Selection process for PhD Candidates – Doctoral Studies (Phd) Program

Article 3 – Right to submit an application

Those who meet the following requirements have the right to apply for a PhD Programme in the Greek language or for the Doctorate Programme in English (DPE):

1) They hold a Bachelor’s Degree from a higher education institution in Greece or a recognized institution of higher education abroad.

2) They hold a Degree of Postgraduate Studies of a higher education institution of the domestic or recognized as equivalent in foreign countries or an Integrated Master (Article 78 of Law 4957/2022) or a diploma of corresponding or related departments of five years of study.

3) They hold a certification of good knowledge of at least one foreign language at level B2, specifically for the foreign language programme of study in English. The language certification is also effective when holding a foreign language undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

Article 4. Selection procedure for candidates

1. An open call for doctoral candidates shall be made once every academic year, during the months of June-September or whenever the Assembly of the Department deems it appropriate. The notices for doctoral candidates shall be posted on the Department’s website.

The notice shall specify:

α) the deadline for the submission of applications.

b) The fields in which candidates may apply for a doctoral thesis and the number of applicants per field. Where the field of study is arts research, this must be clearly stated.

The application form should indicate:

1) The proposed title of the doctoral thesis,

2) The proposed language of the doctoral thesis,

3) The proposed supervisor of the dissertation.

The application must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:

1) A detailed curriculum vitae of the candidate,

2) A detailed curriculum vitae of the applicant’s academic record,

3) Detailed proposal of the doctoral thesis to be written,

4) Candidates’ publications, if any

5) In the case of artistic research, a detailed portfolio of artistic activity.

6) At least one letter of recommendation.

In order to apply for a PhD in the DPE, applicants need to have a sufficient knowledge of the English language, as evidenced by a certificate of English language proficiency of at least B2 level. Any additional language certification will be positively assessed. A certificate of English language proficiency is not required if their degrees were obtained abroad.

2. The Assembly of the Department, after taking into account the applications submitted, categorizes them according to the relevance of the research field and appoints three-member committees per category of applications, consisting of faculty members of the Department. The committees will examine all the documents submitted with the application and invite the applicant for an interview. The committees shall then draw up a detailed memorandum setting out the reasons why each candidate does or does not meet the conditions for admission and submit it to the assembly. If the candidate does not propose a supervisor in their application, the relevant committee shall propose a suitable supervisor and submit it to the Assembly for approval.

The Departmental Assembly shall take into account the committee’s memorandum and the opinion of the proposed supervisor and shall approve or reject the candidate’s application, stating its reasons. The approval decision shall also specify the language in which the doctoral thesis is to be written. The same decision may lay down conditions such as the parallel attendance of courses, obligations related to scientific research, etc.

Change of title or language

A change in the title of the doctoral thesis or in the language of the thesis may be made at the request of the candidate and on the basis of a well-founded recommendation of the Tripartite Advisory Committee and approval by the Departmental Assembly.

3. In all the above stages of the selection procedure of the applications for PhD candidancy, the following criteria are taken into account:

– The general degree grade and master’s degree grade and in particular the performance in undergraduate and postgraduate diploma project and thesis.

– Postgraduate degrees or Postgraduate Diplomas in addition to the required minimum by law.

– The candidate’s previous research or other academic or professional activity on subjects related to the proposed PhD thesis, and any scientific publications and conference presentations.

– Letters of recommendation and documented knowledge of foreign languages.

-The artistic portfolio and artistic activity in general in the case of art research PhD.

– The clarity, originality and excellence of the proposed topic and the methodology of its undertaking, as formulated in the PhD thesis proposal.

Article 5. Supervision of Doctoral Thesis

1. The right to supervise doctoral theses shall be granted to:

a) members of the Teaching and Research Staff (DEP) of every level of the Department of the HEI,

b) Faculty members of any of the Departments of the same or another higher education institution,

c) Emeritus Professors and retired members of the faculty,

(d) members of teaching and research staff in Higher Military Educational Institutions and Higher Ecclesiastical Academies,

e) researchers of any rank serving in research and technological institutions of the Article 13A of Law 4310/2014 (A’ 258), including the Academy of Athens and the Medical and Biological Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, as well as the scientific staff of the Hellenic Geological and Mineral Research Authority (E.A.G.M.E.) of article 25 of Law 4602/2019 (A’ 45), provided that they have a doctoral degree and research activity related to the subject of the doctoral thesis,

f) professors of foreign institutions and researchers of foreign research organisations.

Specifically:

The supervising professor needs to have a relevant field of knowledge and scientific relevance to the field of the supervised thesis. They must also have at least two (2) publications in peer-reviewed journals or one publication in a peer-reviewed journal and one edited volume chapter or one publication in conference proceedings with a scientific committee, all in a related scientific field to the doctoral thesis.

