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2015
Institute of Mechanics,
Materials and Civil engineering
AC-iMMC
Welcome to the Institute of Mechanics, Materials
and Civil Engineering
a guide for new researchers
Preliminary Note
Members of the Researchers Association of the Institute of Mechanics, Materials
and Civil engineering (AC-iMMC) have put together this welcome guide. The aim of
this guide is to give all the available information concerning the life of a PhD
student in IMMC. Most of these information are available on the UCL website.
This document is based on the guide for the new researcher of the Earth and Life
Institute. The text is adapted in order to introduce the information relative to the
Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil engineering.
The document does not claim of to be perfect, so if you see any way to improve it,
please send an email to the president (you can find the organization chart on
https://www.uclouvain.be/324969.html).
Note about the UCL website
The UCL website is complex and contains thousands of pages. However, a simple
trick makes it simple to remember the page reference.
Every web page follows the naming convention:
www.uclouvain.be/page_number or www.uclouvain.be/page_name
To access the English version of a web page (if it exists), add en- in front of the
page name or number:
www.uclouvain.be/en-page_number or www.uclouvain.be/en-page_name
Some pages have restricted access for UCL members only. To see them, log in with
the button which can be found on the top right corner of every page of the UCL
website.
PhD Welcome Guide in the institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering
first edition - 2015
Editors: Damien Christiaens ([email protected])
Yann-Alex Janssens ([email protected])
Valentin Vallaeys ([email protected])
David Vincent ([email protected])
AC-iMMC
1 | INTRODUCTION 4
2 | FIRST STEPS IN THE LAB 7
3 | VISIBILITY AND GET TO KNOW PEOPLE 9
4 | EVERYDAY LIFE 11
5 | BEING A PhD STUDENT 15
6 | THE ACTIVE RESEARCHER 19
7 | RESOURCES AND FACILITIES 21
8 | PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 23
9 | LIVING IN LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE 25
10 | USEFUL DATES 26
11 | CHECK-IN / CHECK OUT 27
IMMC | MCTR 28
IMMC | GCE 29
IMMC | IMAP 30
IMMC | MEMA 31
IMMC | TFL 32
USEFUL FRENCH TRANSLATIONS 33
AC-iMMC
What is UCL? UCL is a multisite university with six campuses more than 26 000 students and
more than 5000 staff. Prof Vincent Blondel is the rector of the university. The
university can be divided into two parts: the administration and the three
academic Sectors (Human Sciences, Health Sciences, and Sciences &
Technologies). Each Sector is further divided into Schools responsible for the
undergraduate teaching and Institutes responsible for the scientific research.
Faculties include several Graduate Schools that provide the graduate courses.
Should you wish any supplementary pieces of information, the website of the
university includes complete information about the university, organization and
everyday life on the campuses
What is iMMC? The Institute of Mechanics, Materials, and Civil Engineering (iMMC) at the Louvain
School of Engineering (EPL) of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) is a
leading international center for research in engineering. Its core strengths span
several of the major engineering disciplines, and are grouped into five inter-
related topics:
• energy, thermodynamics, and chemical engineering
• mechatronics and biomechanics
• processing, materials, assembly, and structures
• fluid mechanics, environmental engineering, and geomechanics
• numerical and computational methods
The institute is part of the Sciences and Technologies sector. It is further divided
into five Poles: Civil and Environmental Engineering (GCE), Materials and Process
Engineering (IMAP), Mechatronics (MCTR), Mechanics and Mathematics (MEMA),
Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics (TFL). Each Pole is further separated into
various working groups that represent the functional day-to-day structure,
managed by academics. Graphics describing the main scientific activities and the
active professors in each pole are available at pages 28 to 32.
More about the institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering and the
research Poles is available from the website.
What is CORSCI? CORSCI is the official representative of the scientific body (CORps SCIentifique) of
the UCL. It includes, inter alia, the assistants, the teaching assistants, the senior
researchers and the FRIA and FNRS grantees.
UCL
www.uclouvain.be
UCL - Authorities
www.uclouvain.be/en-96852
www.uclouvain.be/en-autorites
iMMC
www.uclouvain.be/en-immc
www.uclouvain.be/gce
www.uclouvain.be/en-imap
www.uclouvain.be/en-mctr
www.uclouvain.be/en-mema
www.uclouvain.be/en-360105
CORSCI
www.uclouvain.be/corsci
A video describing Louvain-la-Neuve and the UCL is available on the internet:
www.uclouvain.be/etudiant-international-decouverte
1 |
4
AC-iMMC
INTRODUCTION
AC-iMMC
5
What is the AC-iMMC? The Association of Researchers of the Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil
Engineering (AC-iMMC) has the primary objective of promoting the status and
interests of the researchers affected by and affiliated to iMMC. It represents the
iMMC scientific body in various organs of the Institute, the Sector and the
University. Moreover, iMMC also aims to provide scientific activities within the
institute and to build relationships between researchers from different
backgrounds. A list of AC-iMMC activities as well as of the representatives at the
different levels is available on the website (on the left column). Don’t hesitate to
get in touch with the representatives in your pole.
