Trial lecture and public defence

Trial lecture 

The trial lecture will normally be arranged at the same day as the public defence. The topic of the trial lecture will be announced to you and made public 10 working days before the lecture. The assessment committee determines the topic of the trial lecture, and the topic cannot be in direct conjunction with the topic of the thesis. The purpose is to test the candidate’s ability to acquire knowledge beyond the topic of the doctoral thesis and to convey this knowledge in a lecture situation. A trial lecture is held in the language used in the written thesis. The assessment committee decides whether the trial lecture has passed or not passed. 

Public defence 

Once a trial lecture is approved, the public defence will be held. The public defence is a public disputation of the thesis. The external members of the assessment committee will be appointed as opponents,  and the committee itself decides who should be the first opponent and who should be the second opponent. The public defence is chaired by the dean or a deputy appointed by the dean.

The chair of the defence will give a brief explanation of the procedures relating to the submission and evaluation of the doctoral thesis and the trial lecture. Then the candidate will explain the purpose and findings of the doctoral research project. The first opponent begins the questioning of the PhD candidate. After a short break will the second opponent continue the questioning. The audience will have the opportunity to comment (“ex. auditorio”) and this will take place between the opponents or after the opponents have finished their questioning. One of the opponents concludes the questioning, and the chair ends the public defence.  

The timeframe for the trial lecture and the public defence will vary between the PhD-programmes. Please contact the PhD coordinator for your PhD programme for more details. 

The time and venue for the public defence will be published no later than 10 working days before it is held , and within two months following the approval of the thesis for public defence.