Doctoral School

VSMA framework

The framework for validation, monitoring, modification and accreditation (VSMA) of official degrees links these quality assessment processes (verification, monitoring, modification and accreditation), which are carried out throughout the lifespan of courses, with the aim of establishing coherent links between all of them and promoting more efficient management and teaching improvement. 

  • Validation: Validation is an evaluation process that takes place before teaching begins and which all doctoral programmes need to go through to achieve official validity.

    The Doctoral School is responsible for producing a report on the degree (validation report), which includes information regarding the description and justification of the degree, access and admission processes, academic planning and the expected availability of human and material resources, among others. This report is available in the quality section of each doctoral programme.

  • Monitoring: Monitoring is an evaluation process carried out by the appropriate body in charge of the validated degrees based on the analysis of data and indicators and, if applicable, proposals for improvement to correct any gaps between the design of degrees at the validation stage and their subsequent development. Monitoring reports corresponding to each doctoral programme are available in the quality section of each programme.

    University monitoring report ISU-PD 2023

  • Modification: Modifications to official degrees can only be introduced following the monitoring process and are therefore the natural and expected result of such process. 

  • Accreditation: For the doctoral programmes taught at the Doctoral School to continue being taught, they must be accredited by checking that curricula are being executed in accordance with the initial project and, where appropriate, considering the necessary changes and their causes.

    Accreditation occurs within a maximum period of six years from validation or the last accreditation.

    Self-accreditation reports corresponding to each doctoral programme are available in the quality section of each programme.

    Self-accreditation reports of generic dimensions that are common to all the doctoral programmes taught at the UPC’s Doctoral School are available in this section. 

    Cross-sectional Accreditation Report of the Doctoral Programmes (IATPD)