AC-iMMC
www.uclouvain.be/324922
6
AC-iMMC
AC-iMMC
Newcomers UCL The information that newcomers at UCL will need are presented on the UCL
website. A map of Louvain-la-Neuve is available on the website and you can
find a customized map of the main iMMC buildings on page 6.
If you have a smartphone, the LLNcampus app is an interactive interface that will
provide tailored maps, info and agenda. It might prove very useful to you.
Registration at UCL
For staff member registration:
You will receive by post mail a file to complete and send back to UCL or FNRS (for
FRIA and FNRS grant).
For PhD registration:
see section 5, page 15.
Access card, student card and UCL personnel card (smart card) This card allows you to enter the buildings, access the main university libraries,
and access parking lots (via a yearly paying subscription). If you have any
questions, do not hesitate to send an email to the access card service.
Some people might receive two cards according to their status (a student card and
a personnel card).
Access to the buildings Buildings are open from 7.30 a.m. until 7.30 p.m. on weekdays. If you need to
enter the building after hours or on weekends, either
1. if you have a UCL personnel card (smart card), ask your secretariat to
provide you with extended access privileges;
2. or ask your secretariat to provide you with a temporary card.
Office allocation and key Your supervisor or your administrative support will tell you which office you have
been allocated to. Office keys are managed according to internal rules that are not
the same from one sector to another.
How to get a working station? First contact the local computer scientist, or the head of your Pole who will
forward the request to Computer Services (SI). If you are in a new position (FNRS,
FRIA, UCL assistant or academic, FSR) a new computer will be assigned to you. If it
is a replacement position, the old computer will be transferred. Computers are
replaced every five years.
Newcomers
www.uclouvain.be/12560
LLN Campus
App available on Google Play
Student registration
www.uclouvain.be/en-inscription
Registration documents
www.uclouvain.be/en-357541
Access card
www.uclouvain.be/en-smartcard
Building access
www.uclouvain.be/en-96888
Computer service
www.uclouvain.be/en-si
FIRST STEPS
at THE UCL 2 |
7
Identifiers & login To get into the intranet and some webpages on the uclouvain portal, virtual desk,
etc.), you have to enter a login and a password.
Your personal login and its associated password are your “Global identifier”
(“Identifiant global”). In order to get your login and choose a password, you will
first need to activate your “global user account” (“compte utilisateur global”),
which is an account set up by UCL for each staff member and student, where some
data (email address, personnel card number, etc) are stored. You can choose your
own password, but the login is provided by the administration.
You will be asked to enter your FGS number, which can be found on your
personnel card (Smart Card). If you haven’t received your Smart Card yet, call the
Service Desk.
The login and password will be used for:
1. Email
2. UCL virtual desk (mon bureau)
3. WIFI connection (see below).
Network access and wifi Wifi access is provided in all the UCL buildings. In order to connect your computer
to the wifi network, you will need your global identifier and password. The wifi
user ID is [email protected].
Email Your UCL e-mail address follows the convention:
During the transitional period between registration and activation, your email will
already be running and will store information on the server.
Laboratory equipment All the lab and field equipment you will need, including technical clothing, will be
provided by UCL.
Softwares A list of software is automatically provided on each computer at UCL. These are
presented in a pack called “la matrice UCL”. The official operating system is
currently Windows 7.
However, differences exist between groups in management of software. A list of
additional software distributed by computing services EIBR available on the Web
server and can be requested.
The Landesk service allows remote installation on your machine.
Identifiers
www.uclouvain.be/en-4040
Account activation
www.uclouvain.be/account/
activation.php
Service Desk
010 / 47.82.82 (8:30 – 17:30)
www.uclouvain.be/servicedesk
Wifi
www.uclouvain.be/en-wifi
www.uclouvain.be/en-242727
E-mail configuration
www.uclouvain.be/9954
Account settings
www.uclouvain.be/en-4040
Account and e-mail access
www.uclouvain.be/en-
onglet_bureau
Lab equipment
www.uclouvain.be/96954
List of softwares
www.uclouvain.be/en-348365
FIRSTS STEPS IN THE LAB
8
AC-iMMC
AC-iMMC
Office reference: Check that there is a label with your name on it next to your office door, that your
name appears on the staff list in the corridors (if it exists), and that you have been
allocated a post tray. If not, ask the secretary.
Visibility on the web: • Fill in your personal profile on the UCL web page. To get to your personal web
page, log on to the general UCL page and then go to “my office” (mon
bureau).
• Fill in your personal profile on the Institute, Research Centre and Pole web
page if they exist (specific instructions for your group can be obtained from
your secretary).
• Fill in information on your thesis or project for the project/research database
of ADRE (check specific instructions for your group with the secretary).
Mailing list • Go to the office of the secretary of the iMMC institute (currently Isabelle
Hennau) to register on the list of iMMC members (access to general email for
iMMC members, registered in the directory)
• Check with your secretary that you are included on the relevant mailing lists
(list of your Centre, Pole, other associations etc.)
