The Doctoral Committee's overall task is to ensure that all persons who register as doctoral candidates with the Faculty of Education get the best possible service, including quality support and guidance during their doctoral journey.

This support and guidance entails three key aspects:

1. First, candidates are encouraged to prepare themselves thoroughly before submitting a formal research proposal. For this purpose, the FDC provides guidance about a suitable focus for their thesis and about potential supervisors. Key duties of the Committee here include the evaluation of a Letter of Intent, followed by an evaluation of a formal PhD proposal. In both instances, candidates are provided with detailed feedback so that the research project can start off on a sound footing. Information about the process of completing a doctoral degree, from the pre-registration stage to the submission and examination stage, is provided in a transparent and clear manner through the Doctoral Guidelines uploaded on the Faculty’s website. 

2. Second, FDC Seminars are organised throughout the year to encourage candidates to share their work-in-progress with colleagues, benefiting from feedback and comments from the latter, as well as from Faculty staff. Some of these seminars focus on specific yet transversal skills which could be useful for current candidates. Other seminars involve the sharing of good practice with the support of local and visiting Faculty or recent doctoral graduates. These seminars contribute to the requirement for candidates to participate in CPD activities and are open to all members of the Faculty of Education as well. 

3. Third, the candidate's progress is monitored throughout the whole journey and at regular intervals, in order to ensure that a high quality of work output is maintained. A critical transition point along this journey is the submission of samples of the students' work to gauge whether the quality warrants a transfer from an M.Phil. to a Ph.D. status. Feedback will be given to the candidate by the specially set up Transfer Assessment Board.  

The FDC makes an effort to ensure that doctoral candidates have a high profile within the Faculty and University, and even internationally by:

1. Maintaining active links with the Faculty’s doctoral students and other Maltese students reading for a PhD in education in foreign universities, also by inviting the latter to a number of activities. This strengthens the evolving community of local PhD students, and also helps to create a sense of community of practice among the 'younger' group of researchers.

2. Informing candidates of any upcoming potentially useful conferences where they could present their work.

3. Embarking on special projects which could offer research, writing or other enriching experiences for the candidates.

You may contact the Faculty of Education Doctoral Committee through the following email address: doctoral.educ@um.edu.mt

Faculty of Education Doctoral Committee

Chairperson
Prof. Suzanne Piscopo

Members
Dr Michelle Attard Tonna
Prof. Christopher Bezzina
Dr Michael Buhagiar
Prof. Antoinette Camilleri Grima
Prof. Raphael Vella

Secretary
Mr Gabriel Spiteri 

Download the guidebook and form
Guidebook for Ph.D. Students
Statement of Authenticity [PDF]  (to be submitted with the long essay, dissertation or thesis)