Regulations on the doctoral training programme (PhD Programme) and the PhD thesis defence 14 September 2012 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION: doctoral degrees (art. 1) CHAPTER 1: PhD School in Canon Law Mission and chair (art. 2-3) CHAPTER 2: Admission, enrolment and qualifying (predoctoral) programme (art 4-9) CHAPTER 3: PhD thesis proposal (art 10-11) CHAPTER 4: Supervisor and supervisory committee (art 12-16) CHAPTER 5: Doctoral training programme (PhD programme (art 17-19) CHAPTER 6: The Doctoral Committee, in its role as (art 20-24) CHAPTER 7: The PhD Thesis (art 25) CHAPTER 8: The examination committee and the PhD thesis defence (art 26-35) CHAPTER 9: General regulations (art 36) Article 1 The of the KU Leuven awards the degrees of Doctor of Canon Law and Iuris Canonici Doctor (JCD). These degrees are awarded following the successful public defence of a PhD thesis. The degree Iuris Canonici Doctor (JCD) is only awarded to candidates who obtained the degree Iuris Canonici Licentiatus (JCL). CHAPTER 1: PhD School in Canon Law Article 2. Mission The PhD School in Canon Law acts as a point of reference for research at the Faculty of Canon Law. The mission of the School is to promote, support, coordinate and valorise research at the. To this end the School will engage and interact with - 1 -
research experts, stimulate research projects and create a forum for exchange and networking. The doctoral training programme will be organised by the PhD School in Canon Law. Article 3. Chair The Faculty Council will appoint on its first meeting after the chair becomes free, one or two members of the academic staff to coordinate the activities of the PhD School for a period of six (6) years. The Chair will report yearly on the activities of the PhD School. CHAPTER 2: Admission, enrolment and qualifying (predoctoral) programme Article 4. PhD degrees in Canon Law are awarded following the successful public defence of a PhD thesis. Candidates can only be allowed to defend their PhD thesis if they have concluded the doctoral training programme. Candidates can only undertake doctoral training after admission. The Faculty Council will determine admission and if applicable evaluate the content of the (predoctoral) qualifying programme. Article 5. Conditions of admission Admission is based on following criteria: 1) The candidate should submit a cover letter explaining his/her motivation, areas of competence and financial resources; 2) The candidate should hold Master's degree in canon law, law or theology; 3) The candidate must be able to read the primary literature necessary for his/her research; 4) The candidate must demonstrate the necessary methodological skills, and especially his/her capacity to draft a research plan and formulate his/her findings in a systematic and logic way; 5) The proposed projects must fit within the research profile of the Faculty; 6) The candidate should have distinguished him/herself during previous studies or career; The Faculty Council decides whether students can be accepted for the qualifying (predoctoral) or doctoral training programme. In any case, only students who obtained a Master's degree at the of KU Leuven can be admitted immediately to the doctoral training programme. The admission may be contingent on the candidate s taking additional courses (in particular language courses) relevant to the PhD student's research project. This condition will be added to the requirements of the doctoral training programme (see article 18). Article 6. Application file The application file should consist of at least the following documents 1) A cover letter explaining the candidate's motivation, competence and financial resources; 2) A thesis proposal; 3) A curriculum vitae; 4) An academic and popularized summary for Lirias; 5) A draft plan on how to comply with the requirement of the PhD School. This may include former achievements that may be validated in the frame of the doctoral training programme. - 2 -
The Doctoral Committee will provide detailed instructions regarding the required content of the application file which will be published at the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. Article 7. Application procedure The application procedure is different for current KU Leuven student and non-ku Leuven students. KU Leuven students 1) Submission of the application file goes through the head of the Faculty's secretariat (Tiensestraat 41, box 3435, Leuven); 2) Decision on admission by the Faculty Council. Non-KU Leuven students 1) Online application goes through the International Office of KU Leuven: http://www.kuleuven.be/application/doctoral. 2) Submission of the application file goes through the head of the Faculty's secretariat; 3) Decision on admission by the Faculty Council. After admission, students will automatically be enrolled for the qualifying (predoctoral) or doctoral training programme. Article 8. The qualifying (predoctoral) programme Students who did not obtain a Master's degree at KU Leuven are required to start in the qualifying (predoctoral) programme. In addition, the Faculty Council can decide that a student who obtained a Master's degree at KU Leuven must also start in the qualifying (predoctoral) programme. The same council can also add additional requirements to the qualifying (predoctoral) programme in order to better evaluate the candidate. The Doctoral Committee will determine the content of the qualifying (predoctoral) programme. The programme is explained on the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. For international PhD candidates who have completed a Master s degree in an EEA-country the qualifying (predoctoral) programme lasts up to one year. For international PhD candidates who have completed their previous studies in a non-eea-country, the qualifying (predoctoral) phase can last up to two years. [Het onderscheid tussen EEA en niet-eea studenten werd afgeschaft in het EOR voor 2012-2013: wat zijn de implicaties hiervan voor de maximum duur van het predoctoraat?] Article 9. Evaluation of the qualifying (predoctoral) programme After completion of the qualifying (predoctoral) programme, PhD student candidates will prepare another application file, according to the regulation formulated by the Doctoral Committee. The Doctoral Committee will decide on the admission of the candidate to the doctoral training programme. After successful completion of the qualifying (predoctoral) programme, a certificate is awarded after which the student will automatically be enrolled for the doctoral training programme. - 3 -