• You can register yourself on some mailing lists of interest.
Introductory events Some introductory events should occur to help you integrate your working group.
In practice, this differs from one group to another. If these events are not
organized in your group, contact your AC-iMMC pole representative who will help
you with this.
• Make a tour of the office, building or laboratories of interest to your work
• Introduce you to all the members of your working group, the secretary
and support staff
• If you want, you can organize a small welcoming lunch with all close
colleagues at the university restaurants
Set up your personal page
www.uclouvain.be/en-
onglet_bureau
Your personal web page
www.uclouvain.be/
firstname.lastname
Research project database
www.uclouvain.be/en-280
Mailing lists:
https://listes-
2.sipr.ucl.ac.be/sympa
VISIBILITY AND GET
TO KNOW PEOPLE 3 |
9
AC-iMMC
Key persons
• A searchable directory of all UCL staff is available on the UCL front page
and additionally, a list of all iMMC members is provided on the iMMC
webpage.
• The name of the AC-iMMC contact person in your pole can be found on
the AC-iMMC web page
UCL directory
www.uclouvain.be/en-repertoires
iMMC directory
www.uclouvain.be/en-358505
AC-iMMC
www.uclouvain.be/324922
Computer problem
tel: 010 47 82 82
www.uclouvain.be/
servicedesk
Technical problem
tel: 010 47 89 89
Emergency call
tel: 010 47 22 22
Human issues
www.uclouvain.be/265286
Your supervisor
The president of the institute
thomas.pardoen
@uclouvain.be
Trade union
www.desy.ucl.ac.be
GET TO KNOW PEOPLE
10
AC-iMMC
Secretary /accountancy There is at least one secretary and one accountant per pole. They can help you
with practical everyday problems. It is very important that you get in touch with
them as they should be aware of who is working in the offices.
Working hours/breaks The number of working hours is defined in the UCL contracts. It is advised to work
between 8 or 9 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. to maximize interactions with colleagues. This
is not a rule, and it may vary from one group to another.
There is traditionally a short break of 15 minutes between 10 and 11 a.m. and one
in the afternoon in some groups. Everyone is expected to join these coffee breaks
that are a friendly and relaxing way to interact with other colleagues.
The lunch break is not counted in working hours and should be taken between 12
and 2 p.m.
Holidays Members of the administrative and technical staff are subject to rules which are
specified on their holiday cards. For organizational reasons, other members should
at least keep their supervisor informed (preferably by email) when they plan to go
on holiday.
Illness In the event of illness, you should inform your secretariat and your supervisor. If
you are ill for more than a day, you should send a medical certificate to SPER or
FNRS (depending on your status) and provide a copy to your secretariat.
Photocopy/ printer Photocopy machine and printer are available for all researchers but their
management differs from one research group to another. Private usage is not
allowed.
Printing should preferably be black and white, recto-verso and two pages per
sheet on recycled paper. If you make a mistake, please cancel the printing to save
resources.
For a large number of pages (more than 1000) preferably work with the CIACO
(cooperative printing service managed by students and the university).
Holidays @ UCL
www.uclouvain.be/73190
Holidays in Belgium
www.timeanddate.com/calendar/
?year=2015&country=31
Illness
www.uclouvain.be/68474
Printing
www.ciaco.com
www.i6print.com
EVERYDAY LIFE 4 |
11
AC-iMMC
Fax/Telephone Internal calls @ UCL in Louvain-la-Neuve:
“7” + the last four digits of her/his phone number.
Internal calls @ UCL in Woluwé:
“7 77” + the last four digits of her/his phone number.
Calls outside of UCL:
“0” + the number of the person you want to reach.
To reach your office from within Belgium:
010 + 47 + xx xx (four digits corresponding to your telephone line)
To reach your office from abroad:
00 32 + 10 + 47 + xx xx.
Note that only some telephones allow international calls. If you wish to make
international calls, you can set up a Skype account. Some fax machines are
available in the pole, usually located next to the postal boxes.
Post Incoming post is distributed via the personal mailboxes that are provided in each
Pole/Working group. Do not forget to collect your post regularly.
Sending internal post (within the university), is organized in each Pole through a
mailbox (ask your secretary where it is located).
To send express post, please ask your secretary.
When giving your postal address to someone (e.g. suppliers) do not forget to give
your entire mailbox reference (Lx.yy.zz).
Waste management Old paper/cardboard is collected once a week at a given point on each floor.
Plastic and cans (PMC) are collected in blue bags at the cafeterias.
Printer cartridges are collected from the secretariat and general waste from the
office dustbin once a week.
Old hardware can be disposed of, for free, at the waste management center upon
request.
Waste management
www.uclouvain.be/96985
Waste evacuation
Tel: 010 47 81 48
Fax: 010 47 31 46
EVERYDAY LIFE
12
AC-iMMC
Office supplies and other material General supplies are usually available in a cupboard at the secretariat and specific
item can be requested.
