Double Degree - SDU as a host university
According to the PhD Order a foreign university may award a PhD degree to a PhD student enrolled at SDU, if the PhD student has completed a period of study at the foreign university as part of a mutually obliging collaboration agreement on PhD training, including the assessment, defense, awrding of degrees etc. This means that on successful completion of the PhD programme the PhD student may be awarded a degree form the foreign university and from SDU (double degree).
Before entering into a collaboration agreement:
1) the PhD School must make a positive assessment of:
a. the PhD student's academic qualifications
b. the PhD project
2) the Head of Department at the Faculty of Science where the supervisor from SDU is employed must agree on:
a. financing of the PhD project
b. possible intellectual property rights
The final decision to enter into a double degree PhD collaboration agreement is made by the Head of Department where the SDU supervisor is employed.
For an example of a standard collaboration agreement please contact the PhD School Secretariat.
Conditions for entering into a collaboration agreement regarding a double PhD degree student when the main enrolment is at SDU:
The PhD School's academic requirements:
1) The candidate must be admitted or accepted to be admitted as a PhD student at SDU with a main supervisor at SDU.
2) The academic level of the foreign PhD education must as a minimum correspond to that of the Danish PhD education.
3) The candidate must be enrolled at the foreign university as a double degree PhD student and must have a co-supervisor there.
4) The supervisors must support the application for enrolment as a diuble degree student and have the responsibility to ensure that the universities enter into a collaboration agreement.
5) The process for entering into a collaboration agreement should begin before the PhD student starts the PhD programme and no later than 6 months after the candidate has been admitted as a PhD student at SDU.
Financing and IPR:
1) The financial conditions must be described in the collaboration agreement and they must include:
- tuition fee, if any, to Faculty of Science (supervision, access to office and IT-facilities, course fees)
- travel and living costs of the candidate, if any (accommodation, salary)
- reimbursement of travel expenses, if any, for Science faculty member for participation in the Assessment Committee and in the PhD defense
2) If relevant, IPR must be agreed on in to the collaboration agreement
Assessment according to the PhD Order
The double degree programme can be concluded as the result of two defenses - one at SDU in accordance with the rules and regulations at SDU and another defense at the foreign university in accordance with the rules and regulations there - or as the result of one mutual public defense.
If a mutual public defense is arranged, the defense must be according to the Danish PhD Order, mandatory conditions for assessment and a mutual public defense as described below.
Mandatory conditions for a public defense according to the Danish PhD Order:
- Latest a week after the thesis has been submitted the supervisor from SDU submits an opinion on the completion of the PhD programme as a whole including the completion of the individual elements of the PhD programme to the PhD School at SDU.
- The Assessment Committee comprises of three or, if it is a mutual assessment, more members. One member should be employed at the Faculty of Science, SDU and two members must be researchers outside SDU hereof one should be from abroad. All members must be at associate professor or professor level within the relevant field.
- The supervisors are not allowed to be members of the Assessment Committee but assist the Assessment Committee without voting rights.
- Within two months (can be longer when it is a mutual assessment) of the submission of the thesis the Assessment Committee must make a preliminary assessment. If the preliminary recommedation is positive, then the defense can take place.
- The public defense must take place at earliest two weeks and at most one month after the preliminary assessment (can be longer when it is a mutual assessment).
- After the defense the Assessment Committee makes its final assessment.
If the final assessment is positive the Academic Council at the Faculty of Science may award the PhD degree.
Double Degree - Foreign university as a host university
According to the PhD Order § 15 section 3 a Danish university may accept a PhD thesis written by a PhD student from a foreign university, if the PhD student has completed a period of study at the Danish university as part of a mutually obliging collaboration agreement and the Danish university assesses that the PhD student has acquired qualifications comparable with those aquired under a Danish PhD programme. This means that on successful completion of the PhD programme the PhD student may be awarded a degree from the foreign university and from SDU (double degree).
The collaboration agreement must agree on PhD training, including the assessment, defense, awarding of degrees etc. It is important that the agreement is mutually obliging and regards the PhD programme as a whole. Less formal cooperation between supervisors limited to supervision is not enough.
