For an incoming joint PhD, the home university is not UAntwerp but another university. The PhD candidate takes into account the following:
1. Joint PhD application (see Procedure joint PhD)
2. Enrolment at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerp)
If the application is approved by the faculty/department council, the Antwerp Doctoral School will invite the incoming joint PhD candidate to enrol at UAntwerp as soon as possible.
Enrolment is done bij submitting an online preregistration. You need to upload the following documents in the online preregistration;
- a copy of a valid ID (pdf);
- a copy of the diploma giving access to the PhD (if required translated into Dutch, German, French or English) (pdf);
- a certificate of enrolment in the home institution of the current academic year (not a student ID - if required translated into Dutch, German, French or English) (pdf);
- a digital photo of your face for your student card (jpg)
Documents 2. and 3. should be combined into one PDF-document.
After the enrolment file has been processed, the PhD candidate will receive a student account and payment details through e-mail. The student account grants access to a.o. the online administration system of UAntwerp (SisA Self-service). After payment of the tuition fee, a student card will be sent through the post.
Each academic year, the PhD student must enrol at UAntwerp using the SisA Self-service, up to and including the academic year in which the doctoral thesis is to be defended. Tuition fees are due in the first year of enrolment and in the year of the PhD defence (please note that in the case of joint PhDs within Flanders, the tuition fees are waived at the partner institution).
If the PhD candidate needs a confirmation letter of the official acceptance to the PhD at UAntwerp, this can be requested via the Helpdesk of the Registrar's Office.
3. Composition of the joint PhD agreement (via ADS)
The Antwerp Doctoral School will negotiate the contract provisions with the administrative contact person in the partner institution(s). The supervisors and PhD student are always involved in this process. Once all parties have approved the contract provisions, the contract will be signed by the (Vice-)rectors, the supervisors and the PhD student. The PhD student receives an original copy after the contract has been fully signed.
4. Composition of the individual PhD commission
There are two possibilities:
- A reduced commission (the supervisors and a chairperson) is appointed to follow up on the PhD at UAntwerp, especially during the (at least) six months of research that must be conducted at our institution. Progress reports on the research are due at UAntwerp, as they are with regular PhDs at UAntwerp. The reduced commission can accept the progress reports that are submitted at the partner institution(s), in order to avoid double reports, but this must always be confirmed within the faculty. The commission meets with the PhD candidates at least once during their stay at UAntwerp.
- A complete individual PhD commission is appointed at UAntwerp (parallel to the commission at the home institution). Progress reports on the research are due at UAntwerp, as they are with regular PhDs at UAntwerp. The commission meets with the PhD candidates at least once during their stay at UAntwerp.
5. Composition of the doctoral jury
The minimum requirement for incoming joint PhDs is that the doctoral jury includes at least one member of UAntwerp's tenured academic staff (ZAP). Usually, (one of) the UAntwerp supervisors(s) takes up this role. If the partner's legislation does not allow the supervisor to serve as a commission member, the supervisor or faculty must propose other members of the tenured academic staff from UAntwerp.
6. Defence of the doctoral thesis
The defence usually takes place at the other university, which acts as the home institution. The procedure for defending the PhD is laid out in the joint PhD agreement; as far as possible it will follow the standard procedure at UAntwerp. A number of basic rules need to be adhered to:
- The doctoral jury must include at least one member of UAntwerp's tenured academic staff (ZAP);
- The student must have (re-)enrolled at UAntwerp for the academic year in which the doctoral thesis is to be defended;
- If the PhD candidate was not exempted from the doctoral study programme at UAntwerp, the file must be completed as soon as possible;
- The event must be announced at least three weeks in advance using the form 'Information regarding the defence of the PhD thesis'. A certificate of enrolment in the home university for the academic year in which the doctoral thesis will be defended must be added to the form;
- The candidate must submit two hard copies and a digital version of the doctoral thesis to the Central Library Office of UAntwerp.
7. Role of the faculty
- The faculty checks the student's central enrolment in SisA when organising the defence of the doctoral thesis;
- The faculty verifies that the joint PhD agreement has been signed by all parties before the draft thesis is submitted as part of a joint PhD involving UAntwerp. Deadlines that were previously agreed upon should be taken into account when setting a date for the defence of the doctoral thesis.
8. Diploma conferral
After the PhD candidate has defended his or her doctoral thesis, the diploma service (diploma@uantwerpen.be) will receive a copy of the jury's report from the supervisor or the PhD candidate. The diploma file (diploma and diploma supplement) will then be drawn up and issued according to the provisions in the agreement.