PhD Programmes UAB is internationally renowned for its quality and innovation in research.
Choose your future, choose UAB.

Cotutelle (International joint supervision)

In this type of PhD programme, the thesis is produced between the UAB and one or more foreign universities (or foreign higher education centres that award doctoral degrees), with a supervisor in each, and a minimum of six months’ stay in each centre. At the end, with a single thesis and a single act of defence, you will obtain the degree of PhD at each university participating in the agreement.

You will have to enrol in all the signatory institutions and comply with their requirements and regulations for all aspects of the PhD, including fees, progress reviews, deposit and defence of the thesis, in the same way as the rest of the students at that institution.

The co-supervision modality must be authorised by the Standing Committee of the School for Doctoral Studies, and the universities will have to sign an agreement regulating the specificities of each case. Co-supervision agreements can be signed with universities from all over the world, without the need for the UAB to have a prior framework agreement with them.

 

- Physical stay at each university*

Minimum stay of six months at each university, which can be divided over the entire duration of the doctoral programme.

At the time of deposit, you must include in the activity document a certificate confirming your stay at each institution, signed by the corresponding supervisor:

  • 62 Co-supervision: Research stay at public or private foreign universities,
  • 63 Co-supervision: Research stay at the UAB.

*Before starting your research stay, you must complete and comply with any special procedures or requirements that may be required by the INSS (National Social Security Institute) in order to benefit from healthcare coverage abroad. You can consult this information on travel abroad for recommendations from the Ministry.

- Thesis supervisors

You must have at least one supervisor at each university. The supervisors from the other universities will also have to be registered in your academic record, they will have to sign the documents that are necessary during the studies, and, in due course, validate the activities and the deposit of the thesis.

- Registration and fees

At the UAB you will have to pay the registration fee for all academic years, as well as the fees for issuing the degree at the end of the doctoral programme, and any costs that may arise from the studies and procedures (insurance, certificates, etc.) You will also have to pay costs at the other universities, where applicable, according to their regulations. Defence fees are only paid at the university where the session is held. You can check the prices here.

- Conditions and regulations

The same conditions and regulations must be satisfied as for the rest of the UAB students:

In the event that there are higher-ranking regulations applicable to the UAB that govern co-supervision, the agreements could be affected by them, such as aspects of awarding degrees, composition of the panel, etc.

- International doctoral research component

If you opt for co-supervision of your thesis you are recommended to also opt for the international doctoral research component. In relation to the three-month stay to obtain this component:

  • The thesis supervisors cannot be responsible for the stay.
  • The stay must be carried out in an institution other than the co-supervising universities.
  • The stay can be done in the same country as the co-supervision or in another.

 

Procedure

 

 

Extra information