- Regulations for Doctoral Studies
- I. General provisions
- II. Doctoral Studies
- II.1. Learners in doctoral studies
- II.2. Supervision
- II.3. Filling a vacant student place
- II.4. Organisation of study
- II.4.1. General principles
- II.4.2. Period of study, suspension of doctoral studies and changes to the period of study of doctoral students matriculated to doctoral programmes opened from the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.4.3. Workload, academic leave and extending the period of study of doctoral students matriculated to doctoral curricula opened before the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.4.4. Individual plan
- II.5. Progress review
- II.5.1. Progress review schedule
- II.5.2. Progress review committee
- II.5.3. Documents required for progress review
- II.5.4. Progress review meeting
- II.5.5. Decisions of the progress review committee
- II.5.5.1. Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral programmes opened from the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.5.5.2. Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral curricula opened before the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.5.6. Repeat progress review and appealing a progress review decision
- II.6. Exmatriculation
- III. Applying for Doctoral Degree
- III.1. Completion of the doctoral programme
- III.2. Council awarding doctoral degrees
- III.3. Requirements for doctoral candidate
- III.4. Requirements for doctoral thesis
- III.4.1. General requirements for doctoral thesis
- III.4.2. Doctoral thesis as an integrated collection of research publications
- III.4.3. Doctoral thesis as a monograph
- III.4.4. Requirement for research publications and the introductory chapter
- III.4.5. Requirements for patents, patent applications and applied solutions
- III.4.6. Structure of the doctoral thesis
- III.5. Allowing a doctoral thesis to be defended
- III.6. Publication of the doctoral thesis
- III.7. Defence of the doctoral thesis
- III.8. Applying for doctoral degree and defence of the doctoral thesis under a joint supervision agreement
- III.9. Contesting and overruling the decisions of the council awarding doctoral degrees
- III.10. Preservation of the doctoral thesis
- IV. Implementing provisions
- Study Regulations
- I. General provisions
- II. Courses and modules
- III. Following the curriculum
- IV. Assessment
- V. Completion of studies
- VI. Filling vacant student places and rematriculation
- VII. Additional rights and obligations of students
- VII.1. Notification
- VII.2. Counselling
- VII.3. Making adaptations in studies
- VII.4. Giving feedback
- VII.5. Studying at other higher education institutions in Estonia
- VII.6. Studying at higher education institutions abroad
- VII.7. Academic leave
- VII.8. Extension of studies
- VII.9. Good academic practice
- VII.10. Contesting decisions concerning the organisation of studies
- Annex 1. Studying as a visiting student or external student
- Annex 2. Intensive study of Estonian
- Annex 3. Recognition of prior learning and professional experience
Regulations for Doctoral Studies and Study Regulations
III.9. Contesting and overruling the decisions of the council awarding doctoral degrees
171. If the rules of applying for and awarding the doctoral degree have been violated, the doctoral candidate may file an appeal against the council’s decision with the vice rector for research within five working days from the announcement of the council’s decision. To process the appeal, the vice rector for research forms an appeals committee of at least three members chaired by the vice rector for research. At least three members of the appeals committee must hold a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification.
172. The appeals committee must decide, within 30 days of the submission of the appeal, whether the contested decision remains in force or is overruled and sent back to the council that made the decision or, in the case specified in 170, to the council awarding the degree of the university for new decision-making. The decision of the appeals committee cannot be contested within the university.
173. The council has the right to overrule a decision to allow a person to defend the doctoral thesis or a decision to award the doctoral degree in the case of plagiarism or other academic fraud. The decision to allow a person to defend the doctoral thesis may also be overruled if the council has a reason to suspect plagiarism or other academic fraud. If, due to the closure of a doctoral programme or a specialisation, the council corresponding to the degree awarded no longer exists at the university, the relevant faculty council exercises the rights and duties of the council.
174. In the case of suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud, the council asks for at least two expert assessments and letters of explanation from the doctoral candidate and the supervisor(s) and makes, based on the results, within one month after receiving the suspicion, one of the following decisions to be officially recorded:
174.1. the suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud was not confirmed, and
174.1.1. the decision to allow a doctoral thesis to be defended stands;
174.1.2. the decision to award the doctoral degree stands;
174.2. the suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud was confirmed, and
174.2.1. the decision to allow the doctoral thesis to be defended is overruled and the council makes a proposal to the vice rector for research to exmatriculate the doctoral student due to academic fraud on the grounds provided for in clause 87.12.1 of these regulations;
174.2.2. the decision to award the doctoral degree is overruled. The corresponding decision of the council is published on the university’s website.
175. In the case of decisions specified in clauses 151.2, 155, 157, 174.2.1 and 174.2.2, the doctoral candidate is not allowed to submit the same doctoral thesis for the repeat defence.
