Doctor Europaeus
INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION · FINAL QUALIFICATION
Doctor Europaeus
Doctor Europaeus recognises the European dimension of a doctoral pathway when specific requirements concerning international mobility, thesis review, final examination committee and defence language are fulfilled.
SAS COUNCIL · NOVEMBER 2023
Four requirements must be fulfilled
The S.A.S. Council acknowledged the following requirements for the Doctor Europaeus certification. They concern four distinct elements of the doctoral pathway and must therefore be considered together when planning the mobility, external review and final examination.
THE FOUR REQUIREMENTS
What is required for Doctor Europaeus?
01
Two European thesis reviewers
The thesis must be reviewed by at least two professors from two higher education institutions located in two different European countries, both different from the country in which the thesis is defended.
02
European member of the examination committee
At least one member of the final examination committee must come from a higher education institution located in another European country.
03
Defence in another official language
Part of the doctoral defence must take place in an official language other than the language or languages of the country in which the thesis is defended.
04
At least 3 months of research abroad
Part of the thesis must have been prepared during a research period of at least three months spent in another European country.
2
external European reviewers
1+
European committee member
3
months abroad minimum
1
additional defence language
WHICH COUNTRIES?
Check the European Higher Education Area
When planning the research period, external reviewers and committee composition, consult the current list of countries participating in the European Higher Education Area – EHEA. The official list is maintained by the Bologna Follow-Up Group.
PLAN THE CERTIFICATION
Think about Doctor Europaeus throughout the PhD
01
Plan the mobility
Make sure that at least three months of thesis research are carried out in another eligible European country.
02
Plan the reviewers
Before external reviewers are proposed, verify that the two required European countries and institutions satisfy the Doctor Europaeus conditions.
03
Plan the committee
When the final committee is proposed, make sure that at least one eligible member comes from a higher education institution in another European country.
04
Plan the defence
Agree in advance how part of the public defence will be conducted in the additional official language required for the certification.
IMPORTANT · CYCLE XLI AND SUBSEQUENT CYCLES
External reviewers and final committee members are different roles
Under the Regulations applicable from Cycle XLI, the external evaluators who review the thesis cannot be appointed as members of the final examination committee. The Doctor Europaeus reviewer requirement and committee-member requirement must therefore be satisfied through different appointments.
DOCUMENTATION
Be ready to demonstrate all four requirements
Keep the documentation needed to verify the international elements of the doctoral pathway. The Advanced Studies Office may request the information necessary to confirm that each Doctor Europaeus condition has been fulfilled.
MOBILITY
Research period abroad
Retain host documentation showing the institution, country and period actually completed.
REVIEWERS
Institution and country
Reviewer affiliations must allow verification of the two institutions and two European countries required.
COMMITTEE
European committee member
The final committee proposal must clearly identify the relevant member’s higher education institution and country.
DEFENCE
Language used
The examination arrangements must make it possible to document that part of the defence was conducted in the required additional official language.
DOCTOR EUROPAEUS ≠ CO-TUTELLE
A European certification and a joint doctoral arrangement are different
Doctor Europaeus is based on fulfilment of the four requirements described above. A co-tutelle is instead a doctoral pathway governed by a formal agreement between two institutions concerning supervision, research periods and the award of the doctoral qualification. One should not be treated as a substitute for the other.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Before reviewers and committee members are proposed
✓ Mobility: have I completed at least three months of thesis research in another eligible European country?
✓ Reviewers: do the two external reviewers come from two institutions in two different European countries other than Italy?
✓ Committee: is at least one final examination committee member affiliated with a higher education institution in another European country?
✓ Language: has part of the defence been planned in an official language other than Italian?
✓ Documentation: can each of these conditions be formally demonstrated?
✓ Reviewers: do the two external reviewers come from two institutions in two different European countries other than Italy?
✓ Committee: is at least one final examination committee member affiliated with a higher education institution in another European country?
✓ Language: has part of the defence been planned in an official language other than Italian?
✓ Documentation: can each of these conditions be formally demonstrated?
RELATED PROCEDURES
REFERENCE FRAMEWORK
UNICAM Regulations · SAS Council · EHEA
The current UNICAM PhD Regulations refer to the applicable European framework for Doctor Europaeus. The four operational requirements reported on this page were acknowledged by the S.A.S. Council in November 2023. The list of participating European Higher Education Area countries is maintained by the EHEA/BFUG.
INTERESTED IN DOCTOR EUROPAEUS?
Contact us before the final procedure begins
Discuss the pathway with your Supervisor and Programme Coordinator. Contact the Advanced Studies Office before external reviewers or final examination committee members are formally proposed so that the applicable requirements and documentation can be checked in advance.
Write to dottorato@unicam.it → Advanced Studies Office contacts →