Before entering into a collaboration agreement:
1) the PhD School must make a positive assessment of:
a. the PhD student's academic qualifications
b. the foreign PhD programme which must be comparable to a Danish PhD programme
c. the PhD project
2) the Head of Department at the Faculty of Science where the supervisor from SDU is employed must agree on:
a. financing of the PhD project
b. possible intellectual property rights
The final decision to enter into a double PhD colllaboration agreement is made by the Head of Department where the SDU supervisor is employed.
Application
Application for a double degree PhD programme with enrollment at a foreign university (host university) should be send to the PhD School Secretariat. Please find the application form on the PhD School's website.
Upon receiving the application the PhD School Secretariat sends the application to the local PhD Study Committee who makes a recommendation to the Head of the PhD School. The Head of the PhD School makes the final academic assessment.
Conditions for entering into a collaboration agreement regarding a double PhD degree student when the main enrolment is at a foreign university
The PhD School's academic requirements:
1) The candidate must be admitted as a PhD student at a foreign university.
2) The academic level of the foreign PhD education must as a minimum correspond to that of a Danish education.
3) The candidate must be qualified for admission to a PhD programme at the Faculty of Science, SDU.
4) The candidate must have a main supervisor at the foreign university and a supervisor at the Faculty of Science, SDU.
5) The supervisors must support the application for enrolment as a double degree student and have the responsibility to ensure that the universities enter into a collaboration agreement.
6) Application for enrolment as a double degree student at SDU must be submitted at most six months after the candidate has been admitted as a PhD student at the foreign university.
7) The PhD student's PhD programme must be comparable to a Danish PhD programme. During a Danish PhD programme the PhD student is required to:
a. Carry out independent research work under supervision (the PhD project)
b. Complete PhD courses or similar study elements totalling approx. 30 ECTS points
c. Participate in active research environments outside SDU (this requirement is naturally fulfilled as a double degree student)
d. Gain experience with knowledge dissemination (for example teaching experience). SDU requires 300 hours of knowledge dissemination
e. Complete a PhD thesis on the basis of the PhD project
f. The candidate must complete a study visit of at least six months at the Faculty of Science, SDU
g. The PhD thesis must comply with the individual guidelines on publishing activities for obtaining a PhD degree
Financing and IPR:
1) The candidate must be able to finance his/her living expenses while staying at the Faculty of Science, SDU so that the candidate is able to obtain a residence permit. 2) The financial conditions must be described in the collaboration agreement and they must include: a. Tuition fee, if any, to Faculty of Sciene (supervision, access to office and IT-facilities, course fees) b. Travel and living costs of the candidate, if any (accommodation, salary) c. Reimbursement, if any, of travel expenses for the Science co-supervisor during supervision visits and the collaborating university and for participation in the PhD defense d. fee and reimbursement of travel expenses, if any, for Science faculty member for participation in the Assessment Committee and in the PhD defense 3) If relevant, IPR must be agreed on in to collaboration agreement
Assessment according to the PhD Order
The double degree programme can be concluded as the result of two defenses - one at the host university in accordance with the rules and regulations of the hos university and another defense at the Faculty of Science, SDU in accordance with the rule and regulations of the Faculty of Science, SDU and the PhD Order - or as the result of one mutual public defense.
If a mutual public defense is arranged there are, according to the Danish PhD Order, mandatory conditions for assessment and a mutual public defense as described below.
Mandatory conditions for a public defense according to the Danish PhD Order:
- Latest a week after the thesis has been submitted the supervisor from SDU submits an opinion on the completion of the PhD programme as a whole including the completion of the individual elements of the PhD programme to the PhD School at SDU.
- The Assessment Committee comprises of three or, if it is a mutual assessment, more members. One member should be employed at the Faculty of Science, SDU and two members must be researchers outside SDU hereof one should be from abroad. All members must be at associate professor or professor level within the relevant field.
- The supervisors from the host university and the co-supervisor from the Faculty of Science are not allowed to be members of the Assessment Committee but assist the Assessment Committee without voting rights.
- Within two months (can be longer when it is a mutual assessment) of the submission of the thesis the Assessment Committee must make a preliminary assessment. If the preliminary recommedation is positive, then the defense can take place.
- The public defense must take place at earliest two weeks and at most one month after the preliminary assessment (can be longer when it is a mutual assessment).
- After the defense the Assessment Committee makes its final assessment.
If the final assessment is positive the Academic Council at the Faculty of Science may award the PhD degree.