Research Support System

The pursuit of a doctorate requires rigorous research, structured guidance, and close coordination between doctoral students and their supervisors. Recognizing the challenges many PhD candidates face, including unclear research plans and inadequate supervision, SIMI Swiss has developed a comprehensive research support system under its Smart University Strategy. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between students and faculty, ensuring that doctoral research meets international standards and is publishable in ISI/SCOPUS-indexed journals.

Addressing Key Challenges in Doctoral Research

Numerous studies highlight that a lack of effective supervision and structured research planning leads to 80% of doctoral students either failing to graduate on time or dropping out. To counteract this, SIMI Swiss has implemented a robust support system that pairs each doctoral student with an experienced research supervisor. This system fosters timely completion and high-quality research outcomes while maintaining academic integrity and excellence.

Structured Support at Each Research Stage

SIMI Swiss ensures that doctoral students receive structured guidance at every phase of their research journey. The key supportive actions include:

1. Developing Research Capability Module

Students begin by studying the ‘Developing Research Capability’ module to formulate their Research Proposal.
Upon completion, they receive a Doctoral Thesis Announcement along with essential documents, including the Research Topic Application Form, Thesis Specialized Application Form, and Supervisor Request Form.
These documents must be submitted via the Learning Management System (LMS) for further processing.

2. Doctoral Thesis General Process Workshop

Students attend a workshop led by SIMI faculty and local tutors (where applicable) to gain insights into research methodologies, thesis formatting, and key academic requirements through the Live Class model.

3. Assignment of Research Supervisor

Based on the student’s chosen research topic, SIMI assigns a dedicated personal research supervisor (one-to-one mentorship) to provide guidance and support throughout the research process.

4. Proposal Submission and Supervisor Approval

Supervisors play a critical role in guiding students through research topic selection, proposal development, and thesis progression.
They ensure students remain aligned with their research goals and adhere to the Thesis Master Plan schedule.

5. Proposal Submission to SIMI for Review

SIMI conducts a comprehensive review of the research proposal and provides feedback for improvement before granting approval.
Local partners (where applicable) offer additional support, including: Reviewing students’ PowerPoint presentations for completeness and academic standards, and Assisting in plagiarism checks, grammar and formatting revisions, and adherence to university requirements.

6. Defense Preparation Workshop

To enhance students’ performance during the thesis defense, SIMI organizes dedicated workshops where supervisors share expertise and insights.
These sessions equip students with the necessary knowledge and strategies for successful thesis defense presentations.

The Role of Research Supervisors

Research supervisors at SIMI Swiss serve as academic mentors rather than research contributors. Their responsibilities include:

Guiding students through research development while ensuring adherence to the established timeline.
Providing advice on research topic selection and methodology without directly conducting the research.
Encouraging an interactive collaboration process, which is crucial for doctoral graduation.
Serving on the Defense Board without influencing evaluation outcomes to maintain fairness and academic integrity.
Upholding research standards in alignment with the External Quality Audit (EQA) process conducted by the SIMI Scientific Council and partner universities.

SIMI Swiss’s research support system is designed to enhance doctoral students’ capabilities, mitigate common PhD challenges, and promote timely completion of high-quality research. By integrating structured mentorship, workshops, and academic resources, SIMI ensures that its doctoral candidates produce research that meets global academic standards while fostering independent scholarly contributions.