CHAPTER 3: PhD thesis proposal Article 10. PhD Proposal The candidate must submit his/her PhD proposal to the Doctoral Committee within one year after the admission of the candidate to the doctoral training programme. A student with a flexible route (see article 19) needs to submit his/her PhD proposal within two years after the admission. Prior to the submission, the candidate must have organised a PhD Seminar, meant to provide the candidate with additional feedback on his proposal. The PhD proposal requires the signature of the supervisor in order to be admissible. During the year in which a PhD proposal has been submitted, no PhD progress report is required (see article 19.2). The PhD proposal should consist of at least the following documents - a PhD thesis proposal; - a draft of both the table of contents and the bibliography, and a title; - an update of the academic and popularized summary for Lirias; - an update of the summary for the Faculty's website (can be the same); - a logbook detailing the PhD student's concrete plan on how to comply with the requirement of the PhD School. The Doctoral Committee will provide detailed instructions regarding the submission of the PhD proposal which will be published at the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. The Doctoral Committee decides within a period of six (6) weeks whether the PhD proposal can be approved with or without corrections. The decision for approval and/or correction will be based on following criteria: 1) The candidate's capacity to read the primary literature necessary for his/her research; 2) The candidate's methodological skills and especially his capacity to draft a research plan and formulate his findings in a systematic and logic way; 3) The proposed project s value and relevance to the research profile of the Faculty and significant contribution to science. The Doctoral Committee may invite the supervisor and/or the PhD student for a discussion and/or presentation of the PhD thesis. The supervisor and the PhD student are entitled to be heard by the committee at their own request. Article 11. Adjustments to the PhD Proposal In case the PhD students wishes to deviate considerably from the proposed research design, or if he/she wishes to change the topic of the PhD thesis during the course of the project, the supervisor will request that the Doctoral Committee considers the adjusted project. The committee will follow the procedure outlined in article 10, paragraph 5 to 6. CHAPTER 4: Supervisor and supervisory committee Article 12. The role of the PhD School According to its mission the PhD School will engage and interact with research experts in order to stimulate research (and research projects) at the. Research - 4 -
experts will be available to interact in different ways with the. Some possibilities include: contributions to PhD seminars or congresses, PhD thesis supervision, etc. Article 13. The supervisory committee and the position of research experts The rights and duties of the research experts are indicated on the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. In any case the research expert will have a right to fair compensation and to all relevant information on the activities in which he/she is engaged. As supervisor of a PhD student, the research expert will act as the official promotor of the student. He/she has the exclusive right to guide the PhD project and to evaluate its content considering articles 10 to 11 of these regulations and after consulting the PhD student. He or she will work together with the PhD student on the PhD application, the PhD proposal and submission of the PhD thesis, and will act as the promotor for the examination committee and during the PhD defence. At the same time a senior staff member of KU Leuven will be appointed as a substitute in case the promotor becomes unavailable. The group of research experts and KU Leuven senior staff members of the Faculty will act as supervisory committee for all PhD students. Article 14. The supervisor and co-supervisor Appointment In case no supervisor was appointed after admission of the student to the qualifying (predoctoral) or doctoral training programme, the candidate will search for a supervisor and prepare an application for the next meeting of the Faculty Council. Supervisors should hold a PhD degree and have sufficient expertise in the field of the PhD thesis. On recommendation of the supervisor the Faculty Council may also appoint a joint supervisor or a co-supervisor. In consultation with the supervisor, the joint supervisor or co-supervisor play an active role in guiding the PhD student. In the event that no supervisor has been appointed after the second meeting of the Faculty Council following the admission of the student to the qualifying (predoctoral) programme, the student will be heard. If no concrete plans to contact a supervisor are made, the Doctoral Committee can decide to terminate the student's PhD programme. The decision will be motivated and the PhD student will be informed. Article 15. The supervisor Duties 1) GUIDANCE The supervisor is expected to guide the PhD student along the requirements of the doctoral training programme. Special attention will be given to the PhD thesis, the participation at one international congress and the redaction of one international publication. He/she is available for the student by email or phone, he/she is committed to the student's research and agrees to have one annual meeting with the student. The supervisor subscribes the profile of a good promotor: http://www.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/doctorandi/profiel.html. 2) AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER PHD STUDENTS - 5 -
