Guide to PhD defence

Date and time: The date and time of a PhD defence is agreed between the principal supervisor, the PhD student and the external parties.

Venue: An appropriately sized room must be found for the defence and a smaller room for the pre-defence meeting. The secretariat*) is happy to help with booking the rooms, you may request specific rooms, but you must also be prepared for it to be booked elsewhere.

Once the date, time, rooms and the assessment committee are in place, the PhD student must inform the PhD School, who will then prepare the invitation (PhD Oral Defence Session) for the defence.

The PhD School posts the defence on SDU's external calendar.
The web editor at IST adds the defence to the SDUnet calendar and creates a local news item.

Catering at the defence: Depending on the time of the defence, the unit will host a sandwich + water or coffee + bread. The secretariat can help with ordering. Remember to state any dietary requirements, meeting participants and account number.

The defence itself: Not even the best of the admnistrative staff can help with this, so it's entirely up to the PhD student.

But we can help with water for the lectern and the judging committee's table. Bottles can be collected from the IST Secretariat.
The IST Secretariat will also arrange for a gift for the PhD student and has a table flag that you can bring to mark the occasion. The secretariat will ensure that the gift and possibly the flag are brought to the defence.

Any reception after the defence: The PhD student is responsible for organising any reception.
If the research unit will be the host and SDU funds are therefore used, the accounting instructions and the maximum amount per participant must be observed (DKK 225 as of April 2025). If the food is provided by the Canteen, you must be aware of the time and the possible need to purchase staff hours.
Regardless of the grade of the reception, it is a matter of course that the area is left in a tidy condition.

Printed dissertations: The PhD student must order printing of the dissertation from the Graphic Centre. Up to 50 copies are delivered free of charge. (Please note that there is a template for PhD dissertations).

Payment of costs for assessors in connection with PhD defence: The PhD School will pay the costs of the assessors' fees, transport costs and up to two days' accommodation at a hotel booked through the PhD School.

 

*) The secretary covers either the IST staff, the FEA secretariat or the secretary in Esbjerg.