community by assisting new students or visitors, supporting fellow students, supervising exams, carrying out other Swiss TPH related tasks when requested (up to 20% of full-time studies (percentage and tasks currently under discussion)) • Maintain adequate health, accident and travel insurance during their time in Basel

Swiss TPH students are expected to attend: • Team meetings: All units and departments organise regular meetings. Master and PhD students are required to take part in the meetings of their particular unit and department. • Academic student meetings: Take place on Mondays from 11:00-12:00. This meeting is organised by one or two students who take turns arranging a program according to proposed topics and chair the meetings. It is intended to provide a forum for students to present their work (either finished or in progress) to their peers, gain presentation experience, discuss specific topics of interest, invite guest speakers, etc. One or more academic staff members attend each session, but the students run the meetings. It is compulsory for all students to present at least once in this meeting during their studies (MSc or PhD). • Infectious Disease Research Seminar: This new seminar series takes place on Thursdays, focusing on ongoing research at Swiss TPH in the field of infectious diseases across all departments. One of the main aims is to provide a regular forum for everyone to become aware and follow Swiss TPH’s infectious disease research activities at large.

Before leaving the institute, students are obliged to: • Provide copies of laboratory notebooks and data sets (along with the documentation) and the programming codes they have used to their supervisor and the Swiss TPH data repository (see more information on intellectual property and data protection on page 18 • International students must: – inform the Migration Office in Basel or their relevant community about their departure date (to avoid taxation). Bring a copy of this information to ET – clear their Swiss bank account(s) and terminate mobile phone contracts after their studies and before leaving Switzerland

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is illegal according to Article 4 of the Swiss Equality Law (GIG) of 24 March 1995. That law prohibits any harassing behaviour of a sexual nature or other behaviours of sexual orientation which compromises the dignity of men and women in the workplace. Sexual harassment consists of any action with a sexual reference which is undesired by one party, and may range from offensive and distressing observations, sexist remarks, demonstration or display of pornographic material, undesired bodily contact and sexual advances.

Sexual harassment is not tolerated within the Swiss TPH and individuals found guilty of harassment shall face sanctions, including exclusion from the Swiss TPH and the University of Basel, and in serious cases legal measures will be taken. The complainant shall not suffer any disadvantages as a result of making such a case known.

The Institute expects all employees and students to respect the personal limits claimed by their colleagues for interpersonal contact. Students who feel sexually harassed are encouraged to inform one of the persons of trust or report it via the tell-us system mentioned below.

In case of problems or conflicts between the student and staff of Swiss TPH (his/her supervisor, other staff, fellow students) or in case of serious personal problems, students are advised to consult one of the two persons of trust available at the Institute, Ms Barbara Bürkin and Prof. Dr. Nicolas Brancucci. You can find their contact details on the Intranet. Any misconduct, especially violations of applicable law, internal regulations and procedures, can be anonymously reported via the Swiss TPH Tell-Us-System: https://swisstph.integrityline.org/ More details are available at the dedicated intranet page: https://intranet.swisstph.ch/aoc/administration/swiss-tph-tell-us-system/

Alternatively, or additionally, you can also contact the following people (in this order): 1. Supervisor 2. Head of Department 3. Head of Bachelor-Master-Doctorate unit (Peter Odermatt) 4. Director of Swiss TPH 5. Dean of the Faculty of Science or Faculty of Medicine

Student representation at the institute (Master and PhD Student Representatives) and university level can offer support in case of problems or conflicts as well: • Skuba: “Studentische Körperschaft der Universität Basel” as the official body representing the interests of Bachelor and Master students. • Avuba: “Assistierendenvereinigung der Universität Basel”, the assistants association of the University of Basel representing the interests of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

For the most serious cases, the University discipline commission (Disziplinarkommission) will be additionally be involved.

Each research department should have a student representative (PhD and Master) that is either: chosen by their peers, chosen by the Swiss TPH departments or a volunteer.