The PhD expert is available by email or phone to all PhD students of the Faculty having questions or seeking advice. This advice is limited to short answers, literature advice or some very general advice on the thesis. The Faculty Board will mediate in case of problems. 3) ANNUAL REPORT Candidates are required to report to the faculty on their progress every year based on a predefined format. Also the date of the annual meeting will be determined. The expert is required to read and sign the report. He also will be available to provide any relevant feedback regarding the progress of the student. 4) ATTENDANCE The expert seeks to attend the annual PhD congress. In any case he/she will attend the two PhD seminars which his/her PhD student is required to provide. She or he will attend the meetings of the examination committee and the PhD defence of his/her student. Article 16. The supervisor Complaints A PhD student has the right of complaint. Serious complaints will be received by the Doctoral Committee who will consider them against the background of the profile of a good promotor: http://www.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/doctorandi/profiel.html. The Doctoral Committee can make suggestions for improvement or in case of serious deficiency the Doctoral Committee can decide to terminate the supervision. The Doctoral Committee may invite the supervisor and/or the PhD student for a discussion and/or presentation of the PhD thesis. Both the student and supervisor have the right to be heard by the committee and to be informed on the settlement of the complaint. The committee will account for every decision. CHAPTER 5: Doctoral training programme (PhD programme) Article 17. The Doctoral training programme The doctoral training programme is designed, not to overload students with an additional work load, to broaden and develop PhD student's competence to act as senior researchers. It intends to provide students with an engaging and challenging environment allowing them to participate to the ongoing academic discussion. Candidates can only be allowed to defend their PhD thesis if they have met doctoral training requirements. Exceptionally, candidates can be exempted from doctoral training by the Doctoral Committee. Candidates can only undertake doctoral training after admission by the Faculty Council. Article 18. Requirements of the doctoral training programme The doctoral training programme comprises of following components: - annual requirements - overall requirements The annual requirements comprise of at least: 1) Collaboration and attendance during the congress organised by the PhD School; 2) PhD proposal or progress report. In any case the student will annually submit: - a progress report, signed by the student and the supervisor; - 6 -
- an update of the academic and popularized summary for Lirias; - an update of the summary for the Faculty's website (can be the same); - a logbook detailing the PhD student's concrete plan on how to comply with the requirement of the PhD School. The progress report will be submitted at the start of each academic year to the Doctoral Committee. The candidate waits for the Committee's approval before engaging in activities in the framework of the doctoral training programme. The overall requirements comprise of at least: 3) Organization of two PhD seminars; 4) Active contribution to one international conference; 5) Publication of one article in an international review; 6) A specific number of credits valorising alternative academic merits; 7) (Eventually) additional conditions imposed by the Faculty Council with the admission to the (pre)doctoral training programme (see article 5). The requirements of the doctoral training programme are implemented and updated by the Doctoral Committee and are indicated in detail on the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. Article 19. Students with a flexible route Students having professional or other engagements can send a request to the Doctoral Committee to be considered as a student with a flexible route. They add to their request a motivation explaining why it is still feasible, unless their other engagements, to still comply with the requirements of the doctoral training programme. A successful request will prolong the due date for the PhD proposal (article 10) and will be considered for the evaluation of the PhD student's progress (article 22). CHAPTER 6: The Doctoral Committee Article 20. General competence The Doctoral Committee of the serves in three capacities: - Programme Committee for the doctoral training programme; - Examination Committee for the doctoral training programme; - Mediation Committee for appointment of PhD students' supervisors. Article 21. Programme Committee In its role as Programme Committee, the Doctoral Committee has the responsibility to implement and update the doctoral training programme and assure its quality, both generally and individually; approve the PhD student's programme of study, submitted at the start of each academic year following the consultation with the supervisor. Article 22. Examination committee In its role as Faculty's examination committee, the Doctoral Committee has the responsibility to - 7 -
