Changes prior to the date of the defence concerning the examining committee, the external reviewer or the time of the defence
Decisions regarding changes prior to the date of the defence concerning the examining committee, the external reviewer or the time of the defence are made in the first instance by the chair of the doctoral education committee or the chair of the faculty board. The principal supervisor for the author of the thesis is responsible for ensuring that these changes are observed.
The chair for the public defence, who is appointed by the faculty board, is responsible for dealing with any urgent problems on the day of the public defence.
All decisions regarding changes to how the public defence is to be conducted must comply with the provisions in chapter 8 of the guidelines for doctoral education.
If a member of the examining committee is absent or leaves the public defence/the meeting before a decision has been reached
The examining committee is only quorate when all of its members are present. If a member is absent for an urgent reason from an examining committee comprising three members, the reserve appointed by the faculty board steps in, provided this person has been present at the public defence. For an examining committee with five members, one of the members steps down, so that the total number of members present is three. If a member of an examining committee leaves the public defence or a meeting of the examining committee, the chair for the public defence must inform the members that the examining committee is not quorate if a member is absent.
If, during a public defence and as a result of an urgent situation, the examining committee only comprises two members, the chair of the doctoral education committee in the first instance, and the chair for the public defence in the second instance, may appoint a replacement. Provided that all the conditions prescribed in the university's guidelines for doctoral education are met, the external reviewer may also be appointed as a member of the examining committee.
If the external reviewer is absent
If the external reviewer sends his/her apologies prior to the date of the public defence, a new external reviewer must be appointed by the faculty board, following proposals from the principal supervisor.
If the external reviewer is absent for an urgent reason on the day of the public defence, the chair for the public defence examines whether it will be possible to conduct the public defence later the same day when the external reviewer has arrived. The chair for the public defence determines a later time the same day, in consultation with the author of the thesis, the principal supervisor and the examining committee. The new time must be posted on the door of the venue where the public defence is to take place, and the doctoral education administrator at the faculty office must be informed. If the public defence is delayed by more than 2 hours, the decision to postpone the public defence must be attached to the examining committee's minutes.
If the external reviewer is unable to be present later the same day, the chair for the public defence examines whether it will be possible to conduct the public defence with a newly-appointed external reviewer. Together with the principal supervisor, the chair for the public defence examines whether or not one of the members of the examining committee is willing and able to serve as external reviewer, and what the consequences of this change will be on the composition of the examining committee. If this is possible, a decision is made about a new external reviewer by the chair of the doctoral education committee in the first instance, and the chair for the public defence in the second instance. The author of the thesis must be informed of the decision as soon as possible. Decisions concerning a new external reviewer must be attached to the examining committee's minutes, and must explain the background to the decision and specify who made the decision.
If it is not possible to appoint a new external reviewer, the public defence is postponed until another day. This decision is made in the first instance by the chair of the doctoral education committee, and in the second instance by the chair for the public defence. The decision must describe the reason for the decision and specify who made the decision. The author of the thesis and the doctoral education administrator at the faculty office must be informed as soon as possible, and the decision must be posted on the door of the venue where the public defence was to take place. The decision must be sent in writing to the doctoral education administrator at the faculty office for recording purposes.
In the event of dissenting opinions among the examining committee
The grade voted for by the majority of the examining committee shall apply. A member is entitled to register a dissenting opinion in the examining committee's minutes. If a majority of the examining committee votes to fail the author of the thesis, this must always be justified.
If a member of the examining committee announces that he/she has concerns about the quality of the thesis prior to the public defence
If a member of the examining committee announces that he/she has concerns about the quality of the thesis prior to the public defence, the principal supervisor must discuss the matter with the author of the thesis in order to arrive at a solution, e.g. that the public defence be postponed until the problem has been resolved.