Supervision rules

• Article (98) of the Executive Bylaw of Universities Organization Law: Based on a suggestion form specialized department council, Faculty Council appoints a professor to supervise preparation of the thesis. The Council can give supervision of theses to one of assistant professors. There can be many supervisors from teaching staff members or others. In this case, lecturers can take part in supervision. If a student conducts research outside the University, a specialist form the body where the research is conducted can participate in the supervision based on an approval from Faculty Council.
• Article (99) of the Executive Bylaw of Universities Organization Law: University Presidents and Vice Presidents can supervise alone master's and PhD theses if registration is at the university where they work. If registration is at another university, they and the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities can take part in supervision. They continue to supervise to participate in supervision of the theses registered under their supervision before they occupy their positions. .

• Article (100) of the Executive Bylaw of Universities Organization Law: If the supervisor of the thesis is seconded to a body outside the University, he presents a report on the progress of student in preparation of the thesis. In the light of this report, the Council appoints someone who substitutes him or joins him in supervision. :
• Article (102) of the Executive Bylaw of Universities Organization Law: The supervisor of the thesis presents a report at the end of each academic year to department council on the progress of student in his research. This report is presented to Faculty Council. Postgraduate Studies and Research Council can cancel student's enrollment in the light of these reports and based on a suggestion from Faculty Council. .

• On December 23, 2004, Postgraduate Studies and Research Council approved amendment of the item (First) of the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council made on December 12, 2000 to be as follows: "The regular supervision is for Professor and Assistant Professors" in explanation of what was stipulated in article (98) of the executive bylaw of Universities Organization Law. Thereupon, lecturers can take part in supervision if there are many supervisors with a maximum of 2 lecturers in supervision committees provided that the lecturer works under professors and assistant professors. Reports of professors and assistant professors are sufficient. If there is a contradiction among supervisors' reports, decision is taken by majority. If there is a state of equality, the side including the main supervisor of the thesis is chosen. The number of lecturers participating in supervision of one thesis is amended to one lecturer…according to the decree of University Council made on October 31, 2010. :
• On August 16, 2011 Postgraduate Studies and Research Council approved amendment of paragraph 11 based on a decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council in its session held on September 5, 2006 to be as follows: "Demonstrators and assistant lecturers who work at Tanta University cannot be registered to gain master's or PhD degrees at other universities unless there is an approval from Postgraduate Studies and Research Council at the universities based on a suggestion from Department Council and approval from Faculty Council provided that the supervision committee includes a representative of the department and the faculty. " .
The Main Supervisor of Master's and PhD Theses

• On January 22, 2013, Postgraduate Studies and Research Council decided to abide by the specializations mentioned in internal bylaws when making the procedures of registration and granting master's and PhD degrees. :
• On September 15, 2009 Postgraduate Studies and Research Council decided that faculties of the University must identify the main supervisor when forming supervision committees of scientific theses for master's and PhD degrees provided that the main supervisor is from the University and that his major is one of the majors at the specialized scientific department. It is allowed to choose the main supervisor from professors or assistant professors who participate in the supervision committee from outside the University in cases of necessity and with reasons presented to Postgraduate Studies and Research Council. .