decide on the PhD proposal and the correction that may be required for approval of the PhD proposal (see article 10); decide annually on the re-registration of the PhD student based on individual progress reports. The committee will develop its jurisprudence in this regard. Particular attention will be paid to additional conditions imposed together with the admission procedure (see article 5). In its decision the examination committee consider the fact whether students were granted the right to a flexible route (see article 19); decide on the award of a doctoral training certificate. This certificate is awarded if the PhD student can demonstrate completion of the doctoral training programme in accordance with the regulations published on the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. In case a PhD student's progress seems to be insufficient for re-registration, the committee can decide to terminate the student's PhD programme. The candidate will be informed immediately after the decision. The committee will state her motives for the decision and the decision will be effectual after one month. In the meantime the student can request that the committee reconsider its decision, after submission of a remedial proposal. The student and his/her supervisor have the right to be heard by the committee. Only after the decision has become final, students can apply through the Faculty Council against decisions of the Doctoral Committee in its role as an examination committee. Article 23. Mediation Committee In its role as Mediation committee, the Doctoral Committee has the responsibility to hear the PhD student in case no supervisor has been appointed after the second meeting of the Faculty Council following the admission of the student to the qualifying (predoctoral) programme. settle disputes between the student and the supervisor after a formal complaint has been made (see article 16) and inform both parties on the settlement of the complaint. The committee will state her motives for the decision. Article 24. Constitution and meetings The Doctoral Committee consists of: the members of the Faculty Board; one or two PhD student(s), elected by all PhD students. The (master) student representative(s) with the Faculty Council will be responsible to organise the elections for the representative of the PhD students with the Doctoral Committee. PhD students will not sit on the Doctoral Committee when it meets as an examination committee or mediation committee. The Doctoral Committee will meet whenever specific questions are submitted by PhD students to their supervisors. At least one meeting will be devoted every year to the promotion and stimulation of research at the. The Committee may invite a supervisor and/or a PhD student. The supervisor and the PhD student are entitled to be heard by the committee at their own request. - 8 -
CHAPTER 7: The PhD thesis Article 25. PhD thesis The PhD thesis must be original and testify to the candidate's capacity to undertake scientific research. Next to the thesis the candidate makes a list of six extra theses that extend beyond the field of the dissertation. The PhD thesis must be written in Dutch, English, French or German. A Dutch summary must however always be added. The Faculty Board will decide on thesis format guidelines and other requirements for publication. All candidates subscribe the regulations regarding PhD thesis copyright: https://admin.kuleuven.be/sab/jd/intranet/en/reglement_auteursrechten_doctoraat_en.html. In particular, the University reserves the right of free, non-exclusive license to use a thesis for the purposes of education and scientific research. This right maintains, among other things, that a number of exemplars, set by the University, are to be delivered to it so that they are available in its libraries. Further, this right requires the submission of an electronic version of the thesis, including source files, for archival purposes as well as for the placement of the text for online availability by means of an 'open archive' or related system. CHAPTER 8: The examination committee and the PhD thesis defence Article 26. The examination committee The PhD thesis is assessed by an examination committee appointed by the Faculty Board. The Faculty Board also appoints its chair. A notification of the composition must be sent to the Rector. Members ex officio are the supervisor and in case this is a different person the KU Leuven member of the senior staff member responsible for the PhD student (see article 13, 2e paragraph). The examination committee may include senior staff members of KU Leuven or other universities, lecturers at university colleges, staff members of research institutes and other experts. At least one member (the supervisor not included) must not be a member of the KU Leuven. All members of the committee must know the language in which the PhD thesis is written. Article 27. Appointment of the members of the examination committee As soon as a PhD student is in the final stage of completing his/her thesis, he/she can ask the Faculty Board with the approval of the supervisor to initiate the procedure for appointing an examination committee. Article 28. Submission of the PhD thesis and the defence procedure The defence procedure starts on the day when the PhD student with the approval of his/her supervisor submits the thesis, together with a list of six added theses (see article 24, paragraph 2). The Faculty Board will decide on the specific format of submission and printing. Costs for printing and shipping can be charged to the PhD student. Detailed instructions are indicated on the PhD School's website. - 9 -