For arts research doctorates, the supervising faculty members need to have a related field of knowledge and artistic research relevance to the doctoral thesis to be undertaken. They must also have at least two (2) publications in peer-reviewed journals or one publication in a peer-reviewed journal and one edited volume chapter or one publication in conference proceedings with a scientific committee, all in a related scientific field to the doctoral thesis.

Each faculty member may supervise a total of five (5) doctoral dissertations, either with supervision or co-supervision. In the case of co-supervision, a Special Cooperation Protocol shall be drawn up. Professors who are doctoral candidates in the same or another Department may not be supervisors or members of the three-member supervisory committee.

2. Three-member Advisory Committee

The Departmental Assembly assigns the proposed supervisor to supervise the doctoral thesis and appoints a three-member Advisory Committee, which has the responsibility to frame and support the preparation and writing of the thesis. The members of the three-member advisory committee need to have either the same or related field, or the same or related scientific ouvre or artistic research in the case of a doctorate in artistic research with the doctoral thesis to be carried out.

Members of the three-member Advisory Committee

By decision of the Assembly of the Department of Higher Educational Institution (HEI), the three-member advisory committee is appointed, including the supervisor. The advisory committee may include as members:

a) members of the Teaching and Research Staff (DEP) of every level of the Department of the HEI,

b) Faculty members of any of the Departments of the same or another higher education institution,

c) Emeritus Professors and retired members of the faculty,

(d) members of teaching and research staff in Higher Military Educational Institutions and Higher Ecclesiastical Academies,

f) professors of foreign institutions and researchers of foreign research organisations.

In particular:

Supervising faculty members of doctoral students need to have a relevant subject and scientific relevance to the field of the supervised thesis. They must also have at least two publications in peer-reviewed journals or one publication in a peer-reviewed journal and one edited volume chapter or one publication in conference proceedings with a scientific committee, all in a scientific field related to the doctoral thesis to be undertaken.

For art research PhDs, the supervising faculty members need to have a relevant discipline and artistic research relevance to the PhD thesis to be undertaken. They also need to have at least two publications in peer-reviewed journals or one publication in a peer-reviewed journal and one edited volume chapter or one publication in conference proceedings with a scientific committee, all in a related scientific field to the doctoral dissertation to be undertaken.

The scientific and artistic relevance is accepted by the Assembly of the Department on the recommendation of the faculty member, at the same time as the faculty member submits proposals for dissertation subjects to be included in the call.

Each faculty member may supervise a total of five (5) doctoral dissertations, either supervised or co-supervised. In the case of co-supervision, a Special Cooperation Protocol shall be drawn up. Professors who are doctoral candidates in the same or another Department may not be supervisors or members of the three-member supervisory committee.

3. Supervisor replacement

If one of the members of the three-member advisory committee, including the supervisor, is absent or unable to fulfil their duties, at the request of the supervisor or the doctoral candidate, a replacement may be appointed by decision of the Departmental Assembly until the completion of the doctoral thesis. The replacement may be one of the other two (2) members of the three-member advisory committee, even in excess of the maximum number of doctoral candidates that may be supervised by each supervisor, as defined in these Regulations.

If the original supervisor moves to another HEI or Department of HEI or retires, they shall continue to act as supervisor of the doctoral theses they have undertaken and the title shall be awarded by the HEI to which the Department where the thesis was initiated belongs.

4. Disclosure of admissions

After the appointment of the Advisory Committee by the Departmental Assembly, the names of the doctoral candidates and the members of the Advisory Committee and the title of the doctoral thesis to be prepared are posted on the Department’s website.

Article 6. Preparation of a doctoral thesis with co-supervision

For the preparation of doctoral theses with co-supervision, the Department may collaborate with Departments of higher education, as well as with research centres and institutes of article 13A of Law 4310/2014, including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Institute of Medical Biological Research of the Academy of Athens.

A Special Cooperation Protocol (S.C.P.) is drawn up between the collaborating departments, which defines the procedure for the selection of candidates, the preparation of the thesis, as well as the granting of a unilateral or separate title, etc.

The Department has also the possibility of collaborating with peer-recognised institutions or research centres and institutes abroad for the preparation of a doctoral thesis with co-supervision. The procedure for the preparation, granting of a unilateral or separate title, etc., is provided for in the relevant Special Cooperation Protocol (S.C.P.), which is drawn up in accordance with the relevant decision of the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports published in the Government Gazette.

Article 7 Industrial doctorates

1. Candidates who meet the requirements for enrolment in doctoral programmes according to article 92 of Law No. 4957/2022 may apply for the preparation of a doctoral thesis in cooperation with an enterprise or industry, which is domiciled or has a branch in the country, which concerns the conduct of industrial or applied research in order to extract research results for the production of innovative products or services.

2. The collaborating enterprise or industry shall nominate one (1) representative with experience and knowledge relevant to the subject of the doctoral thesis, who shall be responsible for guiding the doctoral candidate. The representative of the enterprise or industry may participate, without the right to vote, in the meetings of the three-member advisory committee and the seven-member examination committee, expressing his/her views.

