Descriptor de la Recerca i l'Activitat Acadèmica de la UPC. DRAC

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DRAC for doctoral students

What is DRAC?

DRAC is an academic research descriptor, a database to which UPC researchers add references to their publications, stays, presentations, awards, etc. From now on doctoral students will add their references too in order to report their activities. Doctoral students who are not enrolled in a UPC doctoral programme neither have access to DRAC nor ATENEA PhD. 


IMPORTANT: You must have the UPC VPN installed and active on your PC to access DRAC. For doubts or problems with the VPN, please contact with ATIC: https://serveistic.upc.edu/ca/atic/el-servei/contactar

Participation in teaching innovation projects

Projects that develop innovative teaching and learning practices and/or relate to teaching research. Thesis supervisors must add doctoral students to this kind of group activity in their DRAC profiles.

Software

Computer software, or simply software, is a collection of data or computer instructions that tell a computer how to work. In computer science and software engineering, computer software is all the information processed by computer systems, programs and data. Computer software includes computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data, such as online documentation and digital media. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching materials or lecture notes

Teaching materials are the resources a teacher uses to deliver instruction. Each teacher requires a range of tools to draw upon in order to assist and support student learning. These materials play a large role in making knowledge accessible to a learner and can encourage a student to engage with knowledge in different ways. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Other written output

Website content (blog, wiki entry, etc.), white paper, standard, master’s or bachelor's thesis, draft, discussion paper, preprint, working paper, encyclopaedia article, dictionary entry, expert report, script, reading list, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Talks or speeches

A talk or speech given for a variety of purposes: training, dissemination of knowledge and culture, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Collaborations in exhibitions

An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organised presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibition hall, or World's fairs. Exhibitions can include many things such as art in both major museums and smaller galleries, interpretive exhibitions, natural history museums and history museums, and also varieties such as more commercially focused exhibitions and trade fairs. Curators are sometimes involved as the people who select the items in an exhibition. Writers and editors are sometimes needed to write text, labels and accompanying printed material such as catalogues and books. Architects, exhibition designers, graphic designers and other designers may be needed to shape the exhibition space and give form to the editorial content. Organising and holding exhibitions also requires effective event planning, management, and logistics. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of a conference organising committee

The organising or steering committee is responsible for the overall organisation and financial planning of a conference. This committee is often responsible for appointing the conference’s general chair and may need to approve who is appointed as programme chair. The committee advises these chairs and assists them in making decisions, especially regarding the conference venue and date, the budget and the overall technical content of the conference. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of a scientific committee of a conference

The scientific committee of a conference is responsible for the selection of topics, the types of publications, the choice of types of session, the selection of speakers and papers accepted for presentation and publication, and the management of the sessions. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Contributions in the media

Press and magazine articles and interviews, TV and radio interviews, podcasts, talk shows, blogs, videos, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Prizes, mentions and distinctions

Teaching, research, innovation and public engagement awards for researchers who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making significant contributions to the advancement of their field and are thereby having a positive influence on society. Examples: best paper or poster award, architecture/design/urbanism award, distinguished professor, top cited article, outstanding paper, highly commended paper, exemplary reviewer, top reviewer, student competition, master’s thesis/project award, PhD thesis prize, certificate appreciation, best oral communication award, best demo award, recognition of outstanding technical paper, outstanding achievement award, young researcher award, technology transfer award, innovation trophy, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Publications about the work

Publications about the work in architecture, urbanism, etc., when someone else writes and publishes an article or a review that talks your projects, research, etc. The person who writes the article may be a researcher, an expert or a journalist. The mention of your work may be more or less extensive, but it must not be merely a citation or a quote. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Architecture competitions

An architectural design competition is a type of design competition in which an organisation that intends to construct a new building invites architects to submit design proposals. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel of design professionals and stakeholders (such as government and local representatives). The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Other merits

Further recognition not included in Prizes, mentions and distinctions. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Other activities

Any other academic activity not listed elsewhere. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching of a course or seminar

Bachelor’s and master’s degrees are not included in this category, which refers to research or PhD seminars, postgraduate courses, workshops, lifelong learning courses, training courses, vocational training, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of an advisory or assessment committee

There are different kinds of committees:
  • Committees that evaluate bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes
  • Research project proposals
  • Tenure-track promotions, etc.
The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of an award panel or jury

The members of an award panel or jury are a group of persons selected for a specific purpose, such as judging a competition. The competition must be related to academia, research, innovation or public engagement. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of a jury in an architecture competition

The members of a competition jury in architecture competitions are architects, landscapers, artists, etc. and stakeholders (such as government and local representatives). The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Membership of a scientific or learned society

A learned society is an organisation that exists to promote an academic discipline, profession or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and science. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honour conferred by election. Most learned societies are non-profit organisations, and many are professional associations. Their activities typically include holding regular conferences for the presentation and discussion of new research results and publishing or sponsoring academic journals in their discipline. Some also act as professional bodies, regulating the activities of their members in the public interest or the collective interest of the membership. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Contributions to journals