The Main Supervisor of the Research
• He is selected by Department Council from the most senior professors or assistant professors at the department of supervisors of the research.
• If a professor or assistant professor from another department takes part in supervision, the main supervisor is the professor or assistant professor from the first department to which the researcher belongs regardless of his seniority compared to the professor from the other department. .
• If there is not a professor or assistant professor in the supervision committee from the department to which the researcher (the student) belongs, the main supervisor is the most senior professor or assistant professor who are closest to the major of the researcher from the same faculty or university.
Tasks of the Main Supervisor
• To coordinate the work of supervision committee (if there are many supervisors) during research procedures to ensure that instructions and remarks presented to the researcher about his work are not contradictory. The main supervisor can invite the supervision committee to discuss controversial issues and to reach a compromise about them so that visions which guide the researcher and help him to complete his study can be unified. If compromise cannot be reached, the matter is presented to Department Council to make its decision. • To follow up the researcher, periodically monitor his accomplishments in research, to communicate with the supervision committee about the reports on periodical following up of the researcher.
• To communicate with Department Council and Faculty Vice Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research about the request of warning the researcher if there is carelessness in research accomplishment.
• The responsibility of signing correspondences (letters) that are sent to institutions or bodies related to helping the researcher with collecting scientific material, for example, or applying a certain experiment before Faculty Vice Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research sings them.
• The responsibility of following up researcher's attendance of seminars held by the specialized department. The main supervisor presents a report on the attendance when the committee of judgment and discussion is formed as for faculties whose bylaws stipulate that. ".
• To answer any inquiries by administrative bodies (such as the University) concerning the research or the researcher.
• He is responsible for collecting individual reports on validity from members of supervision committee in preparation for forming judgment and discussion committee. ".
• He presents to Department Council, after consultation with members of supervision committee, a suggestion about forming judgment and discussion committee of the research.
• If the main supervisor is the most senior member of supervision committee, he is the member who represents supervision in judgment and discussion committee. He is entitled to choose another member of the supervision committee. (This was mentioned in the session of Postgraduate Studies Council held on February 17, 2010. This was emphasized in its session held on November 20, 2012). .
• The main supervisor has the duty of making sure that the researcher implements the remarks or modifications suggested by judgment and discussion committee. He presents a report on that as a document required for grants procedures done by Postgraduate Studies Administration.
Formation of Supervision Committee
• Members of the supervision committee of a master's thesis are no more than 3 supervisors including the lecturer and supervisors from outside the University. In addition, members of the supervision committee of a PhD thesis are no more than 4 supervisors including lecturers, supervisors from outside the University and representative of the scientific channel if there is more than one foreign supervisor. (Foreign supervisors have one vote). Members of PhD thesis supervision committee can be increased up to 5 members if there is more than one foreign supervisor. The Faculty and the University do not pay extra charges for participation of the foreign supervisor.
• In its session held on May 27, 2008, University Council decided to take part in supervising master's and PhD theses (through a professor or assistant professor from the department) if there are no professor or assistant professor at the department, a professor or assistant professor from a department close to the needed specialization at the Faculty provided that in this case a Professor or Assistant Professor of the specialization from outside the Faculty or University participates.
Rules of Lecturers' Participation in Supervision
• On January 18, 2011, Postgraduate Studies and Research Council decided to approve the reasons for participating lecturers in the teaching plan as follows: .
• Helping professors and assistant professors with teaching the practical part. .
• A lecturer can teach a subject in his or her specialization if there is no professor or assistant professor in this specialization and if delegation could not be made from outside the University.
• Participation of more than one lecturer in the supervision committee of scientific theses is not allowed according to the decree of University Council on October 31, 2010.
• There is not a condition regarding the period from date of appointment for a lecturer to take part in supervision of scientific theses.
• Decree of University Council in its session held from March 14, 2010 to April 8, 2012: A lecturer can participate in supervising scientific theses with a professor or assistant professor or with both of them according to the decree of University Council on October 31, 2010. A subject instructor can take part in teaching (practical teaching and microteaching).
• On May 21, 2013, Postgraduate Studies and Research Council decided to approve participation of a subject instructor in postgraduate stage (practical teaching, microteaching and practical teaching aids) at Faculty of Education in the light of stipulation of articles 275 and 276 of the executive bylaw of Universities Organization Law in order to complete the share determined for teaching staff members at concerned department.
The Scientific Consequences of Suspending a Supervisor form Work The legal opinion of University Legal Consultant was sent on March 25, 2013. According to this opinion, if there is a cause that prevents a supervisor of master's or PhD thesis from attending and if there are many supervisors and one of them presented a report of validity of the thesis for being submitted to the judgment committee, this report is considered enough provided that the formation of supervision committee includes the supervisor who had nothing to prevent him from attending. .
The Tenured Professor who Reached the Age of Ending Service while Occupying the Position of a Lecturer
The opinion of University Legal Consultant was that a tenured professor who reached the age of ending service while occupying the position of a lecturer cannot supervise alone a master's and PhD theses as granting him the title of a tenured professor is not a promotion but only naming. Therefore, this fact results in keeping his stature he had when he reached the age of pension regarding his seniority and all scientific and administrative rights except for undertaking administrative positions.

The Number of Theses Allowed for a Lecturer to Supervise
• Postgraduate Studies and Research Council in its session held on September 5, 2006 and University Council in its session held on September 19, 2006 decided that the number of theses allowed for a lecturer to supervise is no more than ten scientific theses. .
Date of Registration for Master's and PhD Degrees
• On April 28, 2010, University Council approved the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council issued on April 15, 2010 as for considering the date of master's or PhD registration is the date of the approval from Postgraduate Studies and Research Council for registration. The Council recommended concerned faculties to make required amendments in their internal bylaws in accordance with this decree. .
Registration for Master's and PhD Degrees
• On May 10, 2011, University Council approved the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council issued on April 18, 2011 as for considering the student enrolled for the master's or PhD degree from the date of approval from Faculty Council for his enrollment for the degree including the study of pre-master and the period in between during which he is enrolled and during the period of registration till formation of judgment and discussion committee. Thereupon, the student has to pay charges and financial participations during the whole period of his registration. This decree is put into effect from this date.
• On May 31, 2011, Faculty Council approved the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council issued on May 25, 2011 as for making scientific departments at faculties of the University abide by the necessity of registering demonstrators for the master's degree six months after passing pre-master study as a maximum. Assistant Lecturers must be registered for the PhD degree during a year as a maximum after the date of their appointment in the same position. Scientific departments must write periodical reports and resent them to councils of departments in preparation for presenting them to Faculty Council to make suitable decision in cases of breaching.