As the UCL is a large company, it is subject to the related laws in terms of
procurements. Therefore, there are a couple of rules that are useful to know if one
wants to buy new supplies:
• Only some secretaries (CLC) are allowed to make purchase orders.
• It is always preferable to have an SAP purchase order.
• An SAP purchase order is mandatory for orders over 2500€ (excluding VAT).
• Over 12,500€ (excluding TVA), the SAP purchase order has to be delivered by
the central administration.
• It is preferable to avoid buying goods on the internet as this creates
difficulties for the financial administration.
• If it is not possible to obtain and invoice (supermarket, travel expenses etc.),
it is possible to make an expense claim to your local CLC. If you are doing so,
do not forget:
- the VAT voucher for restaurants;
- every voucher has to correspond to one single expense;
- vouchers have to include the UCL name (ask the cashier).
Car parks and transports in Louvain-la-Neuve Almost everywhere in Louvain-la-Neuve (“blue zones”), you have to use a parking
disk. This system allows time-restricted free parking (2 hours in the case of LLN)
through display of a disk showing the time at which the vehicle was parked.
Some car parks are reserved for UCL members. A fee is payable at some locations.
In free parking places a (free) parking voucher is required and available for UCL
members.
Visitors may also get a free parking voucher, which will be valid for 1 or 3 days.
Your secretariat can provide you with this voucher. For longer stays, the
maintenance unit at UCL can issue long-term vouchers subject to certain
conditions.
The costs of the use of a bicycle from home to working place are partly
reimbursed.
The costs of public transport (train, bus) are reimbursed up to 100% by the UCL.
Contact the remuneration service for this.
Purchases
www.uclouvain.be/79622
Purchase > 12.500€
Expense claim
www.uclouvain.be/376554
UCL car park
www.uclouvain.be/en-10878
tel: 010/ 47 24 24
Transport reimbursement
www.uclouvain.be/357050
Remuneration service
www.uclouvain.be/en-11613
Transport by train
www.b-rail.be
Transport by bus
www.infotec.be (Wallonia)
www.stib.irisnet.be (Brussels)
EVERYDAY LIFE
13
AC-iMMC
Using your own car Please notify the insurance services before using your car for professional reasons.
Your secretariat can take care of this for you, or tell you how to proceed. There are
two exclusions to potential car insurance policy: foreign registration plates and
existing omnium insurance. Only you are insured and not the other people
travelling in your car.
It is important to take contact with the service ASSU and Mme Dropsy.
Reimbursement is provided at the rate of 0.34 €/km (updates annually)
through a claim form available at the secretary or online.
Travelling abroad If you plan to attend a conference or to participate in a scientific event, either in
Belgium or abroad, advise your promoter. Practice may differ from one section to
another.
Before leaving, be sure to fill in the travel insurance form and the absence
notification form.
Collaboration has been set up by UCL with the travel agent Carlson Wagonlit
Travel.
Under restricted conditions, some funding sources are available through the FNRS
for travelling abroad for research, short missions and conferences.
Regarding health insurance, UCL does not currently cover health problems if you
go abroad even in the case of mission at risk, such as surveying or field trip in
health high-risk area. In such case, some researchers rely on a personal insurance
(at their own cost). In other working groups, a temporary health insurance is
provided (check the situation in your group).
Car insurance
Travel reimbursement
www.uclouvain.be/376554
Travel by car
www.uclouvain.be/357050
Travel agency
www.uclouvain.be/en-79497
Travel funding
http://www.fnrs.be/index.php/mobi
lite-internationale
EVERYDAY LIFE
14
AC-
iMMCAC-
iMMC
More than 1800 PhD students are enrolled at UCL.
PhD enrolment - summary: • Apply for admission to the PhD programme (if required)
1. Seek practical information at CDD Sciences de l’ingénieur et art de bâtir et
urbanisme.
2. Fill in the online admission form.
3. Print out the completed admission form and send it to :
Secrétariat des Doctorats - Secteur des Sciences et Technologies (Bâtiment
Réaumur, Aile D, Voie Minckeleers, 1, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Fax. :
010/47 30 57)
• UCL administrative registration (for foreign students) - fill in form online.
• UCL enrolment (once the PhD admission is granted).
Details on enrolling as a PhD student If you are not an ex-UCL student with valid UCL degree
You will have to pre-register with the CDD and UCL before acceptance as a PhD
student. For this you must fill in a form in a Java application.
Once you have created your account by clicking on “New user” (remember, your
login/password will remain the same throughout your studentship), you will gain
access to your “Demandes” (Requests) window. In this window you will be asked
to provide a research project, your resume, the name of your supervisor(s) and
his/her/their signature(s).
The CDD will deliver the authorization to enroll at UCL as a student. The next step
is administrative registration at the student secretariat, located 1, Place de
l’Université, Les Halles Building.
The contact person in charge of your case file can be found online.