Student Representatives (Student Reps) are a critical component of effective communication between students, the department of Education and Training (ET) as the leading department of student affairs, the Institute administration, their departments, and the directorate. The main focus for Sudent Reps is academic representation. They represent the interests of the student body. In this function they are the primary contact for the students and for institutional bodies with respect to students’ concerns.

The Student Representative Committee (SRC) at Swiss TPH comprises currently 4-5 PhD Student Representatives (across the departments). Additionally, 3-4 Master Student Representatives (ideally, 2 of each program) would be welcome. The SRC acts in close collaboration with the Head of ET.

The SRC is involved in the National Union of Students (NUS), the top representative body of all tertiary students in Switzerland that works to protect the rights of all students. This is achieved via connection with avuba “Assistierendenvereinigung der Universität Basel”, the assistants association of the University of Basel. Information on NUS activities can be accessed via http://vss-unes.ch.

Selection process of Student Reps For a new academic year all enrolled students are invited to volunteer as Student Rep candidates. Nominations will be called for by the acting Student Reps. It should be avoided that all Student Reps are changing at the same time to ensure continuance. For the PhD level, the term lasts for 1 year and 2-3 Student Reps should be replaced during the summer, and during the winter, academic break.

Criteria for Student Reps • Good communication and interpersonal skills • Organisational and planning skills • Reasoning and problem-solving skills • Ability to negotiate, make constructive suggestions and find appropriate solutions • Commitment to: – participate in meetings scheduled over 12 months – work with other students, administrators and project leaders to implement initiatives and solutions – create connections between students as well as students and working professionals by planning social and professional events – devote about 20 hours a month to the SR role

Why become a Student Rep? The role enables Student Reps to develop and/or strengthen leadership skills, and connect with various units and departments and their leaders. The responsibility of assisting student peers in having their voice heard, knowing about and contributing to strategic decisions is of mutual benefit for both, students and Student Reps.

PhD Student Reps: 4-5 PhD Student Reps will represent all PhD students from Swiss TPH, at least one from EPH and MPI. Ask fellow students or your supervisor for the name of your current PhD Student Rep.

PhD Student Reps are responsible for organising student meetings, the coordination of the “volunteer” work (VOLO tasks), assigning PhD defense assistants, and initiate/improve teaching and supervising opportunities for PhD students. Do not hesitate to contact the PhD Student Reps to discuss any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Responsibilities of PhD Student Reps 1. Establish yourself as a central point for information and guidance: The Student Reps are the contacts for all students on administrative and study related issues. This might include problems related to campus life, their supervisors, other students, colleagues in their offices, etc. The role of the PhD Student Rep is to suggest, develop and implement solutions to these problems, acting as a moderator if the situation requires. This does not include being involved with the students’ personal problems, academic difficulties and individual student allegations of unfair or inappropriate treatment. If a student comes to you with such a problem, recognise that they have identified you as a source of information and encourage / support them to talk to their direct unit superior or to come to the Students’ Union Advice Centre. The Advice Centre staff can provide support and guidance on academic, international and personal issues. Confidentiality is imperative when dealing with student issues. If the Student Rep would like to discuss a student’s situation with a third person, they must first obtain consent from the student beforehand. 2. Provide feedback to the student community from high-level meetings: During the weekly student meetings, student reps will brief the student body about outcomes of relevant highlevel meetings (e.g. annual project leader retreats, ET and Sounding Board meetings). Students will then have the possibility to ask questions and comment freely. In addition, a written summary will be sent by email to all PhD students. 3. Welcoming new PhD candidates: The Student Reps should welcome all new PhD students at the Swiss TPH, once they have received the welcoming package and instructions from Christine Mensch. Christine Mensch, ET Department, informs the Student Reps of the new arrivals, in addition to the respective supervisors and Department secretariats. Then the Student Rep will show the new students their work areas and inform them about rules and other logistics like printers, coffee stations, internet and student volunteer work. The introduction of new students to all relevant people at Swiss TPH is usually done by the student’s direct supervisor or their group colleagues and is not the responsibility of the Student Rep. However, this responsibility can be delegated to the Student Rep in particular situations (e.g., supervisor not present). All new staff (including PhD candidates) are also invited by HR to Welcome Days, usually offered 2-3 times per year and a building tour, offered monthly. 4. Relay key messages from the administration to the student body: Find volunteers! Various project leaders and colleagues might be looking for volunteers for specific tasks. Those requests, mainly via e-mail, include: – Supervise exams (presence) – Correct exams and evaluation forms – Assist with cocktail hours or coffee breaks – Assist with the organisation of conferences or workshops – Technical support (data cleaning and analysis, teaching, Master student's support, etc.) – Assist the administration team

