(please insert the logo of the partner institution)
Agreement governing the joint supervision of a doctoral thesis
BETWEEN
The Université libre de Bruxelles
located at
50 F.D. Roosevelt Avenue
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
represented by its Rector, Professor Didier VIVIERS
and
The University _________________________ (partner university),
located at ____________________________
(please fill in)
represented by its Rector/President (please select the correct title), ________________ (name)
hereafter referred to as the “partner institutions”.
Whereas,
the Université libre de Bruxelles is bound by :
1. the Decree dated 7th November 2013 « définissant le paysage de l’enseignement supérieur et
l’organisation académique des études »;
2. the PhD regulations, as approved by the Board of the University on July 1st 2013.
The University ____________________________ is bound by
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candidate)
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_______________________________________
(please specify the PhD regulations in force in the partner institution)
the following provisions are agreed.
PREAMBLE
The Université libre de Bruxelles and the Chinese Scholarship Council signed an agreement on the
26th of April 2013 in order to offer high quality research training to students from Chinese higher
education institutions and to develop research cooperation between the Université libre de Bruxelles
and Chinese universities.
The aim of the present joint supervision agreement is to set up and develop scientific cooperation
between laboratories of the partner institutions, by promoting the doctoral candidates mobility. The
partner institutions give their consent to the preparation of the doctoral thesis which will be carried
out and defended under the partner institutions’ responsibility.
SECTION 1 : THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATE
Article 1.
The joined supervision is organized for:
Mr/Ms ___________________________
Born on _____________________________ in __________________________
Nationality __________________________
E-mail ___________________________
hereafter referred to as “the doctoral candidate”.
Article 2.
The doctoral candidate undertakes to respect regulations in force within each institution.
SECTION 2: ENROLMENT FOR THE PHD
Article 3.
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candidate)
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The doctoral candidate is registered:
1. At the Université libre de Bruxelles
for a PhD in _____________________________
and
for a doctoral training in _________________________
in the Graduate College in ____________________________
from the academic year ________________
2. At the University _____________________
for a doctoral degree in __________________________
and
for a doctoral training in _______________________
from the academic year _________________
Article 4.
The doctoral candidate will be annually registered at the two partner institutions.
While registering for the first time, they will pay the complete registration fees at the Université libre
de Bruxelles. The years after, only enrolment fees and administration costs will be paid by the
doctoral candidate.
At the University ________________, the doctoral candidate will pay / be exempted
________________________. (please adapt to the partner institution’s rules)
Article 5.
The joined supervision of the doctoral thesis takes effect from the academic year ______________.
Article 6.
Social security cover and personal liability insurance for the doctoral candidate will be ensured
under the following conditions.
The doctoral candidate is covered by social security insurance, in accordance with the relevant
national legislations, upon condition they are registered at both institutions. The doctoral candidate
will subscribe to a main insurance policy in (please choose Belgium/other country) and will take out
an additional insurance policy to cover illness and civil risk for the duration of the periods of time
they spend in (please choose Belgium/other country).
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candidate)
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Regarding the personal liability insurance:
- At the Université libre de Bruxelles: the doctoral candidate is covered for personal liability and
physical injury upon condition they are registered at the University.
- At the University _______________: ________________________
SECTION 3 : PEDAGOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC MODALITIES
Article 7.
In each institution, the doctoral candidate carries out their work under the supervision and the
responsibility of a thesis supervisor.
The supervisors are:
- at the Université libre de Bruxelles : Professor __________________________
- at the University ______________________: Professor ______________________
The supervisors undertake to act fully as supervisors to the doctoral candidate, and to ensure that
this function is carried out within the conditions that apply in the respective institutions.
They will collaborate regularly over the progress of the doctoral candidate’s research work.
Article 8.
At the Université libre de Bruxelles, a supervisory committee monitors the doctoral candidate while
they are working on their thesis. It sets the content of the doctoral training, awards ECTS credits for
activities carried out as part of the doctoral training and meets with the doctoral candidate at least
once per year in order to assess progress. On the basis of this annual evaluation, the supervisory
committee informs the relevant authority of their opinion regarding re-enrolment.
It comprises both supervisors, _________________________________.
Its chair is _______________________.
Article 9.
The subject of the thesis is: “____________________________”
An outline of the thesis is annexed to the present agreement. (annex 1)
Article 10.
At the Université libre de Bruxelles, the doctoral candidate must take a doctoral training programme
(60 ECTS).
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candidate)
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If the training is organised and considered as equivalent by the partner institutions, they agree on a
common doctoral training programme. The doctoral training can take place in one of the partner
institution, or divided between both institutions.
Should the case arise where the doctoral training is organised at the University libre de Bruxelles
only or is not considered as equivalent by the partner institutions, then the doctoral candidate will
have to take the whole programme at the Université libre de Bruxelles.
If the doctoral candidate has accomplished activities considered as equivalent before their PhD, they
can request to validate them as part of the doctoral training.
Article 11.
The estimated duration of the research work is _______ years.
Article 12.
Before the end of the second year of the PhD, the doctoral candidate will be subjected to an
intermediate evaluation by their supervisory committee, in order to assess whether their thesis can
be completed according to schedule. The doctoral candidate must pass the intermediate evaluation
before proceeding to defend their thesis.
If the intermediate evaluation is successful, then the work that led to it is validated with 20 ECTS
doctoral training credits.
