Public defence of PhD and licentiate theses

Plan a date for the defence of your PhD/licentiate thesis

When you are planning the date for the defence of your PhD/licentiate thesis, take a look at the calendar “Disputation och lic.seminarium (preliminär)”, which is available in the calendar function in Outlook. The purpose of the calendar is for you to be able to enter preliminary dates of upcoming PhD/licentiate thesis defences to avoid scheduling conflicts. The booking of a room must be done separately. This should be done in good time – contact your principal supervisor about this.

To add the calendar

In the Outlook client on the computer:

• Go to the calendar
• Click Open Calendar
• Select From Address Book
• Select the Address Book “Global Address List” or “Global Calendars”
• Search for the calendar by starting to enter the name “Disputation och …” – the calendar will then appear at the top
• Double-click the name
• Click OK
  

In Outlook on the Web:

• Go to the calendar
• Select Import Calendar
• Select From Directory and start typing: “Disputation och …”
• Select the hit that appears. If nothing comes up, write disputation_och_lic_seminarium_prel@hh.se

Things to consider before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis

Around 3–4 months before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis

• Update the individual study plan.
• Fill out the distribution list for the PhD/licentiate thesis.
• Fill out the Application regarding the public defence of a doctoral thesis or Application regarding licentiate seminar.

3 months before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis

• The application regarding the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis should be submitted at least three months before the intended date of the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis. The application must be sent during the semester to the Committee for Doctoral Education to be processed by them. Remember that the Committee for Doctoral Education needs to be sent all the relevant documentation at least one week before they meet to consider your application, which means that all the appendices of the application should be finished prior to this.
• When the application is being prepared, there must be a preliminary yet assessable version of the thesis available.

1–2 months* before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis

• For those who are about to defend their PhD thesis, a Communications Officer sends a questionnaire to the doctoral student which – depending on the focus and results of the research – forms the basis for external communication. Read more under ’Communication’ in the previous chapter.
• Submit the material for print, see previous chapter (6 semester weeks at the latest before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis*).

3 semester weeks* before the public defence of a PhD/licentiate thesis

• The thesis is available in print and is being distributed in accordance with the distribution list.
• The PhD/licentiate thesis must be registered in DiVA. Through DiVA, the thesis’ cover page is generated in preparation of the notification of the date of the public defence of a PhD thesis (i.e. “spikning”).
• When all parts of the thesis are registered in DiVA, the complete version of the introductory chapter is made available. Please note that the printed and e-published edition have different ISBNs.
• A calendar post is made in the University’s internal and external calendars found on the University’s website. This is done by a Communications Officer.
• Send the answers to the questionnaire to the relevant School's Communicator. Read more under ’Communication’ in the previous chapter.

*Please note that “semester weeks” implies that the weeks between the spring semester and autumn semester are not taken into account, as well as the period around Christmas and New Year. Therefore, please take this into consideration and contact the Communications Department in good time.

Digital elements in the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis

The starting point is that the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis at Halmstad University is to take place with all participants on site in one of the University’s premises, but digital elements may occur if there is a reason for it. The doctoral student and the chairperson of the public defence of the PhD thesis must always be present on site. If someone in the examining committee or the opponent is to participate remotely, it must be handled in the following way:

• The Committee for Doctoral Education announces that a decision has been made regarding the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis. The decision is sent to the IT department for their information.
• The principal supervisor contacts the IT department via the Helpdesk if someone in the examining committee or the opponent is to participate remotely. If there is a request for the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis to be made available digitally to spectators, this must be notified to the IT department. The IT department needs a list with the names, e-mails and roles during the public defence of people who will have an active role during the public defence in order to be able to communicate various questions and do any technical tests with individual participants. Please note that if at least one of the examining committee members is to participate remotely, all examining committee members need to be on the list to later receive the Zoom link.
• Suitable rooms for hybrid meetings are R4129 and R4147.
• The IT department is responsible for one or two Zoom rooms, associated equipment such as the webcam and audio equipment for the Zoom room.
• Three weeks before the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis, the IT department sends a Zoom link for the upcoming defence to the people on the list of participants who are participating remotely.
• From the IT department, the examining committee then receives a separate Zoom link to hold a meeting through, if the entire examining committee is not able to physically attend the defence and the examining committee’s meeting.
• If the public defence of the PhD/licentiate thesis is to be made available digitally, the link must also be communicated to the communications department for publication on the website and possibly other channels.

Half-time seminars and corresponding are not included in the above but are handled as regular meetings where the participants themselves can get some initial help from the IT department if they need to borrow equipment.

The outline of a public defence of a PhD thesis

A public defence of a PhD thesis usually follows this process:

1. The chairman of the public defence welcomes everyone and introduces the doctoral student, the opponent and the members of the examining committee. The chairman presents any relevant information regarding where the research has been carried out and whether any others have been involved. In addition, the chairman presents how the public defence will be organised.
2. The chairman gives the doctoral student the floor and invites them to present any errata.
3. The doctoral student* presents a summary of the PhD thesis as well as its scientific contributions for approximately 20 minutes. Alternatively, the opponent presents the thesis and compares it to other research in the field. In that case, the doctoral student must be given the opportunity to comment on the opponent’s perception of the thesis.
4. The opponent discusses the thesis with the doctoral student by asking questions that enable the doctoral student to show their expected knowledge and ability to discuss the results. During this part of the defence, other listeners may not participate in the discussion.
5. The chairman gives the members of the examining committee the opportunity to ask the doctoral student questions.
6. The chairman gives all listeners the opportunity to ask questions to the candidate and comment on the thesis.
7. The chairman thanks everyone for participating, especially the opponent and the members of the examining committee. The chairman formally closes the public defence.
8. The examining committee convenes and reports its decision as soon as possible.

The entire process normally takes approximately 2–3 hours (but there is no official time limit).

The public defence of the PhD thesis may be conducted in Swedish or English. The language is determined primarily with regard to the respondent, the opponent and the members of the examining committee, and secondarily with regard to the expected audience.

*For the area of Health and Lifestyle, the normal case is that the opponent presents a summary of the thesis as well as its scientific contributions.

The outline of a public defence of a licentiate thesis

A public defence of a licentiate thesis usually follows this process:

1. The examiner welcomes everyone and then introduces the doctoral student and the opponent. The examiner presents any relevant information regarding where the research has been carried out and whether any others have been involved. In addition, the examiner presents how the seminar will be organised.
2. The examiner gives the doctoral student the floor and invites them to present any errata.
3. After presenting any errata, the doctoral student presents a summary of the licentiate thesis as well as its scientific contributions for approximately 30–40 minutes. Alternatively, the opponent presents the thesis and compares it to other research in the field. In that case, the doctoral student must be given the opportunity to comment on the opponent’s perception of the thesis.
4. The opponent discusses the thesis with the doctoral student for approximately 45–60 minutes by asking questions that enable the doctoral student to show their expected knowledge and ability to discuss the results. During this part of the seminar, other listeners may not participate in the discussion.
5. The examiner invites all listeners to ask the doctoral student questions and to comment on the thesis.

The entire process normally takes around 2 hours (but there is no official time limit).

The licentiate seminar may be conducted in Swedish or English. The language is determined primarily with regard to the respondent and the opponent, and secondarily with regard to the expected audience.