- 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
VII.10. Contesting decisions concerning the organisation of studies
VII.10. Contesting decisions concerning the organisation of studies
150. To contest a decision concerning the organisation of studies, including an RPL decision (except for grades for the final exam or graduation thesis defence or to contest a decision regarding the tuition fee), the student contacts the person who made the decision and contests the decision either orally or in writing within ten working days of the announcement of the decision. The person who made the decision announces their decision to uphold or dismiss the challenge within three working days of receiving the notice of challenge. If the person who made the decision does not respond to the student within three working days, the person is deemed not to change the decision. If the person who made the decision does not change the decision, the student may submit a written appeal to the vice dean for academic affairs within three working days of the announcement of not changing the decision or of the expiry of the period laid down in the previous sentence. The vice dean for academic affairs may convene a committee to review the appeal. The vice dean for academic affairs announces a reasoned decision to uphold or dismiss the appeal to the student within 14 days of the submission of the appeal.
151. If the decision specified in clause 150 was made by a vice dean for academic affairs or the vice rector for academic affairs, the student contacts the respective person and contests the decision in writing within seven days of the announcement of the decision. The vice dean for academic affairs or the vice rector for academic appeals may convene a committee to review the appeal. The vice dean for academic affairs or the vice rector for academic affairs announces a reasoned decision to uphold or dismiss the appeal to the student within 14 days of the submission of the appeal.
152. The decision of the vice dean for academic affairs or the vice rector for academic affairs may be appealed to the appeals committee if there has been a serious breach of procedure by the vice dean for academic affairs or the vice rector for academic affairs. To contest the decision, the student submits an appeal to the appeals committee within ten working days of the announcement of the contested decision. The appeals committee is not obliged to process appeals contesting a positive grade. The appeals committee informs the student of starting to process or declining the appeal within seven working days of submitting the appeal.
153. The appeals committee is an independent academic body; its composition is approved by the senate based on the rector’s proposal before the beginning of each academic year. The committee has eight members: four representatives of the teaching staff and four representatives of students. At least two of the teaching staff representatives must be professors. Student representatives must include at least one student representing each level of higher education. The student union appoints the student representatives and submits their names to the rector. The committee’s secretary is the legal counsel for organisation of studies.
154. The appeals committee adopts the rules of procedure of the committee that are approved by the rector.
155. If any member of the appeals committee is a party of a dispute discussed by the committee, the member does not participate in the discussion and must not be present at the relevant meeting of the committee. In such a case, the quorum is reduced by one.
156. To solve any appeals submitted to the appeals committee and make decisions, the committee is entitled to examine any relevant documents, interview parties of the dispute as well as other persons connected with the dispute and the relevant employees of the university, and consult the student union, the academic affairs committee and the student adviser. The committee has a quorum if at least six members participate in the decision-making. The committee settles disagreements by voting. In the event of a tie, the vote of the committee chair is decisive.
157. The appeals committee informs the student and other parties of the dispute within 21 days of the submission of the appeal about whether the committee leaves the contested decision in force or cancels the decision and refers it to the person or the body who made the decision for a new settlement. For a good reason, the appeals committee may extend the term of reviewing the appeal by informing the person who submitted the appeal. The decision of the appeals committee is not subject to further appeal at the university.
158. If a student does not agree with the grade received at the final exam or the defence of graduation thesis, the student has the right to submit a written appeal to the vice dean for academic affairs within three working days of the announcement of the results of the final exam or the graduation thesis. The vice dean for academic affairs convenes a committee to review the appeal in a new composition within seven days of receiving the appeal. The committee makes a decision on the appeal within seven days of convening the committee. Minutes are recorded of the committee’s meeting and the decision can be contested by submitting an appeal to the appeals committee within seven days of the announcement of the decision.
159. If the challenge concerns a grade, including a grade received at the final exam or the defence of graduation thesis, the grade may remain unchanged, raised or lowered as a result of the new assessment. The appeals committee has no right to change the grade.
160. If a student disagrees with the decision of the vice dean for academic affairs regarding the establishment of or exemption from the tuition fee, the student has the right to submit a written appeal to the vice dean for academic affairs within ten working days of the announcement of the decision. The vice dean for academic affairs informs the student of his/her reasoned decision to uphold or dismiss the appeal within seven days of the submission of the appeal. If the vice dean for academic affairs does not change the decision, the student may contest the decision by submitting a written appeal to the vice rector for academic affairs within seven working days of the announcement of not changing the decision. The vice rector for academic affairs decides to uphold the appealed decision or dismiss it and make a new decision regarding the same matter within 14 days of submitting the appeal. The decision of the vice rector for academic affairs is not subject to further appeal at the university.