Article 13.
The preparation of the doctoral thesis will be divided between the partner institutions, by alternate
periods. To ensure the reality of the joint supervision, each partner institution will supervise the
doctoral candidate during a total period of at least one year.
SECTION 4: DEFENSE AND DIPLOMAS
Article 14.
The doctoral candidate will be allowed to submit their thesis after validating the 60 ECTS doctoral
training programme. They must be enrolled for the PhD to submit their thesis.
Article 15.
The thesis jury will be composed by mutual agreement between the partner institutions and at the
partners’ proposition, in conformity with the regulations foreseen in both institutions.
The thesis jury will be composed of at least two academics of the Université libre de Bruxelles,
including the supervisor, at least two academics of the partner institution, and at least one external
member, all of them PhD holders.
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candidate)
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If the public defense takes place at the Université libre de Bruxelles, the thesis jury will be chaired by
a member of the University’s academic staff.
Article 16.
The doctoral dissertation will be written in ________________ (language) and will be held in
_______________ (language).
If the PhD thesis or the defense is in another language than French or English, it will be submitted, at
the Université libre de Bruxelles, to the doctoral candidate’s Faculty for approval. The thesis written
in another language than French or English will contain a summary in (please choose:
French/English).
Article 17.
The single public defense (viva voce) will be recognized by both partner institutions.
A private defense will be first held at _________________ (name of the institution)
Then, the public defense will be held at _________________ (name of the Institution)
Before the public defense, the doctoral candidate will have to present their work at a public seminar
at the partner institution where the public defense is not held.
Article 18.
Both partner institutions will set by mutual agreement their contribution to travel and stay expenses
of thesis jury’s members.
Article 19.
In conformity with the regulations in force within each institution and on the basis of a favourable
report from the thesis jury, the two partner institutions undertake to award a double Doctorate
degree to the successful candidate via two separate diplomas:
Docteur en __________________________ de l’Université libre de Bruxelles
and
Doctor in _________________________ from the University __________________________.
The awarded diplomas will explicitly specify the partnership with the other partner institution and
the joint supervision of the thesis, in conformity with the regulations in force within each institution.
SECTION 5: SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
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Article 20.
The candidate agrees to respect the regulations in force in each institution concerning the
submission, the registration and the reproduction of doctoral dissertations.
Especially, concerning the Université libre de Bruxelles and without prejudice to any pre-existing
confidentiality or other obligation, the candidate agrees to grant to the Université libre de Bruxelles a
royalty free, worldwide, non-exclusive licence, to archive, reproduce and communicate the thesis
through its institutional deposit. Such license shall be granted for the duration of the authors rights.
Article 21.
The publication, exploitation and protection of the subject of the thesis and the results of the
research are ensured by the two partner institutions, in conformity with their relevant national
legislation.
Article 22.
Any change to provisions agreed in the present agreement will require an additional clause to the
present agreement.
Article 23.
If there is a disagreement between the Parties on the interpretation of this Agreement or any aspect
of the performance by either Party of its obligations under this Agreement, representatives of the
Parties, shall, within ten (10) business days of receipt of a written request from the most diligent
Party to the other, meet to try to resolve the disagreement in good faith.
If resolution does not occur within seven (7) business days after the initial meeting, the matter shall
be escalated for determination by the duly authorised representatives of both Parties who shall
undertake best efforts to resolve the matter themselves in good faith within an additional fourteen
(14) business days.
If the Parties are unable to resolve any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this
Agreement, the case shall be brought before the courts of Brussels.
Article 24.
This Agreement becomes effective as from the date of signature by the last duly authorised
representatives of each Party and by the doctoral candidate and shall remain in full force and effect
until the end of the academic year when the thesis is defended.
Each Party is authorised to terminate the Agreement every year provided that such decision is duly
motivated. The Party which takes the initiative thereof undertakes however to host the doctoral
candidate to carry on their research work.
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Moreover, both thesis supervisors can mutually agree to terminate this Agreement. The doctoral
candidate can also terminate this Agreement by sending a letter to the person in charge of joint PhD
agreements in the relevant institution. A copy of said letter shall be sent to the person in charge of
joint PhD agreements in the other institution.
SECTION 6: ADMINISTRATIVE FOLLOW UP
Further questions or correspondence regarding the present agreement will be addressed to the joint
supervision agreements managers, who are:
-
At the Université libre de Bruxelles: Mrs Sabrina Dejongh - sabrina.dejongh@ulb.ac.be –
ULB – Département Recherche – gestionnaire des cotutelles de thèse – Avenue F.D. Roosevelt
50 – CP 161 – 1050 Bruxelles
-
At the University ………………………….…… : (name + contact details + email address)
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candidate)
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SECTION 7: SIGNATURES
Signed in 7 (seven) copies
For the Université libre de Bruxelles
For the University……………………………….
The Rector,
The Rector (or President) .....................................
Professor Didier VIVIERS
......................................................................................
Date : ..........................................................................
Date : .........................................................................
The Dean of the Faculty of .................................
......................................................................................
Professor ....................................................................
......................................................................................
Date : ..........................................................................
Date : .........................................................................
The supervisor
The supervisor
Professor ....................................................................
Professor....................................................................
Date : ..........................................................................
Date : .........................................................................
The doctoral candidate
.....................................................................................
Date : .........................................................................
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candidate)
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ANNEX 1: The PhD research project
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candidate)
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