PhD - Defence

With the positive assessment of the doctoral thesis and when all demands of the curriculum have been met, the registration for the public defence is possible.

The public defence consists of a presentation of the central findings followed by a general discussion about the research subject with the exam comittee. Regarding questions about the exact procedure of the defence, please talk to the exam comittee and the respective Director of the Doctoral Study Programme (DSPL). The defence is open to the public and will be announced on the faculty website and via mass mailings.

The examination committee is assembled by the Director of the Doctoral Study Programme (DSPL). It consists of at least three people: 2 examiners and 1 chair who will be assigned by the DSPL. Exam and supervision of the thesis should be spearated, therefore the supervisor is not part of the exam comittee. Normally, both external reviewers act as examiners at the defence, one of them MUST be examiner in any case.

At the end of the presentation, each member of the committee gives a grade for the whole examination (1-5). If a majority decision can be reached, meaning that the majority of the members of the committee agree on the same grade, this decision equals the grade (e.g. 1,1,2 -> majority decision is 1 = “very good”). If all members give a different grade, then the mean average is calculated (e.g. 1,3,5 -> mean average 1+3+5=9 divided by 3= 3). The assessment of the defence is a numeric grade.

Organisation of the defence

  • Contact the the respective study program director (DSPL) who will determine the examination committee. You can then coordinate the apointment with the examiners. If you need support with the coordination, please refer to the administrative office of your supervisor.
    The defensio should preferably take place on site (travel allowance max. 700 EURO for both reviewers/examiners together - see information sheet on travel expenses of the Buero Studienpraeses) but can also be held online.
  • Submit of the registration (download form) 2 weeks before the planned date at the latest via ssc.wiwi@univie.ac.at
  • Annual progress reports (in case they have not been submitted yet) as well as a list of the completed courses to be used for graduation (according to the curriculum) are to be submitted together with the registration form. This will be checked by the SSC.
  • Upon approval by the DSPL, the official invitation is sent out to the exam comittee, candidate and supervisor as well as to the faculty.