INTERNATIONAL CO-TUTORING
Títle IX of the Academic Regulation on Doctoral Courses at the University of Lleida regules the THESIS UNDER INTERNATIONAL CO-TUTORING REGIME:
Article 34. Scope of application
This procedure is applicable to students of Doctoral programmes who wish to write and defend a doctoral thesis under co-supervision.
Article 35. Object
Within the framework of doctoral studies, a procedure for joint supervision of theses is established between the UdL and other foreign universities to facilitate the mobility of doctoral students and the scientific collaboration of the teaching staff involved, following the principle of reciprocity. The PhD student will obtain a Doctoral Degree certificate from each of the Universities.
Article 36. Prerequisites for the co-supervision procedure
1. Candidates who wish to write and defend a doctoral thesis under co-supervision must meet the access requirements and be admitted to a Doctorate programme at the University of Lleida, in accordance with the procedures and legal provisions in force.
2. Admission to a PhD programme at the University of Lleida must be formalized through the corresponding registration.
3. The University of Lleida must have approved the PhD student’s research plan, in accordance with what is established in article 18 of these regulations.
Article 37. Conveni de cotutela
1. Thesis co-supervision is carried out within the framework of a specific agreement between two universities; it involves a specific regulation for each doctoral student and is governed by the legal regulations for Doctorates and by the rules and legislation applicable to Doctoral studies at the University of Lleida.
2. The agreement must involve the principle of reciprocity and the signatory universities must recognize the validity of the doctoral thesis defended within its framework and must grant the title of Doctor, in accordance with the regulations applicable in each.
3. The specific co-supervision agreement must respect the regulations in force, both of the UdL and of the other signatory university, in relation to both the writing of the thesis and the thesis defense (viva).
4. The Doctoral School will provide interested parties with a co-supervision agreement template. At any rate, the agreement must contain the following information:
a. The thesis co-directors and tutor.
b. The time periods in which the doctoral student must carry out research in each of the universities and the activities to be carried out.
c. The institution where the thesis defense (viva) will take place.
d. The commitment of the two institutions to award the PhD student a Doctoral degree, based on a single thesis defense (viva).
e. The language the thesis will be written in.
f. The language used in the thesis defense (viva)
Article 38. Application and authorization of joint co-supervision and establishment of the agreement
1. All PhD students writing a doctoral thesis under joint supervision must have their research plan accepted by the University of Lleida, in accordance with the established procedure.
2. Doctoral students must prepare their doctoral thesis under the control and responsibility of a thesis supervisor from each of the universities that have signed the co-supervision agreement.
3. The time to prepare the thesis cannot exceed the official PhD submission date.
4. Doctoral students must carry out a stay at each of the institutions of a minimum of 6 months, which can be conducted at intervals.
5. During the period of preparation of the thesis, PhD students must register each academic year, for the duration of their studies, at both universities. At the University of Lleida, PhD students will have to pay the school insurance in full, if applicable, and the corresponding fees for specific services and learning support. Regarding the concept of academic supervision, it will be paid on the academic course or courses of stay at the University of Lleida. At any rate, the price regime for registration will have to be defined in the agreement and will be subject to the public fees established by the Generalitat de Catalunya.
6. Doctoral students must submit the monitoring of the progress of their PhD thesis to the Academic Committee annually, in accordance with what is established in articles 19 and 20. They must also carry out the established learning activities and submit them for the corresponding annual evaluation.
7. The thesis must be the subject of a single thesis defense (viva) at one of the universities. The PhD student must pay the fees corresponding to the thesis reading at the UdL.
8. The financing of the expenses of the members of the tribunal is the responsibility of the university that hosts the thesis defense (viva).
9. The two universities must ensure the publication, exploitation and protection of research results, in accordance with current regulations on intellectual property and with the specific procedures of each country.
10. The Doctoral degree certificate obtained at the University of Lleida includes the following text on the obverse: "Thesis under co-supervision with the University U".
Article 40. Procedures for defending the thesis
1. To defend the thesis at the University of Lleida, the corresponding procedures must be completed, in accordance with the applicable regulations.
2. Prior to the defence, the PhD student must follow the procedure for the submission of the doctoral thesis established in article 23 of these regulations.
3. To defend the thesis at a foreign university, the procedures must be carried out in accordance with the current legislation of that country. However, in order to be able to apply for a Doctoral degree at the University of Lleida, the PhD student must meet the following requirements:
a. Having paid the registration fees for the academic courses in accordance with what is established in article 9.
b. Having obtained the favourable agreement of the Academic Committee for the deposit and subsequent defence of the doctoral thesis, in accordance with the provisions of article 25 of these regulations.
c. Submit the official certificate of the reading record which states, at least, the date of reading, the members of the tribunal with their affiliation and the qualification obtained. In the event that the certificate has not been issued either in Spanish, Catalan or English, it has to be submitted accompanied by its official translation into either Spanish or Catalan.
d. Submit the documents required for the publication of the thesis in the institutional repository of the University of Lleida and the TDX theses repository, and also the form filled in with the necessary data for the TESEO database according to the standardized model.