CONFERENCEThe doctoral thesis supervisor serves as your primary academic mentor throughout the entirety of your doctoral studies - guiding your research development, providing scholarly feedback, and supporting your integration into the academic community. Prior to admission, candidates are required to identify a thesis supervisor (and, where appropriate, a co-supervisor) whose expertise aligns with their proposed research field, and to initiate preliminary discussions regarding the terms and scope of potential academic cooperation. Co-supervision is also a recognised and encouraged arrangement, particularly where the proposed research is interdisciplinary in nature or where a candidate has an established academic relationship with a researcher from another institution.
1. Identifying Your Research Direction
Begin by conducting a thorough review of the research profiles, areas of specialisation, and recent publications of academic staff across the relevant UL faculties and institutes. Additional information is available through the Latvian Council of Science expert database at sciencelatvia.gov.lv (select "Advanced Search," then filter by the field "Name of Scientific Institution" and enter "University of Latvia"). You may also direct enquiries to the director of the relevant doctoral programme.
Candidates who intend to pursue research continuity from their Master's thesis are encouraged to consult their Master's thesis supervisor regarding the feasibility and scholarly merit of extending that work to doctoral-level inquiry.
2. Selecting a Supervisor: Academic and Interpersonal Considerations
The selection of a doctoral thesis supervisor warrants careful and deliberate consideration. The supervisor fulfils multiple roles - academic mentor, methodological advisor, and scholarly interlocutor - and the relationship will extend over three to four years of intensive intellectual collaboration. It is therefore essential that there is alignment not only in research interests and disciplinary orientation, but also in expectations regarding working style, communication, and academic rigour. Where the research spans multiple disciplines or draws on the expertise of scholars beyond the University of Latvia, the appointment of a co-supervisor - whether from another academic institution, research institute, or relevant public body - is both permissible and academically advisable.
3. Establishing Initial Contact
Prospective candidates should approach their chosen supervisor via email or in person, presenting a concise and clearly articulated outline of their proposed research idea. This initial communication should include a request to discuss the proposed thesis topic and its relevance to current scholarly discourse, as well as the candidate's intentions regarding doctoral programme admission. For research of an interdisciplinary nature, or where the candidate maintains an existing collaborative relationship with a researcher from another institution, candidates are encouraged to explore the formal appointment of a co-supervisor or academic consultant, who may be affiliated with another university, research institute, or a relevant public body.
4. Developing the Thesis Topic Application
The admission portfolio requires the submission of a formal application for the proposed thesis topic. Candidates are strongly advised to develop this document in close consultation with their prospective supervisor - and co-supervisor, where applicable - who will be asked to provide a written assessment of the topic's academic relevance, originality, and the feasibility of the proposed research within the allocated timeframe. Early and substantive engagement with the supervisor at this stage is essential to producing a well-grounded and academically credible application.