5. Facilitate professional and social events to bring students together! Within a big institution such as Swiss TPH it is challenging to know everyone. Bringing together all students of the

Institute during free time, evening events or excursions should be organized to overcome this challenge. Usually, PhD students take the initiative themselves to plan such events. The role of the Student Rep is to encourage and support the organization of these activities. Student Reps

may ask for financial support from the Head of ET department if needed. Examples for those activities are: – annual All Institutes Career Event – Company/NGO visits – Winter event (e.g. skiing, sledging) – Summer event (e.g. hiking) – Student "end of the year” party (Christmas), and beginning autumn semester party 6. Liaising with other Student Reps and institutional leaders for support and ideas: It is fundamental to keep in regular contact with the SRC to exchange information and collaborate on creating solutions for arising issues. The Student Reps organize at least two meetings per year with the Head of ET (see below). If necessary, short sessions with other institutional leaders (Director and department heads) may be initiated to provide a channel for dialogue and discussion among students and direct leaders. 7. Represent fellow students at the following meetings:

Student Rep Meeting with Head of BMD

Purpose: Discuss state of work, needs, strategies or upcoming events to get feedback and support and decide on next steps.

Student Reps Role: Communicate all major issues / concerns / needs with department head, who will bring issues to Directorate Board if needed. Take notes of the issues raised and write the decision minutes in a timely fashion to report back to students.

In attendance: Student Rep, Head of BMD; others if agreed upon in advance.

When: Student Rep initiate scheduling at least twice a year (usually prior to a new semester).

Education related Meetings (Research Commission and ET)

Purpose: Discuss reviews of student's PhD proposals and strategic issues related to academic requirements with the ET team.

Student Reps Role: Solicit and read agenda items (summary of proposals to be submitted and their reviews). Speak on behalf of the students to explain their issues / concerns and / or suggest ideas for improvement. Share information during ET plenary meetings.

In Attendance: Student Rep and RC members & ET team members.

When: 3–4 times per year

Strategic/institutional meetings

Purpose: Discuss strategic, high-level issues with the departmental project leaders as well as senior management.

Student Reps role: Solicit and submit agenda items or participate in agenda activities.

Speak on behalf of the students to explain their issues / concerns and / or suggest ideas for improvement.

In attendance: Student Rep and project leaders/senior managers

When: Every first Monday of a month/project leader reatreat: annually

Overview of Courses Offered by Swiss TPH www.vorlesungsverzeichnis.unibas.ch/en/home

Registering for Courses

All Master and PhD students of the University of Basel must register for every semester at the university (even if they are not spending the semester in Switzerland) and register for all courses online via www. unibas.ch/en/Studies/My-Studies/Course-Registration.html within the first four weeks (please see the relevant deadlines).

Courses

University of Basel courses that are offered under the lead of Swiss TPH are open to all students registered at the University of Basel. Each course can be found by entering the course title or name of the lecturer under the following link: www.vorlesungsverzeichnis.unibas.ch/en/home. Course descriptions include information about the location, dates and times, content and number of ECTS credit points associated with the course.

Additional information for individual courses (e.g. handouts, zoom-links for online sessions etc) are available on the respective ADAM-pages (you will automatically receive access as soon as you register for a course).

All lectures are held in English. The lecture location may change on short notice. If so, the lecturer will notify you.

On the following pages, there is an overview of all the lectures, as well as the relevant timetables.

Students may register to other courses offered by University of Basel. Please clarify your plans with the supervisor.