A brief talk on benefits and challenges related to the Industrial PhD programme in Denmark and research-industry collaboration, given at IT University of Copenhagen to potential new PhD students. The talk does not cover the formal rules and application procedures, which was covered by another speaker: An industrial PhD student is affiliated to a university (PhD school), but employed in a company, with a salary comparable to the other employees. The Danish Innovation Foundation supports the project (if granted) by refunding the company around 2000Euro/month for three years to support the salary of the PhD student.

1. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD
and collaborating with industry
Thomas Hildebrandt
Associate Professor
IT University of Copenhagen
www.itu.dk/people/hilde
hilde@itu.dk
!
!
!
!
!
September 8, 2014
Industrial PhD Day
Academia Industry

2. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Briefly
about
me
PhD in Computer Science, Aarhus University, 1999/2000
Employed at ITU since Oct 1999 & Associate prof. in 2002
Director of Foundations of Innovative Research-based Software
Technologies (FIRST) PhD School 2004-2011
Facilitator for interest groups in innovation and knowledge networks on
digitalization of (workflow, business and case management) processes
Head of Process and System Models Group since 2012
(Principal) Investigator in several strategic and inter-disciplinary research
projects and supervisor of two industrial PhD students
2

3. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Why
an
industrial
PhD?
• You/a PhD candidate/a company has an idea that
requires research & industrial domain knowledge - and
will increase the value of what the company provides
• A fantastic opportunity to
• get REAL problems
• interact with users
• create value
3

4. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
How
to
get
started?
• You may be approached by or have spotted yourself
• a potential PhD candidate
• a potential hosting company
• Innovation networks are good match makers
• The candidate is motivated by seeing the research
being applied in and challenged by reality
• The company appreciates (the time it takes) digging
deep to find the right answer
4

5. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Make
expectaMons
clear
• The PhD will be evaluated on equal terms with
standard PhDs - so every activity should be relevant
for the PhD thesis
• Publications and time to dig deep and write about it
are needed - and will also benefit the company
• It is also valuable for the PhD project to have some
intensive periods in the company, e.g. supporting
technology transfer & interacting with customers
• The university and the company supervisor will
spend time together
5

6. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Experiences
• First experience:
• MSc student going to industry and returning with
wish to do an industrial PhD in the company
• Got fired during financial crisis, but luckily hired at
ITU as “regular” and very successful PhD at my
other research project
6

7. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Experiences
• Second experience:
• MSc student getting hired as
research assistant while applying
(and reapplying) for industrial PhD
• Very successful and demonstrator
DCRGraphs.net being presented at
top BPM conference this week
7

8. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Results
• Two happy PhD students and supervisors
• Joint publications at conferences and workshops
• Demonstrator tools - for real environment
8

9. IT
UNIVERSITY
OF
COPENHAGEN
Supervising an Industrial PhD Thomas Hildebrandt, hilde@itu.dk
Industrial PhD Day, Sept. 8, 2014
Warning
points...
• There are more partners involved - a risk that the
company can not complete the project
• (Most of) the funding goes to the company, the
university and the candidate - not the supervisor
• So, having alternative funding sources next to the
industrial PhD project is a good idea, but of course
not always possible
• But don’t let that hold you back!
9