Incoming joint PhD

For an incoming joint PhD, the home university is not UAntwerp but another university. The PhD researcher takes into account the following:

1. Joint PhD application (see Procedure joint PhD)

2. Enrolment at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerp)

If the application is approved by the faculty/department council, the Antwerp Doctoral School will invite the incoming joint PhD researcher to enrol at UAntwerp as soon as possible.

Enrolment is done bij submitting an online preregistration. You need to upload the following documents in the online preregistration;

1. a copy of a valid ID (pdf);
   
2. a copy of the diploma giving access to the PhD (if required translated into Dutch, German, French or English) (pdf);
3. a certificate of enrolment in the home institution of the current academic year (not a student ID - if required translated into Dutch, German, French or English) (pdf);
4. a digital photo of your face for your student card (jpg)

Documents 2. and 3. should be combined into one PDF-document.

After the enrolment file has been processed, the PhD researcher will receive a student account and payment details through e-mail. The student account grants access to a.o. the online administration system of UAntwerp (SisA Self-service). After payment of the tuition fee, a student card will be sent through the post.

Each academic year, the PhD researcher must enrol as a PhD student at UAntwerp using the SisA Self-service, up to and including the academic year in which the doctoral thesis is to be defended. Tuition fees are due in the first year of enrolment and in the year of the PhD defence (please note that in the case of joint PhDs within Flanders, the tuition fees are waived at the partner institution).

If the PhD researcher needs a confirmation letter of the official acceptance to the PhD at UAntwerp, this can be requested via the Helpdesk of the Registrar's Office. 

3. Composition of the joint PhD agreement (via ADS)

The Antwerp Doctoral School will negotiate the contract provisions with the administrative contact person in the partner institution(s). The supervisors and PhD researcher are always involved in this process. Once all parties have approved the contract provisions, the contract will be signed by the (Vice-)rectors, the supervisors and the PhD researcher. The PhD researcher receives an original copy after the contract has been fully signed.

4. Composition of the individual PhD commission (IPC)

There are two possibilities*:

• A limited IPC is appointed at UAntwerp, consisting of the UAntwerp PhD supervisor(s) and a chair, who do the follow-up at least during the research stay of min. 6 months at UAntwerp (cf. art. 41 general PhD regulations). The progress reports on the research are done at UAntwerp in the same way as for regular PhDs at UAntwerp. Possibly, the UAntwerp-IPC can accept the progress reports that are submitted at the other universit(y)(ies) involved, in order to avoid double reporting, but this must always be discussed with the faculty. The IPC meets with the PhD researcher at least once during their stay at UAntwerp.
   
• A complete IPC is appointed at UAntwerp (parallel to the commission at the home institution). The progress reports on the research are done at UAntwerp in the same way as for regular PhDs at UAntwerp. The IPC meets with the PhD researcher at least once during their stay at UAntwerp.

*exception: joint PhD with a Flemish university or the Royal Military Academy:

• A supervisory committee is composed of members of the different institutions. The supervisory committee is composed in mutual agreement and officially approved by the competent authorities of the different institutions. The PhD researcher is responsible for the progress reporting at the different institutions, according to the applicable procedure of each institution.
  

5. Composition of the doctoral jury

The minimum requirement for incoming joint PhDs is that the doctoral jury includes at least one member of UAntwerp's tenured academic staff (ZAP). Usually, (one of) the UAntwerp supervisor(s) take(s) up this role. If the partner's legislation does not allow the supervisor to serve as a commission member, the supervisor or faculty must propose other members of the tenured academic staff from UAntwerp.

6. Defence of the doctoral thesis

The defence usually takes place at the other university, which acts as the home institution. The procedure for defending the PhD is laid out in the joint PhD agreement; as far as possible it will follow the standard procedure at UAntwerp. The steps mentioned in the PhD procedure (Preparing the defence) need to be taken into account.

The PhD researcher takes care of following the necessary procedure at the home institution as well.

7. Role of the faculty

• The faculty checks the student's central enrolment in SisA when organising the defence of the doctoral thesis;
• The faculty verifies that the joint PhD agreement has been signed by all parties before the draft thesis is submitted as part of a joint PhD involving UAntwerp. Deadlines that were previously agreed upon should be taken into account when setting a date for the defence of the doctoral thesis.

8. Diploma conferral

After the PhD researcher has defended their doctoral thesis, the diploma office (diploma@uantwerpen.be) will receive a copy of the jury's report from the supervisor or the PhD researcher. The diploma file (diploma and diploma supplement) will then be drawn up and issued according to the provisions in the agreement.