Useful Information for newcomers to the DPNC

This page is a collection of all sorts of useful information for newcomers to the DPNC at Geneva University. Feel free to modify the information below if it becomes obsolete or to add new items.

PhD Thesis in DPNC

As some of you will soon discover, the administrative process to complete your thesis in Geneva is slightly opaque to say the least. This is why I gathered here my recollections from my experience, in the hope it can help you to have an easier time.

• The guidelines for thesis submission are inexistant on the university webpage and seems to circulate only on demand from one to another. I have attached here the three documents I collected from many people over the months: an older and not so official version, a more official one, and what seems to be like the editable version of the previous, and maybe slightly older.
• To make sure that their title page format fits the requirements stated in the documents above, students have always passed on their title page to the next generation. In the attempt to do the same for you, I have attached a tarball here which contains the tex file (with blanks for you to fill) and the package mythesis-2e which is needed to compile it.
• The main rule is that there should be at least a 20 day delay between the initial submission date and the defense date. It should be first agreed upon with the jury members and your supervisor. Also, it is recommended that the initial version was reviewed by your jury before the initial submission (but your mileage may vary depending on your supervisor), in which case make sure to allow for at least a month between the time when you are done with the thesis writing and the initial submission date.
• Catherine (tica) is your main contact for information about the process. She takes care of the initial and final submission, as well as the printing of the thesis (which is paid by the DPNC and done at the ReproMail office in UniMail). For the printing, you will have to go there and check that your document (figures et al) are looking ok before sending the printing job. Plan at least half a day, even a full day if things go wrong.
• You are in charge of preparing an apero after the defense.
• Don't forget to get back your money for the key deposit that you might have forgotten after 4-5 years :-).

All the attached files can be found in the attachments table below. You can always ask me (Andree) if you have further questions.

CFF demi-tarif (half-price card for trains)

If you have to travel by train, the university reimburses the equivalent of the demi-tarif, i.e. 50% of the bill. To profit from this rebate, you need the demi-tarif card. Since new PhD students need to go to Lausanne for the 3ème cycle courses, they get the demi-tarif paid by the university, for as long as they need to attend the lectures. Ask Catherine about it.

TPG Abonnement (yearly bus pass)

The university offers deals on the price of yearly passes for Geneva buses (and the region). On top of the discount you get when buying it at the uni (which is ~100 CHF), you are given an extra 200 CHF on your next pay check. The instructions and order form can be found here:

https://memento.unige.ch/doc/0062

If you already have a TPG abo and want to profit from this deal, you don't have to wait for your current abo to finish. You can cancel your current abo at the TPG agencies and they will reimburse you the unused portion.

Health Insurance

You are required by Swiss law to carry health insurance, called "LAMal". There are many Swiss health care companies out there, such as Groupe Mutuel, Sanitas, Assura - check with www.comparis.ch for a reasonable comparison of Swiss providers. There are also "international" companies that can sometimes provide the same coverage for much less, like SwissCare and GoldenCare. These typically have limitations on who can be covered but it's worth checking, the difference could be hundreds of CHF per month. If you live in France, Alptis is all you need, and it's fairly cheap in comparison with the swiss insurances.

Recycling

The university offers opportunities to recycle unusual items that you could not do elsewhere:

• Cell phones (through a charitable donation to Terre des Hommes foundation, where they are either repaired and given to citizens of poorer countries or recycled for their materials): you can drop your old cell phone e.g. at the reception of the Pavillion des Isotopes or at the loge of the Ecole de Physique. More info at http://www.solidarcomm.ch/.
• CDs and floppy disks: You can bring your old unusable CDs or floppy disks to the Division Informatique (Uni-Dufour, 1st or 2nd floor - not sure...) and drop them in a cardboard box outside of their office (ask to the counter in case of doubt about the box).
• Sagex (Styrofoam): large piece of styrofoam, normally used in packaging, can be recycled at the DPNC. Drop them in the transparent plastic box, just outside of tica's office on the second floor. Styrofoam from food containers cannot be recycled there.

More info on the other products which are not mentionned here, for specific buildings, at http://www.unige.ch/dadm/steps/Environnement/Guide.html .

Car Sharing

The university has a deal with the car sharing company Mobility and offers a membership for 70.- Chf per year. It is possible to subscribe using an application from the university personal page in the tab mobility : my.unige.ch/

Swisscom-UNIGE Contract

offre_swisscom_2010_coll_etatge.pdf

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Latest update:
-- AndreeRobichaudVeronneau - 15-Mar-2011