Praise for thesis supervisors

During the period from the 2014 summer semester to the 2014–15 winter semester, students at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences were surveyed for the first time regarding their satisfaction with the guidance provided by faculty members in the final module of their degree program—the capstone module. The survey assessed various aspects, ranging from choosing a topic for the Diplom, Bachelor, or Master's thesis, through consultations, to the defense of the thesis.

The analysis is based on responses from 244 students—which corresponds to about one-third of all graduates of the final module during the period under review. About three out of four participants were able to incorporate their own wishes and ideas into the topic selection process for their final thesis. Many students appreciate this opportunity. Students were generally satisfied to very satisfied with the initial phase of the module—which, in addition to topic selection, also includes information on academic writing and discussions regarding the course of supervision. The survey results also indicate a high level of satisfaction with regard to the supervision phase—for example, the availability of the academic advisor and the efficiency of consultations—and the final phase—for example, the time required for grading and the transparency of the grading process. The time between the submission of the thesis and the announcement of the evaluation result averaged 3.3 weeks; in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, it was as short as 1.5 weeks. The examination regulations for the degree programs specify a maximum of four weeks for this process.

The survey is part of the university’s internal efforts to assess, evaluate, and continuously improve the quality of teaching and academic programs. In 2015 and 2016 as well, graduates of the final module were or are being surveyed to identify developments and trends. The report containing the individual results from 2014 is available via OPAL (access restricted to university members).