The supervision of final theses is an essential part of teaching at universities. By writing such a thesis, students develop their ability to carry out independent academic work to an extent that no other course can achieve. In addition, the results of theses can be used in research at the respective institution.

Both students and supervisors can benefit from a high-quality thesis. Both sides are also responsible for the success of the thesis. On the supervisor's side, the question often arises as to the approach to supervision:

• How much should or may the students be guided?
• What do I have to give the students?
• What do I have to adhere to in terms of organization and examination law?
• How do I assess the work?
• How can I use the results of the work in my own research?
• What influence do generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT & Co.) have on the creation and supervision of theses, and how should they be addressed in the supervision process?

The aim of this workshop is to help you find your own way of supervising theses. You will then work with other participants to develop a sensible approach to supervision - also taking into account the increasing use of generative AI by students. The workshop will give you an insight into the legal and organizational framework conditions at Clausthal University of Technology and show you ways of dealing with the challenges and opportunities of AI tools in the context of theses.

The ultimate goal is for each participant to take away their own guidelines from the workshop.

Learning objectives:

Participants will be able to
- name the organizational and legal framework conditions,
- reflect on their own supervision behavior,
- develop their own guidelines for supervising theses based on their own supervision behavior, the framework conditions and in exchange with other members of the university,
- name and reflect on the effects of generative AI tools on the work process of students and the supervision process and take appropriate guidelines and support offers into account in their guidelines.