Cooperation agreement for joint supervision and award of the
doctorate of …
between Hasselt University and ….
As between
- Hasselt University, hereinafter known as ‘UHasselt’,
represented by Prof. dr. L. De Schepper, Rector,
domiciled at Agoralaan, Gebouw D, Be-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
and
- [institution], hereinafter known as [abbreviation, acronym],
represented by [name], [post],
domiciled at [address]
together known as ‘the partner institutions’
and
- [name doctoral candidate], hereinafter known as ‘the doctoral candidate’,
the aforementioned being jointly known as ‘the parties’,
it is agreed
- having regard to the decree of 4 April 2003 concerning the restructuring of higher
education in Flanders (hereinafter the ‘Structure Decree), and in particular sections 86§1
and §4 and section 94§4, as amended;
- having regard to the decree of 30 April 2004 concerning increased flexibility of higher
education in Flanders and containing urgent measures on higher education, as amended;
- having regard to the decision of the Flemish Government of 11 June 2004 to lay down the
form of degrees and the content of the associated diploma’s supplement, awarded by
institutions for higher education in Flanders and in particular to schedules 5 and 6;
-
having regard to… [statutory regulations in the country of the partner institution(s)]
-
having regard to the willingness of Professors [name of promoter UHasselt] (UHasselt) and
[name (co)promoter partner institution] (partner institution) to carry out (co)promotership
in performance of this agreement;
as follows:
Clause 1 – OBJECT: JOINT SUPERVISION AND AWARD OF A DOCTORATE.
The partner institutions are agreed that they will be jointly responsible for supervising the doctoral
research of ‘the doctoral candidate’, and that they will also be responsible for organising the public
defence and the award of his/her doctorate.
The identity details of the doctoral candidate are:
Surname and forename: …………………….
Date of birth: ……………………….
Nationality: …………………….
Degree: ...................
The partner institutions are agreed that the doctoral candidate [name] will carry out the majority of
his/her doctoral research at UHasselt/partner institution (delete whatever does not apply) and shall
carry out at least... [enter six or more] months research at UHasselt/partner institution (delete
whatever does not apply).
2.
Clause 2 – SUPERVISION OF THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATE.
The doctoral candidate shall be supervised by the following persons:
- Promoter at UHasselt:

Name: [Title, initial, surname]

Faculty and research group:

Position: [e.g. Academic Staff with Tenure]
- (Co)promoter at [partner institution]:

Name: [Title, initial, surname]

Faculty and research group:

Position: [e.g. Academic Staff with Tenure]
- Other persons at the partner institutions:
Clause 3 – PERMISSION FOR THE DOCTORATE – SUBJECT OF THE DOCTORAL THESIS.
The doctoral candidate has obtained permission to prepare the doctoral thesis from the partner
institutions concerned:
-
At UHasselt:

Permission for the doctorate in [official name of the doctorate]…. ...[with/without
conditions]

on the following date: [at UHasselt: date board of the faculty]…
-
At [partner institution]:

