Quality assurance system

IQAS (SIGC) Doctoral Program - Faculty of Chemical Sciences

The UCM has developed a Code of Good Practice for doctoral studies, which is available on the UCM regulations website. On 9 May 2019, the Steering Committee of the Doctoral School drew up a new Code of Good Practice, which was subsequently approved by the Complutense University of Madrid. It consists of a set of recommendations and commitments aimed at ensuring the optimal development of doctoral theses and establishing mechanisms for resolving potential conflicts. The document addresses the following aspects:

Introduction: General recommendations.
Recommendations for thesis supervisor(s).
Recommendations for thesis tutor(s).
Recommendations for doctoral candidates.
Recommendations for other parties involved.
Conflict resolution.
Intellectual and industrial property.

The Doctoral Programme in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine also follows the Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) for Graduate and Doctoral Programmes implemented by the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the UCM. Information on this system and the procedures for ensuring the quality of doctoral programmes is available at the following link: IQAS for Doctoral Programmes of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences.

This document describes the operation and decision-making processes of the system, the procedures for improving the quality of doctoral programmes, the fulfilment of objectives, and the information, dissemination and publication of IQAS results. The operating rules and decision-making system are common to all programmes offered by the Faculty. They are described in detail in the various regulations underpinning the Faculty's quality policy, published on the main website under the Quality section, or directly in the following documents:

The integration of all doctoral programmes and their representation in the various bodies involved in the Faculty's IQAS ensures the coordination, monitoring and oversight of its operation and implementation, thereby constituting in itself a mechanism for guaranteeing and improving the system through the implementation of the IQAS.

In addition, the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme, which includes representatives from the five participating faculties, works in coordination with the IQAS of each faculty, ensuring the coordination, proper operation and quality of the programme. It is responsible for implementing and communicating to doctoral candidates the information relating to decisions and agreements adopted by the various committees that form part of the IQAS governing the development of the Doctoral Programme, through its meetings.

The IQAS safeguards the quality of the Doctoral Programme through the evaluation and approval of the Verification Report (Memoria Verifica), the various Monitoring Reports (MS), and the Accreditation Renewal Report, all of which must be approved by the competent IQAS bodies of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences.

Through the Vice-Rectorate for Quality, the IQAS monitors the Doctoral Programme by preparing the corresponding final reports and participating in responses to any recommendations or instances of non-compliance identified in these reports. The Doctoral Programme follows these recommendations and the proposed responses to any weaknesses identified, implementing the improvement measures described in the most recent accreditation renewal.

The latest 2021–2022 Monitoring Report (MS) includes two tables setting out the strengths of the programme, as well as the weaknesses and improvement measures proposed and/or implemented in the Doctoral Programme (MS 2021–2022 PD D9BM).

In addition to the Quality Committee, there is a Committee for the Evaluation and Improvement of the Quality of Master's and Doctoral Programmes, whose purpose is to identify and analyse problems and inefficiencies detected in teaching activities and propose solutions to the Quality Committee.

Information on the RUCT, verification and monitoring processes

The Doctoral Programme (registered in the Registry of Universities, Centers and Degrees, RUCT 5601105) is subject to a verification system, with the elaboration of follow-up reports that are evaluated by a committee. This information is available on the web page of the Internal Quality Assurance System of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences.

Improvements implemented as a result of the deploiment and implementation of the IQAS (SIGC)

The following is a list of some of the improvements implemented as a result of the deployment and proper functioning of the IQAS in recent years:

ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–26

Updating the website to reflect the adaptations and changes introduced through the Programme Modification (CAD, July–September 2026).
Publication on the website of, and communication to doctoral researchers regarding, the change in the PhD Programme Coordinator (CAD, September 2026).
Inclusion on the website of the provisional and final reports on the Programme Modification, together with the corresponding submissions of comments, the amended Verification Report (Memoria de Verificación), and the relevant annexes (CAD, May–July 2026).
Inclusion on the website of the 2025–26 student satisfaction surveys conducted by the UCM Quality Office and those developed internally by the CAD (UCM Quality Office and CAD, September 2026).
Publication on the website of information on the calls for the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards offered by each Faculty (CAD, February 2026).
Approval and publication of the schedule of CAD meetings for 2026–27 (CAD, July 2026).
Inclusion on the website of information on changes to the procedures for FPU/FPI predoctoral funding calls, together with the information required to request pre-admission letters for 2026–27 (CAD, February 2026).
Inclusion of information on the structure of the unified Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) and on the corresponding IQAS results (CAD and the Faculty of Chemistry IQAS, July 2026).
Inclusion on the website of information on the admission profile, assessment criteria, required documentation, and admission and enrolment deadlines for the 2026–27 academic year (CAD, April 2026).
Inclusion of a link to the Operating Regulations of the CEyMC_D, as approved by the IQAS (CAD, February 2026).
Preparation of a document outlining the regulations and procedures governing doctoral researchers’ participation in teaching activities (CAD, May 2025), followed by its publication on the website (CAD, September 2025).

ACADEMIC YEAR 2024–25

Publication on the website of information on the calls for the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards offered by each Faculty (CAD, February 2025).
Approval and publication of the schedule of CAD meetings for 2024–25 (CAD, September 2024).
Inclusion of the UCM Regulations on Doctoral Studies, adapted to Royal Decree 576/2023 (CAD, February 2025).
Inclusion on the website of information on the calls for the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards offered by each Faculty (CAD, February 2025).
Inclusion on the website of information on the admission and enrolment deadlines for the 2025–26 academic year (CAD, February 2025).

ACADEMIC YEAR 2023–24

Preparation of a document outlining the regulations and procedures governing doctoral researchers’ participation in teaching activities (CAD, May 2024), followed by its publication on the website (CAD, September 2024).
Inclusion on the website of the provisional and final reports on the 2022–23 Monitoring Report (CAD, November 2023 and January 2024).
Approval and publication on the website of the Operating Regulations of the CEyMC_D (CAD, March 2024).
Approval of the CEyMC_D as a body within the IQAS and inclusion of the corresponding information on the PhD Programme website (CAD, October 2023).
Inclusion on the website of a document summarising Royal Decree 576/2023, which amends Royal Decree 99/2011 governing doctoral programmes, highlighting the most significant changes. Communication of this information to doctoral researchers by email (CAD, September 2023).
Inclusion on the website of information on changes to the procedures for FPU/FPI predoctoral funding and on the information required to request pre-admission letters for the 2024–25 academic year.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022–23

Inclusion on the website of information on the approval of two admission and enrolment periods for the 2023–24 academic year (CAD, February 2023).
Modification of the assessment criteria for the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards (Postgraduate Committee, January 2023).
Creation of a Doctoral Coordination area within the Virtual Campus (CAD, November 2022).
Separation of the CEMC_MyD into the CEMC_D and CEMC_M (CEMC_MyD, November 2022).
Inclusion and approval of improvements related to the IQAS in CAD meetings and minutes (CEMC_MyD, November 2022).