There are different roles in contributions to journals: journal editor, editor-in-chief, journal director, reviewer, editorial board member, special issue guest editor and others. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching, research or management premium

Merit-based salary increases for teaching, research and administration of public service and contract teaching and research staff at universities. These increases, or premiums, are an annual individual consolidated amount allotted by each university's board of trustees at the proposal of the respective governing board and are subject to a favourable evaluation by Associations for Quality Assurance in Higher Education like AQU Catalunya, CNEAI, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Certification

In order to be eligible for an associate professorship or a full professorship, candidates must be in possession of a research or advanced research certificate issued by AQU Catalunya, ANECA, etc. in recognition of their proven capabilities in teaching and research. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

R&D management

R&D refers to innovative activities in developing new services and products or improving existing services or products, that is, patents, licence agreements, R&D contracts, new products and services, spin-offs, start-ups, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Tutoring outside the UPC

A tutor, also called an academic tutor, provides assistance or tutelage to one or more people on certain subject areas or skills. The tutor spends a few hours on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to transfer their expertise on the topic or skill to the student. As a teaching-learning method, tutoring is characterised by how it differs from formal teaching methods on the basis of the (in)formality of the setting as well as the flexibility in pedagogical methods in terms of duration, pace of teaching, evaluation and tutor-tutee rapport. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching coordination outside the UPC

Functions and responsibilities of professors responsible for a subject:
  • To draw up the course guide for the subject that they are in charge of.
  • To coordinate the professors who teach the subject.
  • To set out the planning and scheduling of the subject in the course guide and introduce any changes in the corresponding institutional computer application.
  • To ensure that the planned assessment activities are carried out.
  • To ensure that students acquire the generic and specific competencies in each subject.
  • To monitor academic results, detect shortcomings and propose measures for correction and improvement.
  • To introduce students’ marks in the computer application and sign the assessment reports under the terms and conditions set by the University.
  • To communicate and sign any modifications of students’ marks that may be made in the periods and manner set by the University.
  • To act as an interlocutor in all contacts related to the subject made with the corresponding bodies.
  • To ensure the deadlines for assessment and publication of results are met.
  • To guarantee the impartiality of assessment.
  • To ensure that tutorials are properly implemented.
  • To ensure that at least one of the professors for the subject, preferably the one who teaches it, is present at an examination.
  • To contribute to planning and encouraging students’ participation in student surveys.
The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.


Get DRAC support:



What is ATENEA PhD?

ATENEA PhD is a virtual platform that helps doctoral students manage the submission of research plans, activities and doctoral theses.


What is the DAD?

The DAD is the doctoral student activity report. This document contains all the activities related to doctoral students’ training and research: publications, stays, scholarships, etc.

How it works?

Viewing your DAD in ATENEA PhD and adding outputs to your DRAC profile. 

 

  1. DRAC. Add outputs to your DRAC profile: publications, stays, scholarships, etc. If you add a publication or other activity co-authored with your supervisor/tutor, this publication will be add to your supervisor/tutor profile too. And in reverse. So, before you add a new activity, you MUST check your activities in DRAC and not add an existing one.
  2. The doctoral student activity report (DAD) is for activities related to doctoral students’ training and research. So, in each reference, you have a check box to include or not include a reference to DAD.

                                                                                 

  3. ATENEA PhD. In ATENEA PhD, doctoral students can view the curricular activities introduced in DRAC and checked as “Visible DAD”. The reference is immediately available after the doctoral student or supervisor/tutor have introduced the activity in DRAC. The sum of these activities will be the DAD.
  4.  Doctoral students supervisor or tutor will generate and review the annual DAD.

 

Most of the activities in DRAC are “Editable”. It means that doctoral students can add new references and introduce changes in the references where they are co-authors. View Table A (pages 6-7) of the DRAC Guideline.

The limit is in publications after these references are checked for their completeness.

To be added to a non editable activity such as a competitive or non-competitive project, patents, or a teaching innovation project, doctoral students must ask their thesis supervisor to do so in their DRAC profile.

To add new outputs, fill in the required fields and click the “Crear” button at the end of the form for each activity.

                                                                            

 Get DAD and Atenea PhD support:

Resources:

Short-term research stays. National/international mobility increases collaborations, creates networks, improves career prospects, facilitates the generation of high-impact publications, gives access to international funding and nourishes ideas through exposure to different methods and scientific skills. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

There are different types of presentation formats at academic conferences, such as oral presentations, including individual presentations and panel discussions; poster presentations; colloquia; workshops and interactive presentations; roundtable discussions.

The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching subjects on bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the UPC

Subjects on bachelor’s and master’s degrees taught at the UPC will be facilitated by the UPC.

Teaching subjects on bachelor’s and master’s degrees outside the UPC

This section refers to teaching outside the UPC. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Teaching courses and seminars

This includes MOOCs, lifelong learning courses, university extension courses, etc.

