Ombudspersons for doctoral students

Do you have concerns about the progress of your doctoral thesis work? Do you have a need to talk confidentially about something concerning your doctoral thesis work with an impartial academic conversation partner?

Ombudspersons are voluntary professors with solid experience in academic practices whom doctoral students can contact confidentially in challenges related to their thesis work. They act independently to provide easy-access support. You can contact any ombudsperson regardless of your school/department.

You can contact the ombudspersons whenever you need support in your doctoral thesis work, but you feel unable to discuss with your supervising professor or thesis advisor(s). Ombudspersons are not meant to act as mediators in conflicts but they can give you support and advice on how to proceed. You can contact an ombudsperson, for example, when:

• You are stressed about your thesis work and need an impartial academic conversation partner
• You feel you need more support from your supervising professor and thesis advisor
• There are unclear authorship issues, or you disagree, for example, on the extent of your doctoral thesis with your supervising professor and thesis advisor.
• You feel that you are unable to manage your thesis workload (articles, projects, other duties)
• You feel you are not receiving enough academic career support

An ombudsperson is not meant to replace contact with occupational or public health care services, HR services (if you are an employee) or Code of Conduct processes, for example, when

• If you feel continual stress, exhaustion or anxiety regarding to your thesis work, you may contact Aalto university's study psychologist for doctoral students, Marja Turunen ([email protected]).
• If you feel that you are treated unequally among your colleague, please read about workplace rediation for solving conflicts (aalto.fi)
• If you do not feel safe in your working environment, or experience harassment or inappropriate conduct, please read about How to intervene to harassment and inappropriate conduct (aalto.fi)