PhD enrolment - summary
www.uclouvain.be/en-364612
www.uclouvain.be/31492
www.uclouvain.be/305864
www.uclouvain.be/31498
Online admission form
www.uclouvain.be/doctorats-
gestion
Administrative registration
www.uclouvain.be/en-14041
UCL enrolment
www.uclouvain.be/en-357541
Online admission form
www.uclouvain.be/
doctorats-gestion
Foreign students
http://www.uclouvain.be/402536.ht
ml
http://www.uclouvain.be/etudiant-
international-admission.html
5 |
15
BEING A
PhD STUDENT
AC-iMMC
If the first step is OK or if you are in possession of a valid UCL degree
Fill in the full application form in the Java software (see link and explanations
above). You are asked to provide a training programme established beforehand
according to the rules defined by your CDD.
Personal and professional details will also have to be inserted into the
corresponding fields.
Once the form is completed you should validate it, print it out, and have it signed
by your supervisor(s). You will be asked to choose a minimum of 2 people to
compose your steering committee, who may be part of your jury at the end of
your studentship. These people will also have to sign the document you will then
hand in to the CDD for approval. Check on the website the date of the next
meeting, as they do not meet on a regular basis.
The Doctoral Commission of the Domain (CDD) has the authority to grant access
to a PhD programme.
A CDD is composed of 14 people: 12 professors (including a president and a
secretary) plus 2 representatives of the scientific community. In order to
harmonize all procedures and maximize task efficiency, each sector has its CDD, in
our case the CDD Sciences de l'ingénieur et art de bâtir et urbanisme.
Details on registration as a UCL staff member You are a UCL grant holder / an assistant / a researcher :
You will receive by post a file to be completed and returned with the requested
documents to the UCL. The UCL contact person in charge of your case file will be
indicated in the letter.
You hold an FNRS or FRIA scholarship:
You will receive by post a file to be completed and returned with the requested
documents to the FNRS. The UCL contact person in charge of your file is Béatrice
Hermans.
Training programme
www.uclouvain.be/31503
Problem with Java applet
www.uclouvain.be/203088
Practical info about PhD
www.uclouvain.be/259016
CDD office
www.uclouvain.be/316921
Reaumur Building, third floor
voie Minckeleers 1
FNRS / FRIA files
BEING A PhD STUDENT
16
AC-iMMC
Main steps towards getting a PhD Procedures are being homogenized at sector level, but be aware that some steps
still differ between the different CDDs
1. Doctoral training
Doctoral schools have been created and are supervised by the FNRS
(Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique), a national institution
promoting scientific research. They are in charge of providing PhD
students with a range of relevant training.
2. Training credits
In practice, 180 ECTS credits are to be dedicated to research while the
remaining 60 ECTS credits can be validated in three main ways: training
(taking courses, attending a symposium), developing skills in scientific
communication, and improving interdisciplinary skills (languages, project
management...).
The CDD requires that you introduce a request to validate the ECTS
credits you have acquired by attending courses or seminars, presenting
the results of your work… This can be done in the Java application
described above, in which you may modify your initial file and complete it
with the information about the activities you attended.
You will be asked to attach a certificate of attendance for each item you
fill in. For the courses you attended at the Faculty of Science, Engineering,
or Bioengineering, the professor in charge has to fill in a credit validation
form.
Once you are finished, print out the file, have it signed by your supervisor,
and deliver it to the CDD secretariat.
Doctoral training
www.uclouvain.be/en-258994
Doctoral schools
www.uclouvain.be/31502
Steps towards the PhD
www.uclouvain.be/31504
Training credits
www.uclouvain.be/en-364939
Credits validation
http://www.uclouvain.be/31503
Credits validation form
www.uclouvain.be/448137
CDD office
www.uclouvain.be/316921
Reaumur Building, D
voie Minckeleers 1
BEING A PhD STUDENT
17
AC-iMMC
3. Mid-term evaluation
You will have to sit for a confirmation test that will take place around the
midpoint of your studentship, no more than 24 months after the start of
your thesis. The goal of this evaluation is to see the work you have
accomplished and assess whether you are on the right track towards
obtaining your PhD degree.
With your supervisor and the steering committee members, you agree on
a date and time for the test and inform the CDD secretariat. One week
before the date you are expected to hand in a report on your work and a
document attesting that the activities you attended have been validated
as ECTS credits.
The test will consist of an oral presentation of your project and results.
Your committee will have the opportunity to question you about what
you have achieved. Your steering committee will draft a report to be sent
to the CDD secretariat. The contents of this report will be included in your
file by updating in the Java application. All information summarizing the
procedure described here and the necessary documents can be found on
the mentioned webpages.
4. Presenting your thesis
Presenting your thesis is a two-step procedure. Once your final document
is written, you will present your work to a scientific committee. The
scientific committee will make recommendations for improving the
document and/or the overall research. If your work is accepted, you will
present an oral public defence before an audience composed of your
committee, colleagues, family, and friends.
Thesis defence funding The Sector provides two types of funding for defending your thesis: 250€ for
printing fees and 500€ for organizing the public defence.
