Regulations for Doctoral Studies and Study Regulations

III.2. Council awarding doctoral degrees


94.
A doctoral degree is awarded on the basis of a doctoral programme approved by the senate, including on the basis of a joint curriculum.

95. The council awarding doctoral degrees (‘council’) is appointed by the senate upon approving or changing a doctoral programme. The composition of the council is published on the university’s website. The council must permanently include at least six members holding a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification. The right to award doctoral degrees may be granted to

95.1. the faculty council;

95.2. the institute council;

95.3. a joint council established on the proposal of the councils of several faculties or institutes;

95.4. a joint council of higher education institutions established based on a cooperation agreement for a joint curriculum or joint supervision.

96. The composition of the joint council specified in clause 95.3 is approved by the vice rector for research. The joint council specified in clause 95.4 is established in accordance with the procedure specified in the cooperation agreement for a joint curriculum or joint supervision.

97. For the defence of a particular doctoral thesis, the council may expand its composition by inviting additional member(s) holding a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification. Upon deciding on the awarding of the doctoral degree, the opponent or opponents are considered as additional members of the council.

98. The faculty council establishes further conditions for awarding doctoral degrees in the faculty, including requirements for the submission of documents, including the number of copies of the doctoral thesis to be submitted, the procedure for organising the defence and voting at the defence, and may include additional conditions for the publication of the third research article specified in clause 108.2 and the research publication with ETIS publication category 3.2 specified in clause 116.2. Upon establishing the additional requirements for awarding the doctoral degrees, the faculty council is guided by the provisions laid down in these regulations concerning the requirements for the doctoral thesis, admission to the doctoral defence and the defence. The faculty council coordinates the draft of additional conditions for awarding the doctoral degree within the university according to the procedure laid down in the Documentary Procedure Rules.

Advisory code of conduct for the council is described in the good practice of doctoral studies.

99. Members of the council who hold a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification participate in deciding issues regarding a doctoral thesis. The supervisor(s) do not have the right to vote or chair the meeting when deciding these issues. Members of the council who do not hold a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification have the right to speak on issues regarding a doctoral thesis, but they cannot participate in decision-making.

100. At the defence, the council has a quorum if, inclusive of additional members, at least six members with decision-making powers are present. In other issues related to the doctoral thesis, the council has a quorum if over half of the members of the council with decisionmaking powers participate in the meeting.

101. A decision of the council regarding issues related to the doctoral thesis is adopted if more than half (but at least four) of the members of the council with decision-making powers participating in the meeting vote in favour.

102. If the composition or activities of the council are not in accordance with these regulations, the senate may deprive the council of the right to award doctoral degrees and appoint a new council.