When you are ready to submit your thesis, you send an application for assessment of the thesis, with attachments according to the ph.d. regulations § 4-3, to the ph.d. coordinator. It is important to inform the ph.d. coordinator well in advance before submission. This is particularly important just before holiday periods such as Christmas and summer.

As a candidate, you must ensure that the contributions of all involved parties are made visible in accordance with applicable regulations, and that the co-author declaration(s) are signed.

PC and other IT equipment must be returned after the employment/contract with USN has ended. Contact the IT department for the return of PC and IT equipment. After the employment/contract with USN has ended, it is important that research data is deleted, shared, or transferred in accordance with approvals and agreements. Contact the research data group in the library for assistance with sharing, deletion, or transfer of research data.

When the application for assessment of the ph.d. thesis is approved, the ph.d. programme committee appoints an assessment committee. The ph.d. coordinator is responsible for sending an electronic version of the thesis to the assessment committee. The candidate must not be in contact with members of the assessment committee during the assessment period.

Within 3 months after the committee has received the thesis, the committee shall submit a reasoned statement on whether the work is worthy of defence for the doctoral degree or not. The ph.d. candidate will receive the recommendation from the faculty and will be given a deadline of 10 working days to possibly submit written remarks to the recommendation.

The topic for the trial lecture shall be announced to the candidate and made public 10 working days before the lecture. It is the assessment committee who specifies the topic for the trial lecture. The topic shall not be directly related to the theme of the thesis. See ph.d. regulations § 4-14 and § 4-15.

The defence is the candidate’s defence of the thesis. It is the faculty that organises the defence. As a general rule, the trial lecture and defence are held on the same day. If physical presence for the candidate, supervisors, opponents is not possible, the defence may be conducted digitally.

The supervisor has no formal role during the trial lecture and defence but participates in the reception after the defence, in lunch with opponents, and attends the doctoral dinner if this is held. It is, however, natural that the supervisor is available to the candidate for support and encouragement and contributes to good preparation for the candidate.

Tips for the candidate for trial lecture and defence:

• Read through the assessment committee’s feedback carefully so you are prepared for questions from the opponents
• Familiarise yourself with the technical equipment in the room where the defence will be held. If the session is digital, you will get help from the IT service on campus to check network access, sound, and image quality
• Practice your presentations – it is especially important to keep within the given time frame