If you expect to exceed this budget, discuss with your supervisor any alternative
funding provided by the research pole lab.
Working with your supervisor PhD students and supervisors often have different views concerning their mutual
responsibilities, objectives, etc. Some guidelines are proposed by the institute of
Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC). These guidelines are given in
diagrammatic Summary on page 24.
.
Mid-term evaluation
www.uclouvain.be/31511
Before private defence
www.uclouvain.be/316918
Private defence
www.uclouvain.be/309637
Before public defence
www.uclouvain.be/320012
Public defence
www.uclouvain.be/315844
About your jury
www.uclouvain.be/357489
Reimbursements
www.uclouvain.be/351412
BEING A PhD STUDENT
18
AC-iMMC
Graphs, templates, signatures, and official logos In order to harmonize the image of the institute, templates for document headers,
business cards, and posters, and official logos are available on the iMMC intranet.
The UCL also proposes some graphical advice for different kind of documents such
as:
• The official logo
• Letter header
• Templates for posters, presentations, reports
Conferences 1. Identify the relevant conference
2. Discuss with your supervisor or the person in charge whether the working
group is willing to support the cost
3. Write an abstract for a presentation or poster;
4. If your request is accepted and at least two months before the
conference, apply to the FNRS for funding – this funding covers
transportation only for maximum one conference per year in Europe and
one international conference every two years (provided funds are
available and only after evaluation of the required files). Some poles
provide alternative funding in case of rejection by the FNRS. Holders of
FNRS and FRIA grants are generally considered prioritarily for funding by
the FNRS
5. Prepare the documents, poster, abstract, extended abstract, article, or
presentation
6. Use the A0 printer of the institute: send an e-mail to Jean-Francois
Vercheval or to Isabelle Hennau with the .pdf of your poster. (free for
iMMC members and almost immediate)
OR
Use the BST service for poster printing and get a tube for transport.
(count 3 days for this and there is some fee)
7. Organize transportation and accommodation (in agreement with your
supervisor)
8. Print business card according to the Institute
9. Print A4 version of your poster for distribution
UCL templates
www.uclouvain.be/
charte-graphique
iMMC templates
http://www.uclouvain.be/460872.ht
ml
FNRS travel funding
http://www.fnrs.be/index.php/finan
cements/congres-scientifiques
Poster printing
jean-
www.uclouvain.be/en-33635
THE ACTIVE
RESEARCHER 6 |
19
AC-iMMC
Scientific missions abroad Scientific missions at other universities or research centers are generally
encouraged. Several funding sources exist.
Publications How to correctly state your affiliation in publications:
Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil
Engineering. Address 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Encoding publications
Every publication related to the UCL must be encoded in the university database
DIAL. The encoded publications are later used for fund allocation and scientific
evaluation, so it is of utmost importance to keep your records up to date.
Furthermore, once in the DIAL database, your publication will be collected by
services such as Google Scholar (which is good for you).
Finding publications
The UCL holds a subscription to the Scopus search tool for finding scientific papers.
To access and use Scopus, you must be connected to the internet network or use
the library proxy. Of course, it is also possible to use Google Scholar, which is free.
Opportunities to develop a portofolio of skills: • Supervising master’s thesis research
• Developing a project proposal
• Teaching Bsc or Msc students
• Active membership in AC-iMMC and acquiring better understanding of
how the University functions
• Presenting your work at conferences, seminars, etc…
• Organizing groups/events (steering committees, seminar sessions, etc…)
Louvain Technology Transfer Office LTTO brings together teams from the University’s Research Department and
Sopartec, UCL’s technology transfer company. Its function is to act as a one-stop
shop for the promotion of UCL’s knowledge, operating as a fully integrated
technology transfer service available to UCL’s research community and its
partners.
LTTO offers UCL’s RESEARCHERS support in:
• Finding a source of funding
• Preparing a successful research proposal
• Examining and drafting contracts
• Offering comprehensive advice on matters relating to intellectual
property
Scientific mission funding
https://www.uclouvain.be/en-
recherche-financement.html
Affiliation in publications
www.uclouvain.be/242474
Encoding publication
dial.academielouvain.be
Scopus
www.scopus.com
Use library proxy
www.bib.ucl.ac.be
Google Scholar
scholar.google.com
LTTO
www.uclouvain.be/en-ltto.html
20
THE ACTIVE RESEARCHER
AC-iMMC
Alfresco The UCL has set up a central file repository system called Alfresco, designed as a
mass storage solution for all members of the university. It is therefore the perfect
place to store all the information you want to share/archive for yourself or your
lab.
Alfresco Share Alfresco Share is a tool enabling anyone inside the UCL to create collaborative
websites containing a document repository (with versioning), a forum, a blog, etc.
Oasis Every UCL member owns disk space (10 Go) on a file server called Oasis, accessible
from every computer connected to the UCL network.
Backup Each individual is responsible for his or her own backup. It is absolutely essential
to perform regular backup in order to put all your thesis data in a safe place.