Teaching conferences

A formal academic event in which researchers present results, workshops and other scientific activities. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Courses: doctoral programmes may include bridging courses from master’s degree syllabuses and specific research training. The study load may be structured and expressed in ECTS credits. Seminars: research talks, often given by a visiting researcher and primarily attended by academics, research staff and postgraduate students. Seminars often occur in a regular series, but each seminar is typically given by a different speaker, on a topic of that speaker's choosing. The term colloquium is often used interchangeably with seminar in this sense. Conferences: an academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Conferences usually encompass various presentations. They tend to be short and concise, with a time span of about 10 to 30 minutes; presentations are usually followed by a discussion. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

A research project is a scientific investigation to achieve defined objectives that is usually carried out using scientific methods. There are two kinds of research projects.

Competitive projects

EU-funded projects, National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (Spain), AGAUR (Catalonia), etc. Thesis supervisors must add doctoral students to this kind of group activity in their DRAC profiles.

Non-competitive projects

Research contracts with large businesses, SMEs and public and third-sector organisations. Thesis supervisors must add doctoral students to this kind of group activity in their DRAC profiles.

Member of the organising committee, steering committee, etc. of a conference, symposium, etc.

The organising committee of a conference is its main body and maximum authority; it establishes the conference's main lines. In addition to being the highest decision-making body as regards the programme, it is essentially responsible for approving the general budgets, setting the main lines of the conference, approving its scientific content and the final general programme, and approving the corporate image and actions designed to bring the meeting to a satisfactory conclusion. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Member of a programme committee, technical advisory panel, review committee, etc. at a conference, symposium, etc.

The scientific committee draws up the academic structure of a conference’s programme, gives great importance to the recruitment of prestigious speakers who can reinforce and enhance the scientific content of the conference and helps to promote the event. The review committee is a group of experts who review all the works sent in the call for papers and decide whether they are valid for inclusion in the conference programme. The technical advisory panel centralises the entire process of organising the event. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Member of a seminar/course organising committee

The organising committee of a seminar or course is its main body and maximum authority; it establishes the seminar or course’s main lines. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Member of prize/award organising committee

The organising committee of a prize or award is its main body and maximum authority and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the awards scheme. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

An academic or scholarly paper that is published in an academic journal and contains original research results, reviews existing results or describes a new invention. Journals with the most impact are indexed in products such as the JCR-Journal Citation Reports and SJR-Scimago Journal & Country Rank. They allow you to evaluate and compare journals using citation data. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Papers published in conference proceedings

Conference proceedings are a collection of academic papers published in the context of an academic conference or workshop. Conference proceedings typically contain the contributions made by researchers at the conference. They are the written record of the work that is presented to fellow researchers. They are usually distributed in printed or electronic volumes, either before the conference opens or after it has closed. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Journal article (non-indexed journals)

An academic or scholarly paper that is published in an academic journal and contains original research results, reviews existing results or describes a new invention. The journal is not indexed in products such as the JCR-Journal Citation Reports and SJR-Scimago Journal & Country Rank. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Conference proceedings - editor

Conference proceedings are the published record of a conference, symposium or other meeting sponsored by a society or association, usually but not necessarily including abstracts or reports of papers presented by the participants . The proceedings editor is charged with preparing the annual conference proceedings. Activities include securing and editing session papers; selecting and coordinating recorders and editing their contributions; working with the publisher to establish and adhere to the production schedule; proofreading publisher's proofs, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Monograph

A monograph is a specialist piece of writing on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author and usually on a scholarly subject. The main purpose of a monograph is to present primary research and original scholarship. This research is presented at length, distinguishing a monograph from an article. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Book chapter in an edited book

An edited book is a collection of chapters by different authors brought together by an editor (or editors). These are original scholarly works presenting different viewpoints on a specific topic. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Exhibition catalogue - editor

Book-sized exhibition catalogues typically have a colour photograph of every item on display. There will be a short formal catalogue description of each item, and usually interpretative text often amounting to one or more pages. The resulting book will have at least one introductory essay, often several, as well as footnotes, bibliography and other critical apparatus. The editor oversees all these aspects. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Exhibition catalogue - chapter

In an exhibition catalogue each chapter is written by a different author; it is put together by an editor. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Report

A report is a separately published record of research findings, research still in progress or other technical findings, usually bearing a report number and sometimes a grant number assigned by the funding agency. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Textbook

A textbook is an edition of a book specifically intended for use by students who are enrolled in a course of study or preparing for an examination on a subject or in an academic discipline, as distinct from the trade edition of the same title. It may also refer to the standard work used for a specific course of study, whether it has been published in a special edition or not. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Other types of publications

A dictionary or encyclopaedia entry, book review, technical document, etc. The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

A grant is peer-reviewed funding covering the direct costs of research through competitions. A scholarship is the award of financial aid for students to further their education. There are two kinds of these activities in DRAC.

Financial aid obtained:

The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

Grant obtained:

The fields in the form that you will have to fill in to create the activity in DRAC are shown in the manual.

The essential element in the industrial doctorate process is a research project that is the object of a doctoral thesis carried out at a company or institution at which doctoral students further their research training in collaboration with a university or research centre. Industrial doctorates act as a bridge for knowledge transfer and encourage closer ties between industry, universities and research centres. Thesis supervisors must add doctoral students to this kind of group activity in their DRAC profiles.