Cotutelle Agreements

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Definitions

• Jointly Supervised PhD under a Cotutelle Agreement - A cotutelle is a binational collaboration established by means of a legally binding bilateral agreement, signed by two universities located in two different countries, for a specific doctoral candidate. It is aimed at the award of a double PhD degree, once the terms of the executed cotutelle agreement are completed and the doctoral dissertation is defended successfully.
• Home institution - institution where the doctoral candidate applied and was admitted.
• Cosignatory/Host institution - where the candidate will do a part of their research and where the thesis co-supervisor teaches.

Applicable legislation

• UPorto Regulations for Jointly Supervised PhDs (Cotutelle Agreements) defines the framework for their implementation at the University and the rules for their completion. See the regulations (only in Portuguese).

Mandatory Terms

• The doctoral programmes must be considered by both institutions as equivalent/comparable, to be approved by the competent Scientific Boards.
• Confirmation of the doctoral candidate’s registration/enrolment at the home institution.
• The doctoral candidate is required to have two co-supervisors, one from each university. The co-supervisors must sign a formal agreement for each student defining the exact terms of the joint supervision (cotutelle agreement).
• The candidate must accomplish courses, research and activities at each of the institutions.
• A minimum of one academic year must be spent at the University of Porto (with at least nine months of physical presence), which can be two consecutive or alternating semesters. This period must begin after the agreement has been signed and cannot be completed through accreditation (i.e., mutual recognition).
  

Procedures

• The doctoral candidate expresses interest to their supervisor in completing a jointly supervised PhD.
• The supervisor and doctoral candidate decide on the work to be done at the partner university, and the timetable for completing it, making the necessary contacts to implement the agreement.
• Once the co-supervisor from the partner university agrees, the doctoral programme is considered to meet all requirements per the Joint Supervision Regulations of the University of Porto.
  

Joint supervision agreement

• According to the U.Porto Regulations, the joint supervision programme is only implemented after all parties reach an agreement.

• This agreement is written in Portuguese and/or English, as applicable, or in a commonly agreed language (such as, for example, French and Spanish).
• The candidate is required to renew their enrolment/registration every year at both the home and partner universities.
  

• In Portuguese (January 2023)
• In English (January 2023)

Thesis Defence (Viva Voce) and Examination Committee/Board (Jury)

• The doctoral thesis will be publicly defended at the university agreed upon by all the parties.
• The rules for thesis defences, including committee selection, are defined in the joint supervision agreement and according to the terms of the policies and rules in force at the university where the defence takes place, but with the agreement of the partner university.
  

Diploma

• The PhD is awarded by both institutions in the doctoral programme upon the successful public defence of the thesis (viva voce).
• Each institution issues a separate diploma certifying the degree awarded according to its own regulations. Each institution should include mention of the other institution as the partner in the jointly supervised PhD.

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