A backup solution is provided by the UCL. All it requires is to have LANdesk
installed on your computer. Then, just contact IT Support to install the software.
After that, depending on your preferences, automatic incremental backup will be
done periodically (when connected to the UCL network).
Shared agenda In order to collaborate more efficiently with your colleagues, it is possible to set
up a shared agenda at lab level, by using Google agenda (amongst others) or the
dedicated UCL service.
Computing help Desk In case of a computer-related problem (internet connection, backup failure, access
rights on Alfresco, etc.), the Service Desk is there to help.
The Service Desk is responsible for encoding the incident and monitoring. In some
cases, it will intervene itself by proposing a solution, in other cases it will connect
you with an IT "generalist" or local computer specialist.
IT Resources
www.uclouvain.be/en-8109
Information about Alfresco
www.uclouvain.be/alfresco
Access to Alfresco
alfresco.uclouvain.be
Access to Alfresco Share
alfresco.uclouvain.be/share
Informations about Oasis
www.uclouvain.be/
service-fichiers
Backup
www.uclouvain.be/328738
Google Agenda
www.google.com/calendar
UCL Agenda
www.uclouvain.be/si-agenda
Service Desk
phone: 010 47 82 82
www.uclouvain.be/servicedesk
RESOURCES
AND FACILITIES 7 |
21
AC-iMMC
Libraries In addition to the official library of the UCL, whose material is referred to in
catalogues and listings, each working group has its own library whose documents
are mostly not referenced in catalogues or listings. Some of them have a local
search engine or search system and contain very relevant books, on precise topics.
Open hours and management vary from one library to another.
Voluminous files through email (>5 MB) To transfer voluminous files (up to 1.8 Go), UCL offers a very efficient service
called Transvol. Do not hesitate to use it, it is free and fast.
UCL library
www.uclouvain.be/biul
Local libraries
www.uclouvain.be/234551
Transvol
transvol.sgsi.ucl.ac.be
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
22
AC-iMMC
Language courses Form
UCL’s Cellule de Formation FORM offers English and Dutch language courses for
staff members. To enroll, the authorization of the head of your department is
required.
ILV
UCL’s Institut des Langues Vivantes offers French language courses and also
courses in many other languages. As a staff member you can enroll using your FGS
(staff member number). Researchers on a scholarship can take language courses
as students provided these courses are mentioned in their (doctoral) course
programme.
CLL
A private language center
Training in various subjects from management to computing IPM
Mainly teaching techniques
RHUM training courses
General training
SMCS
Statistics and also consultancy (can help with procedure design before starting an
experimental protocol, good advice).
Sport Many different and magnificent sport infrastructures exist at UCL, a few steps
from your place of study or residence, either in LLN (Complexe Sportif Blocry) or
Woluwe (Woluwe Sports Centre).
Advantages UCL members UCL members benefit from reduced prices on various items in shops, etc.
Entertainment For small breaks...
Training at FORM
sites.uclouvain.be/form
ILV
www.uclouvain.be/ilv
CLL
www.cll.be
Teaching techniques
www.uclouvain.be/ipm
General training
sites.uclouvain.be/form
Statistics
www.uclouvain.be/smcs
Sport
www.uclouvain.be/aspu
www.uclouvain.be/sport
Member advantages
www.uclouvain.be/
personnel-avantages
Entertainment
http://phdcomics.com/comics.php
PERSONNAL
DEVELOPMENT 8 |
23
24
The entire report on PhD student-supervisor interactions can be downloaded from: www.uclouvain.be/414655
AC-iMMC
End of
the
thesis
During
the
thesis
Before
starting
the
thesis
Talk to members of the research
group to get an idea of it functions
before agreeing to undertake the
thesis.
Strike a balance between the load
resulting from the number of students to
be ‘steered’ and the funding received per
student.
PhD Student Supervisor
Discuss the thesis project goals, how to work, everyone’s needs, scheduling
tasks (field work, lab assistant tasks…)
Choose the members of the steering committee so as to bring the right
expertise to the thesis. Optionally, plan a meeting to get acquainted and specify
the main goals of the project.
Be proactive: • Make an appointment to discuss
your progress
• Don’t be afraid to knock on the
Supervisor’s door If there is a
problem
• Send a short weekly report
describing your progress and
problems
Knock on each researcher’s door to
say hello and make everything is
going smoothly,
Question any PhD student who has to
give news recently. Some students
are more reserved by nature, but this
could be a sign of a problem.
Plan a regular time slot (e.g., once a
week) for meeting with your
researchers.
Seek advice or discuss particular
problems: • With colleagues (PhD students,
postdocs, etc.)
• at seminars, group meetings, or
just during the coffee break!
• With members of your steering
committee
• With other scientists at
congresses and conferences.
Hold regular exchange of various
kinds: • one-to-one, to know how a PhD
student is faring
• Between members of the same
research group, to discuss
practical details and/or the
advancement of each
• Between researchers working on
the same topic, to increase
synergies.
