Essential information about the dissertation defence
The requirements of individual subject area boards (SBA) for the dissertation and for the defence may be different. You will find them here. In general, however, there applies the following:
- The defence is held in Czech or English (according to the language of instruction).
- The student who is enrolled in a doctoral study programme accredited in the English language must conduct a defence in the English language. The defence in Czech or another foreign language is not claimable; in such case, the student must submit a duly substantiated request (with the opinion of the supervisor), which will be assessed by the SAB. Defence in a foreign language is only possible in exceptional and justified cases.
- The number of the examination board members present must not be less than three. The chairman and vice-chairman of the examination Board for defence are appointed by the dean of the relevant faculty at the suggestion by the SAB.
- The examination board shall appoint two examiners. The examiner can only be a full or associate professor, or a bearer of the Ph.D., CSc., DrSc. or Dr. degree. The supervisor, or a person who took part in compilation of the dissertation or was a co-author of any of the student’s papers submitted, cannot be an examiner.
- The chairman of the examination board shall send the dissertation to the examiners via the respective department of the dean office, together with notification of the appointment as an examiner, not later than within one month following the application for defence.
- Opponents are required to send an opinion to the Department for PhD Study no later than two months after receiving the work or to announce that they cannot prepare an opinion no later than two weeks. If the opinion has not been submitted within the specified period even after a reminder or if the opponent has announced that he / she is unable to prepare the report, the committee shall appoint a new opponent. Prior to the defence, the relevant department of the dean’s office sends the opinions to the chairman of the examination committee. Appointed opponents may be members of the defence board.
- Opponents' reviews are uploaded to the SIS. Here they are available for viewing (see How to find opponent reviews for the dissertation in the SIS). The student is informed about their insertion in the form of a notification, which he/she receives by email.
- If both opinions do not recommend the dissertation for defence, the student may withdraw from the defence before it takes place. The term of defence of the dissertation is forfeited to the student.
- The due term, or the corrective date of the defence is set by the dean on the basis of the proposal of the SAB. This exact date shall be published at least two weeks in advance on the faculty’s website.
- The defence of the dissertation is public. As a rule, it is held within three months following the submission of the dissertation.
- The examination board decides on grading the defence in a closed session, held immediately after the defence; this is done by ballot. If there is an equal number of votes or the required majority has not been achieved, the student gets the more favourable grade. The grades of classification are “passed” or “failed”.
- The result of the defence is communicated to the student by the chairman in public, immediately after the closed session of the examination board. In case of a failed defence, the examination board shall state whether the dissertation is to be rewritten or supplemented. The defence of a dissertation can only be repeated once, not sooner than six months following the original date of holding the defence.
- If the student is unable to attend the defence due to serious medical or other reasons, the following instructions must be followed (see: Excusing yourself from the term for the state doctoral examination/defence).
- If, for serious reasons (epidemiological situation, quarantine, emergency measures ordered by the government), a student is unable to participate in the defence of the dissertation, he / she may request a distance form of the defence. The dean decides on the possibility of enabling the distance form in agreement with the guarantor of the relevant study programme. A duly filled in Application for a distant form of the SDE/defence must be delivered to the Department for PhD Study.
