Nominating an assessment committee

• The principal supervisor and the PhD student are responsible for nominating members of the assessment committee
• Nominations must be sent to the Graduate School using the form "Nominating an assessment committee" approximately 2 months before the thesis is submitted
• The nominees must consent to be on the committee before the form is submitted
• The Graduate School submits the names of the nominees to the PhD Study Board and the Dean’s Office for approval
• The Graduate School informs all members of the assessment committee, the PhD student, and the principal supervisor when the committee is officially appointed.

The PhD student is not permitted to have contact with members of the assessment committee from the start of the assessment period until the assessment has been sent to the principal supervisor and the PhD student.

• A chairperson, who must be employed by the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences as an associate professor, senior researcher, professor, clinical associate professor or clinical professor
• A representative from a Danish research institution (must not be employed at the University of Copenhagen)
• A representative from a research institution abroad, representing international research.

At least one of the two external members must be employed in the relevant subject area at a university.

Every effort should be made to ensure that both genders are represented on the assessment committee

Rules applicable to all members of the committee

• All members must be at an academic level corresponding to associate professor or higher in the relevant subject area. If an assessor does not have the title "professor" or "associate professor", the CV of the relevant assessor must be submitted in the form "Nominating an assessment committee"
• None of the suggested members must have published articles together with the PhD student nor worked on manuscripts together
• None of the PhD student’s supervisors can be members of the assessment committee.

Please consider if any of the suggested members could be disqualified of any reason; personal, financial or other reasons.

If you are a PhD fellowships financed through the Industrial PhD scheme; at least one of the members of the assessment committee must have company-relevant research experience within the relevant field.

Before you submit your PhD thesis, you have to complete all the elements of the PhD programme. You must: 

• Carry out independent research work under supervision (the PhD project).
• Complete three regular assessments during the three-year PhD programme.
• Complete PhD courses or similar study elements totaling at least 28 ECTS, including any mandatory courses.
• Complete a change of research environment according to applicable rules.
• Gain experience of teaching activities or other form of knowledge dissemination related to your PhD project.

• The assessment committee has two months to reach a conclusion on whether the PhD thesis can be recommended for public defence
• The principal supervisor must be available for questions during the assessment committee’s work
• The PhD student is not permitted to have any contact with the assessment committee from the start of the assessment process until the assessment has been sent to the principal supervisor and the PhD student
• The principal supervisor must read and if relevant comment on the assessment before it is sent to the Graduate School
• The chairperson signs the assessment on behalf of the assessment committee and submits the assessment by email to the Graduate School. The assessment must be submitted no later than three weeks prior to the expected defence. Otherwise it might delay the further planning of the defence.
• The Graduate School will send the assessment to the PhD student and the principal supervisor.
• If the thesis is not recommended for defence, the Graduate School will facilitate the next step in the process

• The members of the assessment committee must be present during the PhD defence to examine the PhD student and facilitate an academic discussion based on the thesis and the PhD student's presentation.
• After the defence the assessment committee makes the final recommendation as to whether the PhD student should be awarded the PhD degree. All three members must sign the signature form and the chairperson submits the form to the Graduate School.

• Read more about assessing a PhD thesis at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences in the Guidelines for PhD assessors

• Read more about reimbursements and fees as an assessor at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences in the Guidelines for Reimbursement and fee