The annual progress reports serve two purposes:

First, they take stock of the progress made during each year of the doctoral studies. This may sound trivial, yet it helps both the students and their supervisors to keep track of their doctoral projects and to avoid pitfalls that could have been easily avoided in retrospect (e.g., unrealistic timetable, procrastination, etc.).

Second, in the annual reports, changes can be documented that become necessary or even desirable during the doctoral studies, which could not have been anticipated when the dissertation agreement was signed. For instance, it might occur that the initially intended data collection becomes impossible because access to special archives or datasets was denied. Alternatively, it might be that new opportunities turn up, such as a new conference or workshop on the topic of the doctoral project. These changes to the dissertation agreement need to be documented in the annual reports. However, it is important to emphasize that, ultimately, it is up to the Director of the Doctoral Study Programme to accept these changes.

Please note that for many funding schemes (e.g., dissertation completion fellowship), studying according to the university regulations is required. This includes the regular submission of the annual progress reports.