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.