Participation of Teaching Staff Member Seconded to an Internal Body inside the Country in Supervision

In its session held from November 16, 2011 to November 17, 2011, University Council approved the possibility of participation of teaching staff members at faculties of the University, who are seconded to an internal body inside the country, in supervision on scientific theses provided that he is not a main supervisor. The Council decided that reasons must be presented to Postgraduate Studies Council as for each case individually after approval of Department Council and Faculty Council.
Seconding a Supervisor abroad
In its session held from September 19, 2006 to September 28, 2006, University Council decided the following: In case of seconding a supervisor to a body outside the University or seconding him abroad, he presents a report on the theses he is supervising. This report is considered one of clearance documents in the light of these reports Faculty Council appoints a substitute or someone who joins him in supervision. Name of seconded supervisor will be cancelled if the period he supervised is less than half of the minimum period allowed for registration. If the main supervisor of the research is seconded, another main supervisor is appointed from existing members of supervision committee or persons who join them in supervisions according to suggestion of concerned departments.
Determined Share of Supervision
The decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council ratified by a decree of University Council in its session held from September 19, 2006 to September 28, 2006 included identifying the number of theses for a supervisor (professor or assistant professor) that is fifteen theses. If the number is more, supervision can be assigned to demonstrators, assistant lecturers, students of academic tenure scholarships or house officers. Total number of theses must not be more than twenty for a supervisor, while otal number of theses must not be more than ten for a lecturer. .
Share of Supervision at Faculty of Medicine
• On July 11, 2011, University Council approved to increase the share of supervision on scientific theses (master's and PhD) for teaching staff members at Faculty of Medicine to 30 theses for each member divided into 25 theses from outside and 5 theses of demonstrators or assistant lecturers at the Faculty so that the rising numbers can be dealt with and because of keenness on students' future. The Council stressed that faculties of the University must be notified with the fact that teaching staff members must abide by their duties according to Universities Organization Law.
Share of Supervision at Department of Computer and Automatic Control at Faculty of Engineering
• On October 30, 2013, University Council approved to increase the maximum of share of supervision on master's and PhD theses at Faculty of Engineering for professors and assistant professors at the Department to 25 students instead of 20 students. They are divided into 20 students from outside and 5 lecturers and assistant lecturers due to the severe shortage in the number of professors and assistant professors at Department of Computer and Automatic Control. .
Share of Supervision at Faculty of Law
In its session held from February 24, 2009 to February 25, 2009, University Council decided to approve modification of some master's and PhD theses supervision rules through increasing the share of supervision of professors and assistant professors to 25 theses for a professor and 20 theses for an assistant professor. This is restricted to Faculty of Law.
A Supervisor Who Passed away
On March 30, 2011, University Council decided to approve the decree issued by Postgraduate Studies and Research Council on March 15, 2011 regarding the approval for the suggestion of modifying the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council made on September 5, 2006 ratified by University Council in its session held from on September 19th to September 28th, 2006 (the paragraph of continuity of supervisor's name on theses) to be as follows: case of death of a supervisor his name will continue in supervision committee if half of the minimum period allowed for gaining the scientific degree has passed. In this case, the dead supervisor keeps all his rights. If a supervisor dies before passage of half of the minimum period allowed for gaining the scientific degree, his name is cancelled. Based on a suggestion from the specialized Department Council, a supervisor can be added to thesis supervision. The name of the dead supervisor is not counted as one of the maximum numbers of supervisors if his name continued in the supervision committee.
Getting a Leave without Pay for Wife Accompaniment
On February 26, 2014, University Council approved the decree of Postgraduate Studies and Research Council issued on February 18, 2014 based on the opinion of University Legal Consultant regarding the fact that gaining a leave without pay for wife accompaniment who studies or works outside is considered a secondment in the presented subject. Consequently, rules applied to the person seconded abroad will apply to the person who takes this leave. However, the member who takes child care leave will be as the person who has internal secondment; all rules applied to the internally seconded will be applied to those who take child care leave unless she is allowed to travel abroad. In this case, i.e. travelling abroad, she will be as the person seconded abroad with all related rules regarding supervision on scientific theses. In case of delegation for the whole time, the provisions of secondments are applied (article 84 of Universities Organization Law No. 49 of 1972). .