Physical PhD defence
We kindly ask you to submit the form "Information regarding the PhD defence and the PhD certificate" no later than 3 weeks before the defence.
Be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Place for the PhD defence (including room, building, address, postal code and city)
- Information on the exact time of the defence
Fully physical PhD defence
At a physical defence all members of the assessment committee, the PhD student, usually supervisors and other attendees are physically present in the same room. The PhD student presents the PhD project to the audience, e.g. using a power point presentation, followed by questions from the committee and the audience.
Physical PhD defence with one member of the assessment committee participating via a digital platform
If one of the external members of the assessment committee (not the Chairperson) cannot participate physically in the defence they can participate via a digital platform, e.g. a Skype connection. The defence will still be held as a physical defence with the main focus being on the physical audience. It is the responsibility of the principal supervisor that the member of the assessment committee, who is not physically present, can follow the defence digitally, including sound, picture and power point presentation and is able to ask questions to the PhD student/author. It is a good idea to email the power point presentation to the assessor in advance.
If both external member of the assessment committee cannot participate physically in the defence, the defence must be held as a digital defence or a digital defence with partly physical presence. The distinction between one and two members participating online concerns the public availability and digital access to the defence.
Chairperson
Usually, the chair of the assessment committee moderates the defence. In certain situations, a substitute can be appointed. The substitute moderator must be appointed by the Head of Graduate School and must be a permanently employed member of the academic staff at SUND with insight into the area covered by the PhD thesis, e.g. an academic staff member from the department, the head of the graduate programme or the head of department. The chairperson’s task is to welcome the participants, keep the time, make sure that all committee members and other participants can ask questions to the PhD student and finally to conclude the defence by sharing the committee’s recommendation.
Principal supervisor
Principal supervisors have no formal role during the oral defence but it is their responsibility to arrange the defence. This includes booking the venue for the defence (it does not need to be at UCPH) and, if necessary, help the assessors make travel arrangements. However, this is in principle the assessors' own obligation.
If an assessor participates via a digital platform, it is the responsibility of the principal supervisor that the assessor, who is not physically present, can follow the defence digitally, including sound, picture and power point presentation and is able to ask questions to the PhD student/author. It is a good idea to email the power point presentation to the assessor in advance. The principal supervisor is also responsible for arranging any IT support, if relevant.