permission for the doctorate in [official name of the doctorate]…

on the following date: …
The indicative title of the doctoral thesis is:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Clause 4 – ENROLMENT AND TUITION FEES
[A: FOR COOPERATION
MILITARY ACADEMY]
WITH FOREIGN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
/
UNIVERSITY,
FRENCH COMMUNITY / ROYAL
The doctoral candidate shall enrol in conformity with the regulations applicable at each of the partner
institutions.
At each institution, the doctoral candidate shall pay tuition fees as laid down for the doctorate there.
Since the doctoral candidate is thus enrolled at the partner institutions, all partner institutions
warrant that he is properly insured.
[Note : Always to be paid to UHasselt, even if the student is exempt at the partner institutions]
OR
[B: FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES FLEMISH COMMUNITY]
Every academic year the doctoral candidate shall re-enrol at [name of institution: UHasselt or partner
institution]. The doctoral candidate shall have himself ‘registered’ as a guest-student at the other
institution(s).
At the institution where the doctoral candidate enrols, he/she shall pay the tuition fee as laid down
there for enrolment for the doctorate; at the institution(s) where the doctoral candidate has
him/herself registered as a guest-student, he/she shall be exempted from tuition fees.
[Note: the institution where the doctoral candidate enrols, and hence pays the tuition fee, is the
institution at which the doctoral candidate receives his/her stipend/doctoral scholarship or, in the
case of ‘external financing’, the institution to which the promoter belongs under whom the application
for the doctoral bursary was made]
3.
Clause 5 – DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP OR RESEARCH STIPEND
[A: THIS PASSAGE IS ONLY INCLUDED IF THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IS RECEIVING FINANCING THROUGH UHASSELT]
The doctoral candidate shall receive a tax-free doctoral scholarship through UHasselt. Together with
UHasselt, the doctoral candidate has checked the necessary conditions for the tax-free nature of the
doctoral scholarship.
OR
The doctoral candidate is employed as a researcher/assistant at UHasselt, which is responsible for
payment of the associated salary.
[B: THIS
PASSAGE IS ONLY INCLUDED IF THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IS RECEIVING A STIPEND/DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP
THROUGH AN EXTERNAL (NON-UHASSELT) SOURCE OF FINANCE]
If the doctoral candidate is receiving a stipend/doctoral bursary through a financing institution other
than UHasselt, he/she undertakes to make the joint organisation of his/her doctorate known to that
financing institution himself, so that an investigation may be made into whether this has
consequences for his/her tax status in accordance with the regulations applicable at the financing
institution concerned.
Clause 6 – EXAMINERS
The Rectors of the partner institutions shall decide on the names of the examiners, taking into
account the legislation on the matter and in accordance with their internal procedures. The examiners
shall be from different universities including members from all partner institutions, and shall
preferably be international in origin.
The chairman of the examiners shall be the Rector of [name of the institution/ ‘the institution where
the doctoral candidate defends the thesis’], who may delegate the task. The promoter cannot act as
chairman.
Clause 7 – DEFENCE OF THE DOCTORAL THESIS
The public defence of the thesis and the examiners’ deliberations shall take place at the institution
whose doctoral regulations apply (laid down by clause 12).
A copy of the report on the examiners’ deliberations shall be passed to administration offices at each
of the partner institutions responsible for the students concerned, and their diploma’s. If necessary,
this report shall also be translated into English.
Clause 8 – AWARD OF DIPLOMA
On conclusion of the agreement, the parties shall, taking into account the legislation applicable to
each of the partner universities individually, state in every case what form of diploma will be awarded
on successful completion of the doctoral work, what doctoral titles will be granted thereon and what
statement will be made in the diploma supplement, for example:
one joint diploma with the statement that the jointly granted doctoral title has been awarded on
behalf of all partner universities.
diploma’s awarded by each university individually, stating the applicable doctoral title.
Clause 9 – USE OF LANGUAGES
DOCTORAL THESIS:
The doctoral thesis shall be written in....[Dutch or English]
[Note: The Rector of UHasselt may vary this on the advice of the board of the faculty. The language
must be established on signing of the agreement.]
DEFENCE:
Defence of the doctoral thesis shall take place in .... [Dutch or English]
4.
[Note: The Rector of UHasselt may vary this on the advice of the board of the faculty. The language
must be established on signing of the agreement.]
Clause 10 – FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
[A: FOR COOPERATION
MILITARY ACADEMY]
WITH FOREIGN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
/ UNIVERSITY, FRENCH COMMUNITY / ROYAL
Working costs that must be made available to one of the partner institutions in fairness to the kind of
research performed by the doctoral candidate may be settled between the partner institutions. This
shall be specified in an addendum to the agreement.
OR
[B: FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES, FLEMISH COMMUNITY]
No tuition fees shall be settled between the partner institutions.
Working costs that must be made available to one of the partner institutions in fairness to the kind of
research performed by the doctoral candidate may be settled between the partner institutions. This
shall be specified in an addendum to the agreement.
No financial settlements shall be made between the partner institutions except for those set out here.
Clause 11 – PROTECTION OF RESEARCH RESULTS AND RIGHTS.
In association with 'General Research and Partnership Regulations of the Associatie Universiteit
Hogescholen Limburg' as approved by the Governing Board d.d. 21.04.2008, research results and
property rights over inventions, as governed for colleges of higher education and the university by
decree, shall always accrue to the institution(s) where the invention was made. If the invention is the
result of joint research, and divided title thereby arises, the partners shall determine their respective
shares of that property by a separate agreement.
Protection of the research results arising from the doctoral research and the publication and
exploitation thereof within the institutions concerned shall also be determined in such agreement.
Account shall be taken of the applicable regulations in every country and every partner institution.
Given that this cooperation agreement falls under said 'General Research and Partnership Regulations
of the Associatie Universiteit Hogescholen Limburg', please refer to the latter for further provisions on
valorisation and property rights.
Clause 12 – APPLICABLE REGULATIONS, EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.
The doctoral regulations of [insert name of partner institution] shall apply to this agreement, taking
into account the provisions of the preceding clauses. The doctoral regulations are annexed to this
agreement.
[Note: In the event of application of particular clauses of the doctoral regulations of UHasselt on the
one hand and the partner institution on the other hand leading to inconsistencies, the Rector of
UHasselt may, on the advice of the board of the faculty, allow variation of the provisions of the
regulations of UHasselt. This must then be reported in clause 12 and the variation added to the
agreement as an annexe.
If an analogous situation arises in relation to the doctoral regulations of the other partner institution,
the variations concerned shall also be added to the agreement.]
This agreement shall come into effect on [date] and shall end no latter than [date].
If the doctoral candidate has not defended the doctoral thesis before that date, the agreement may
be extended subject to the common accord of all parties.
In the event of disputes between the partners that might have consequences for the continuation of
the doctoral work, the Rectors or their delegates shall mediate.
5.
This agreement shall automatically be cancelled if the contractual relationship or the cooperation
arrangement between the doctoral candidate and one of the partner institutions ends. In such event
the other partner institution(s) shall have no right whatsoever to any form of compensation.
Clause 13 – Additions.
In cases not anticipated in this cooperation agreement, a regulation observing internal procedures
shall be added.
Executed in ……………., [date],
Prof. dr. L. De Schepper,
Rector Hasselt University (Belgium)
[name of main partner institution],
[post at main partner institution]
[name of promoter UHasselt],
Promoter Hasselt University
[name (co)promoter, partner institution],
(Co)promoter [name of partner institution]
[name doctoral candidate],
Doctoral candidate