UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB FACULTY OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS DEPARTMENT OF GEOPHYSICS PROPOSAL OF A UNIVERSITY POST-GRADUATE DOCTORAL STUDY PROGRAM IN PHYSICS DOMAIN OF NATURAL SCIENCES FIELD OF PHYSICS Zagreb, May 27, 2009. 1. INTRODUCTION The authors of the proposed doctoral program in physics see it as a continuation of a long tradition of doctorates in physics at the University of Zagreb. Let us mention the long tradition of Croatian geophysics (the geophysical observatory dates from 1861., with scientists and teachers such as Andrija Mohorovičić), as well as regular lectures in natural sciences at the Philosophical Faculty, begun in 1876., with Vinko Dvořák as the first physics professor at the renewed University of Zagreb. Physics in Zagreb was among the first in this part of Europe which had postgraduate programs leading to a doctorate, following the internationally recognized pattern. Namely, Professors Ivan Supek and Mladen Paić have introduced lectures for postgraduate students already in the 1950's, as an introduction to scientific research under the guidance of a mentor. The gradual relocation of the Faculty of Science to new buildings at Horvatovac, in the immediate vicinity of the Ruđer Bošković Institute and the Institute of Physics has created a "natural science park" with new opportunities to organize doctoral studies. The doctoral programs proposed here have been adjusted to encompass the recommendations of the National Council for High Education of July 14, 2006. They are comparable with and developed in the same manner as the best modern studies in the world. The studies are at present structured into 7 branches, as follows: 1. Elementary particle physics 2. Nuclear physics 3. Condensed matter physics 4. Atomic and molecular physics and astrophysics 5. Biophysics 6. Medical physics 7. Geophysics A special effort is made to connect the doctoral studies in physics at the University of Zagreb to those of other Central European universities. Cooperation along these lines has already been institutionalized, especially in the physics of elementary particles, resulting in letters of intent and cooperation contracts, signed by the rectors or heads, respectively, of the following institutions: 1. Charles University - Prague (Faculty of Mathematics and Physics) 2. Comenius University Bratislava (Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics) 3. Eötvös University Budapest 4. International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste 5. University of Ljubljana 6. University of Padua 7. University of Trieste 8. University of Vienna (Faculty of Physics) 9. University of Zagreb (Faculty of Science - PMF) 56 2. GENERAL 2.1. Name of study course: University postgraduate doctoral study in physics 2.2. Responsible and implementing institution: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, Bijenička cesta 32, 10002 Zagreb, and DEPARTMENT OF GEOPHYSICS, Horvatovac bb, 10000 Zagreb. Participation of teachers from other Croatian institutions (Ruđer Bošković Institute, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mining, Geology, and Oil, and DRI) has been envisaged in respective cooperation agreements. Their status, as well as that of future collaborators, is to be regulated by said agreements, or by direct arrangement with the mentor or lecturer, and/or by election of lecturers to nominal teaching positions. Visits of teachers from leading foreign institutions are also possible. The implementation of the doctoral studies is in the care of the Doctoral Study Council, nominated by the Joint Council of the Departments of Physics and of Geophysics, to which the Doctoral Study Council is responsible. The Doctoral Study Council consists of a Head, his or her Deputy, and Heads of the various study branches. Each student is in the care of a Reporter, proposed by the Doctoral Study Council and named by the Joint Council of the Departments of Physics and Geophysics at the time of enrollment. The Head of each study branch shall convene the Council of the study branch, consisting of all the respective lecturers, reporters, and mentors, engaged for the current academic year, at least once per semester. 2.3. Study length: The post-graduate doctoral study (PGDS in the following) of physics is composed in several branches as a regular three-year (six semesters) university course of study, lasting in principle up to four years, which may be further extended for students who do not study full time. 2.4. Conditions of enrollment: • To enroll in the first year of study, a student must have completed a corresponding (under)graduate study of physics or respectively geophysics. Candidates whose studies so far have not been completely compatible may enroll in the first year with additional obligations to pass prescribed examinations, chosen among the (under)graduate curricula at the Faculty of Science. Students required to fulfill these obligations may obtain an extension of at most one academic year to do so. • The minimal average grade in the corresponding (under)graduate studies shall not be less than 3,5. Enrolling with a lower average grade, or with not completely compatible previous studies, is possible by taking additional (under)graduate subjects, contingent upon the recommendation of two professors, one of which will be selected Reporter for the student in question by the Joint Council of the Physics and Geophysics Departments. The choice of additional subjects is prescribed by the Doctoral study Council, at the recommendation of the Head of the respective branch of study. • Students who have passed all exams of the corresponding specialist studies may also enroll in the doctoral study program. The necessary additional coursework and time required to complete the doctoral studies shall be individually determined by the Joint Council of the Physics and Geophysics Departments, at the recommendation of the Doctoral study Council. 56 2.5. Conditions of study: • In the course of study the student should successfully complete all activities prescribed in the program and acquire at least 180 ECTS points. During the first two years of study the student may acquire 60 ECTS points by following the courses chosen among those offered within the doctoral study of Physics, and passing the requisite examinations. All obligatory courses with the exception of the Seminar should be passed within the first year, and all enrolled courses by the end of the second year. The remaining 120 ECTS points may be acquired through scientific research and seminars during the second and third year of study. Students who study full time shall defend their thesis at the end of the third year, or during the year after that by extension granted by the Doctoral study Council, further extensions being possible if granted by the Joint Council of the Physics and Geophysics Departments. The Doctoral Study Council shall nominate a mentor for each student upon enrollment in the second year of study, as well as a Committee of three members, who are responsible for the student's induction into scientific research. The Committee shall as a rule consist of the mentor, Reporter, and Head of the respective study branch. 2.6. Competence acquired by completing the PGDS: Upon completion of the doctoral studies in physics, a Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics shall be competent for contemporary scientific research in physics. The following specific academic titles shall be acquired: • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Elementary particle physics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Nuclear physics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Condensed matter physics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Atomic and molecular physics and Astrophysics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Biophysics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Medical physics) • Doctor of natural sciences in the field of physics (Geophysics) 3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 3.1. Structure and organization of the doctoral program: • Doctoral studies in physics include both teaching and research components. Students participate in both with professors who are high-grade active researchers in their own fields. The proposed doctoral studies cover a wide field of contemporary physics, beginning with the smallest scales (elementary particles, nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics), continuing with nanoscales studied by solid state physics, all the way to scales relevant to the universe as a whole in astrophysics. In particular, physics research has contributed to the development of other sciences, so the Physics Department intends e.g. to develop doctoral studies in biophysics, as a connection between biology and physics. Further one should mention the studies of 56 geophysics with the obvious applications in meteorology, seismology and oceanography. We foresee that the doctors of the current graduate school of physics will be invaluable in research at Croatian research institutes, in higher education and research at Croatian universities, as well as in industrial research and development. We note that research experience in physics as a basic science enables researchers to make important contributions to other natural and biomedical sciences. It is also known that employees who acquired knowledge and quantitative methods and attitudes with their training in physics are often useful for responsible positions in banks, public administration and elsewhere. Therefore it is essential for Croatia to focus