Article 29. The PhD thesis report Each examiner immediately receives a copy of the PhD thesis. Within six weeks the examiners should submit: 1) A short report on the PhD thesis; 2) Their preferences concerning the added theses; 3) Their availability for a meeting of the examination committee starting from six (or eight) weeks after the submission of the PhD thesis. For theses submitted between 1 June and 15 July, examiners must be given eight weeks. Article 30. Assessment of the PhD thesis In assessing the PhD thesis, examiners consider - whether it demonstrates independent research; - whether the thesis makes a significant contribution to science; - the candidate's methodological skills and especially his capacity to conduct research in a systematic, thorough and accurate way; - the candidate's capacity to formulate his findings in a systematic and logic way. Specific criteria are: the clarity of the research question, the originality of the adopted approach, the scholarly level of ordering, analysing and processing sources, the balanced structure of the thesis and the clarity of style. Article 31. Meeting of the examination committee The examination commission must decide whether to grant permission to the public defence between six (or eight) weeks and within three months of the submission of the PhD thesis. Otherwise, after having heard the candidate defend himself against possible comments and objections, they must grant permission iuxta modum or declare a dismissal of the PhD thesis within the same time frame. In case the committee cannot decide unanimously, the committee members must vote on the acceptability of the thesis. In case of equal votes, the chair decides. The committee may invite the supervisor and/or the PhD student. The PhD student is entitled to be heard by the committee at his/her own request. In case the candidate was granted permission iuxta modum, the examination commission decides on the date by which an alternative version of the PhD thesis must be submitted, and when a new meeting will be scheduled. The supervisor will discuss the objections of the committee with the candidate and give detailed instruction on how the PhD thesis must be reworked. In case the PhD thesis was dismissed, the candidate will be given the opportunity to rework the thesis and start the defence procedure for a second and final time according to article 27. In case the candidate was granted permission to the public defence the committee will decide on the date of defence, after having heard the candidate and the chairman of the faculty. At every meeting the chair makes a detailed report which is signed by all attendant members. The report also indicates the names of the absent members and the date of the meeting. Article 32. Archiving the PhD thesis - 10 -
As soon as the PhD student is given permission to defend his/her PhD thesis, the PhD student is required to upload an electronic version of the thesis to Lirias. Instructions are provided on the PhD School's website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/canon_law/research/phd-school/. Article 33. Preparation of the PhD thesis defence The PhD student must also contact the Registrar's Office of the university (Central Administration Service, University Hall, Naamsestraat 22, Leuven) in order to enrol as PhD student preparing his/her defence. The PhD student must provide the secretariat of the faculty with a summary of the thesis, a curriculum vitae and a short explanation on the three added theses as soon as possible. Article 34. PhD thesis defence The PhD thesis is defended in a public examination. In principle, the thesis defence takes place within 30 days of approval by the examination committee. No PhD thesis defences are held in July or August. At the commencement of the proceedings, the chair of the examination committee reads out the report stating that the PhD student has met all requirements and is eligible to defend his/her PhD thesis. The PhD student is then invited to briefly present his/her PhD in 20 minutes. Next, the supervisor presents his/her assessment and each examiner comments on the PhD thesis and the extra theses. The interventions of each member of the committee are limited to fifteen minutes. Finally the audience can comment on the thesis and the extra theses. The PhD student is given the opportunity to respond to all comments and questions. The defence lasts a maximum of two (2) hours. Article 35. Deliberation of the examination committee The PhD thesis defence is followed by a closed meeting of the examination committee. The examiners decide whether the candidate passes or fails. No grades or percentages are awarded. The examination outcome is immediately announced. Successful candidates will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Canon Law and/or Iuris Canonici Doctor (JCD). CHAPTER 9: General regulations Article 36. These regulations will come in force after the approval by the Executive Committee Humanities and Social Sciences. All former regulations on the Doctorate and doctoral training programme at the will be nullified. The Doctoral Committee, in its role as programme committee, will be entitled to make minor changes that do not affect the competence and constitution of institutions and are not against other regulations in force. These changes will be communicated on the PhD School's website and will come in force immediately. The Doctoral Committee will give account of these changes on the following meeting of Faculty Council. - 11 -