Participate in mentoring (or other)
activities of various associations (AC-
iMMC, ACSEP, etc.)
Share your respective calendars with the entire team so that everyone can see
when each team member is available. Use, for example, the Google Calendar or
UCL shared agenda.
Participate in a RHUM training course such as “time management and
improving Personal Efficiency” or “Stress Management”, for example.
Don’t be afraid to ask your
supervisor if the current state of the
project offers the prospect of writing
the thesis with confidence
Be aware of the quantity and quality
of results so as to reassure the PhD
student in the process of writing
his/her thesis
AC-iMMC
Formalities upon arrival: registration at the municipality Within 8 days of your arrival in Belgium you must register at the municipality of
your residence. This is an essential step in order to be allowed to open a bank
account
Bank account: Opening a bank account is necessary. The main bank offices in Louvain-la-Neuve
are:
Belfius : Place de l'Université 34, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve | 010/47 19 80
BNP-Fortis : Place de l'Université 6, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve | 010/23 55 20
ING : Rue Des Wallons 2, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve | 010/48 50 50
Health insurance fund: Health care insurance is part of the Belgian social security system. To benefit from
it, you must join a health insurance fund that will reimburse your medical costs. To
subscribe, you need to provide a written certificate of employment signed by UCL.
Lost and found If you lose something in Louvain-la-Neuve, contact the security guards by phone.
Found property can be retrieved at the maintenance unit (Halles universitaires).
Accommodations Finding an accommodation in Louvain-la-Neuve can be a bit tricky, as there is
generally not enough room for everyone on the campus. As a result, small flats are
usually over-priced, except for a few ones provided by UCL itself. Furthermore, the
city centre is often noisy because of student parties. Do not hesitate to take an
accommodation outside of LLN. There are many very nice villages around and
plenty of public transportation (fully reimbursed by the UCL).
Food UCL has a catering service with several restaurants in Louvain-la-Neuve. The
closest one for the members of iMMC is located place Galilée. Don’t forget to
present your Smart card or Student card to get discounts.
Children
There are several schools and childcare centres in Louvain-la-Neuve. UCL has
recently opened a childcare centre for its members, Pomme d’Happy.
Folklore and entertainment
Several activities have been organized by the students (KAP, Cercle, régionale...)
all year long: sport, concert, folklore...
General guide for LLN
www.uclouvain.be/
en-vie-pratique
Municipality
www.olln.be
Belfius
www.dexia.be
BNP-Fortis
www.bnpparibasfortis.be
ING
www.ing.be
Security service
tel: 010 47 24 24
Accomodation
www.uclouvain.be/en-logement
www.student.be
www.vlan.be
www.immoweb.be
Food
www.uclouvain.be/
restaurants-universitaires
Children
www.uclouvain.be/47474
Folklore and entertainment
http://carpestudentem.org/
LIVING IN
LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE 9 |
25
September Official launch of UCL academic year
Welcome drink (see for your own pole)
October 24h bike ride
December UCL Drink – Rector’s best wishes
iMMC Christmas drink
UCL Christmas meal ( for each pole)
February iMMC reseachers day
UCL Reception for UCL’s doctors honoris causa
May/June Election and general assembly, AC-iMMC
Recreational day of each pole
24H Bike Ride www.cse.be/24h
USEFUL
DATES 10 |
26
AC-iMMC
AC-iMMC
Arriving at the UCL
� Get a key
� Get your computer and office furniture
� Fill in your project description online
� Fill in your personal web page
Leaving UCL
� Tidy up your office and empty the cupboards.
� Return your key and personnel access card to your secretariat.
� Do not forget to return borrowed books to the libraries.
� You don’t have to do anything about your desktop or other computer
supplies belonging to UCL, just leave them where they are.
� Do not forget to take a copy of your files with you, since all your data will
be deleted from your computer after your departure.
� Ask your supervisor about the local policy on managing data of former
members of the lab (how and where to leave / store them)
Leaving UCL
www.uclouvain.be/276986
CHECK-IN
CHECK-OUT 11 |
27
V.Legat J.-F.Remacle
AC-iMMC
28
3
AC-iMMC
29
AC-iMMC
30
AC-iMMC
31
AC-iMMC
32
Translation of specific French terms (with UCL names)
Steering committee Comité d’accompagnement
CDD
Municipality
Commission doctorale de domaine
Commune
Health insurance fund Mutuelle
Human resources Ressources humaines | SPER
Computing service Service informatique | SI
PhD student Doctorant
PhD supervisor Promoteur
Scientific representation (UCL) CORSCI
Scientific representation (iMMC) AC-iMMC
National science fund FNRS
AC-iMMC
AC-iMMC
Please note that all emails addressed to the President should include a copy to
the secretariat.
Besides, all mails for the President of the Institute must be sent at the secretariat
address.
This document is widely inspired by the PhD guide of the AC-ELI.
Secretariat address : Place du Levant 2 – L5.04.01 – B 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Tel +32 (0)10 47.22 00 – Email: [email protected]
www.uclouvain.be/immc