Thesis exam board formation and private defence
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When the Supervisory Committee considers the PhD student has passed the confirmation exam, completed research work, and earned the minimum 40 PhD credits (excluding the confirmation exam and private and public defences), or is in the process of being earned, it meets with the student one last time to authorise them to write their thesis.
A proposed composition of the PhD thesis exam board, approved by the Supervisory Committee, must be submitted to the PhD administrator at least 12 weeks before the date of the private defence. Some institutes have established their own specific timetable and internal procedure. Contact your institute administrator or secretary for details. In this proposal, the institute president appoints the thesis exam board chair from among those approved by the Science and Technology Sector Board to serve as such. The institute president also appoints the exam board secretary. The exam board must consist of at least five members who hold a PhD or are recognised as having outstanding scientific expertise in the relevant field. It must include the supervisor(s) of the research work and at least two members from outside UCLouvain, selected for their expertise in the thesis subject. The PhD administrator submits the proposed exam board composition to the CDD for approval (through the signature of its chair) before forwarding it to the rector for final approval.
• No later than one month before the scheduled private defence, the student sends the draft version of the thesis to exam board members and informs the PhD administrator of the private defence date, time and venue.
• All exam board members must attend the private defence, either in person or by videoconference. In case of force majeure, a member who will be absent must send the exam board chair, prior to the session, a written report containing a reasoned assessment of the thesis and a list of the questions they wish to put to the student.
• The PhD student may begin by giving a brief presentation of their research project. The exam board then discusses the thesis with the student.
• At the end of the discussion, the student withdraws while the exam board deliberates. The outcome of the deliberation is recorded in the minutes signed by exam board members. The student immediately informed of the decision, which is forwarded by the PhD administrator to the CDD
If the thesis is approved, the exam board will agree with the student on the date and time of the public defence, which must take place at least one month after the private defence, and will forward this information to the PhD administrator.
If the thesis is approved, usually subject to revisions, the supervisor(s) is(are) responsible for checking and approving these amendments before the public defence. The time taken to implement these amendments must not exceed three months’ full-time work.
-> If this deadline is not met, a new private defence must be scheduled.
If the thesis is not approved, the exam board sets a deadline for another private defence.