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Double degrees and Joint degrees

Here you will find information about the possibilities for cooperation agreements with foreign universities in the PhD program, so-called joint and double degrees.

Section 22(3) of the PhD Ministerial Order provides the opportunity to enter into cooperation agreements on joint or double degrees with foreign universities in PhD programs.

In connection with the institute’s considerations regarding the initiation of a cooperation agreement with a foreign university regarding PhD programs, the individual PhD school's secretariat must be contacted regarding clarifications of formal requirements. In this respect, the institute should specifically consider/clarify the following:

1.      Whether it should be a joint or double degree (one or two documents)

2.      Which institution should be the primary enrolment institution (read more about this below)

3.      How long the enrolment period must be (if a four year course or more is desired, the primary enrolment institute must be the foreign one, and thus it must be possible according to the foreign institution's national rules)

4.      Agreement on assessments, defence and PhD certificate (including the composition of the assessment committee, possible pre-defence, etc.)

 

Agreements on binding cooperation on PhD education with foreign institutions - double/joint degrees

The PhD school at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences can issue joint and double PhD degrees to PhD students who have acquired qualifications, which can be equated with a Danish PhD program if mutually binding cooperation has been entered into with a foreign institute for PhD education, including study stays, assessment, defence, issue of degree, etc. according to Ministerial Order s 15(3) and 23(3)-(5). This applies both to where the PhD school at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences is the main institution and the PhD student completes study stays at the cooperating institution and in cases where the foreign collaborating institution is the main institution and the PhD student completes a study stay at the University of Southern Denmark.

 

General information

For PhD students who have SDU as the main institution, a mutually binding cooperation agreement on PhD education with a foreign institution can be concluded, including on assessment, defence, degree issue, etc. which means that the PhD student will receive one joint PhD certificate (joint degree) or two PhD certificates (double degree). The PhD student must complete the PhD program according to the Danish Ministerial Order on PhD studies, and should there be need for deviations on key points of the order, for example the course requirement in s 7(2)[2] or the PhD program's standard in s 4, an exemption can be applied for through the Ministry. The cooperation agreement must be concluded no later than 6 months after the start of the program (when it concerns joint degrees, it is recommended that the agreement is preferably concluded from the very beginning of enrolment, since this is a parallel course between the Danish Ministerial Order on PhD studies and the foreign law in the area of PhD studies. The agreement concerns, among other things, teaching from the foreign institution, duration of stay at the foreign institution, agreement on assessment and defence, and the issue of the PhD certificate. The standard form is available above.
For PhD students who have primary enrolment at a foreign institution, a mutually binding cooperation agreement on PhD education, including assessment defence, degree issuance, etc. may be concluded, meaning that the PhD student will receive one PhD certificate (joint degree), or two PhD certificates (double degree). In principle, the PhD student must complete the PhD program in accordance with the guidelines and rules that apply to the foreign institution, which may possibly be supplemented with additional requirements from the PhD at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, SDU. The student must, at a minimum, complete a study stay at the PhD school at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences for a duration of six months, having a supervisor from SDU, pass the course of the faculty with sound scientific practice, and the total education course must be deemed by the PhD school to be equivalent to a Danish PhD program. The cooperation agreement must be concluded no later than six months after the start of the program (when it comes to joint degrees, it is recommended that the agreement be concluded as early in the course as possible). The agreement concerns, among other things, teaching from the foreign institution, duration of stay at the foreign institution, agreement on finances, organisation of assessment and defence, and the issue of the PhD certificate. The standard form can be found above.

The following conditions regarding the assessment committee, defence, and PhD certificate apply to all PhD students who complete a PhD program in binding collaboration between the PhD school at the faculty of Business and Social Sciences and a foreign institution. In the cooperation agreement between the PhD school, the foreign institution, and the PhD student, it must be stated how the procedure for completing the PhD program will be organised - including the composition of the assessment committee (according to the Ministerial Order s 26(1), when the preliminary assessment must be available (according to s 26(2), and when the defence must take place (according to s 29(3)). The cooperation agreement must also state whether the thesis must be defended by a joint defence, or whether two defences are to be held before the PhD student is awarded the PhD degree from the cooperating foreign institution (according to Ministerial Order s 15 (3) and 26). It must be agreed whether the PhD student is awarded a joint degree (according to s 23 (3) and (4)), or is awarded a diploma from each of the institutions (double degree, according to s 23(5)).

Last Updated 15.03.2024