3. A cooperation protocol between the Higher Educational Institution (HEI), the cooperating enterprise or industry and the doctoral candidate, which is approved by the Senate of the HEI, upon recommendation of the Department, defines the specific terms of cooperation for the preparation of the doctoral thesis in the enterprise or industry and the export of the research results, the use of the infrastructure of the equipment of the HEI, if the research is carried out within the university, the obligations and rights of each party, including the definition of intellectual property rights on the work carried out during the doctoral thesis.

4. During the course of the doctoral thesis, the doctoral candidate may carry out, in whole or in part, his/her research activity on the premises of the enterprise or industry, with the agreement of the three-member advisory committee, provided that the support and guidance of the supervisor are ensured and the provisions of the by-laws of the HEI and the home Regulations of the Doctorate Programme are applied.

5. Doctoral candidates hereunder shall have all rights and obligations, including the submission of progress reports, provided for by the by-laws of the HEI and the Regulations of the Doctorate Programme.

6. Companies or industries located or having a branch in the country may finance, in part or in whole, the preparation of an industrial doctorate. The financial management of the funding is carried out through the Special Account for Research Funds (ELKE in Greek) of the HEI. The Scientific Coordinator of the project/programme is defined in the cooperation protocol of par. 3 of this article.

7. Doctoral candidates working on industrial doctorates, during their studies, are insured for benefits in kind and in cash in the Electronic National Social Security Institution (e-EFKA), unless they are also insured, directly or indirectly, for health care in a health insurance institution. The obligation to pay insurance contributions of the insured person and the employer, calculated on the minimum wage, shall be borne by the collaborating enterprise or industry, unless the doctoral thesis is financed through the enterprise or industry for the execution of a project/programme through the Special Account for Research Funding (ELKE), in which case the insurance contributions may be charged to the budget of the funded project/programme of the ELKE.

8. The preparation of an industrial doctorate under this Article may be financed from the resources of the Recovery and Resilience Fund and enterprises or industries, which are based or operate a branch in the country.

9. By joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy and Finance and Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, specific issues regarding the preparation of industrial doctorates funded by the Recovery and Resilience Fund shall be determined.

10. Companies or industries established or having a branch in the country may finance, in part or in full, the preparation of an industrial doctorate. The financial management of the funding shall be carried out through the Special Account for Research Funding of the HEI.

Article 8. Preparation procedure

Each year the Doctorate Candidate presents orally before the Tripartite Advisory Committee and submits a detailed written memorandum on the progress of his/her doctoral thesis. A copy of the memorandum as well as comments on it by the supervisor or the three-member committee and progress reports are entered in the candidate’s individual file and are submitted to the Departmental Assembly for approval. Failure to submit a progress report is equivalent to a negative recommendation.

Article 9. Duration of the preparation of the Doctoral Thesis

The duration for the acquisition of the PhD is at least three (3) full calendar years from the date of appointment of the three-member advisory committee. The Doctoral Candidates (DCs)s are required to submit the PhD thesis for evaluation within six (6) full calendar years from the date of appointment of the Tripartite Advisory Committee. This period may be extended for one (1) year up to a total of five (5) additional years at the request of the DC, upon a justified recommendation of the Tripartite Advisory Committee and a decision of the Assembly of the Department. The maximum period of enrolement in the Doctoral Studies Programme is therefore ten (10) years. DCs have the right to request a break in studies for a maximum of two (2) consecutive years or less, which do not count towards the maximum length of stay. During the period of suspension, the status of the DC and the rights deriving therefrom shall be withdrawn.

Article 10. Rights/benefits and obligations of doctoral candidates (DCs)

Rights/benefits

Doctoral studies shall be offered free of charge. DCs shall have for up to five (5) full academic years from their first registration, all the rights and benefits provided for second cycle students. These include, but are not limited to: technological support, awards, scholarships from the institution’s resources for the achievement of academic goals or the provision of ancillary work, funding for publications and conferences, student care and support, representation in collegiate bodies, etc.

Retain the rights to access, borrow and use the electronic services of the university libraries for up to five (5) years after the award date of the doctoral degree.

Obligations

The DC each academic year

1. presents orally and is obliged to submit a detailed written memorandum before the Tripartite Advisory Committee on the progress of the doctoral thesis. The approval of the detailed memorandum by the Assembly constitutes renewal of his/her registration. A copy of the memorandum, as well as comments on it by the Supervising Professor or the Tripartite Advisory Committee and progress reports are placed in the candidate’s individual file.

2. provides teaching assistant work according to the needs of the first and second cycle Programmes of the Department, as indicated by the supervisor, as well as auxiliary administrative work in the Department e.g. supervision of exams.

3. is expected to attend the doctoral curriculum, including organized presentations and research activities in the Department. The DC is expected to actively and passively participate in conferences and publish on his/her work. In the case of artistic research, to also participate in art events and periodically present new artworks in his/her field to illustrate artistic development and the relationship between research and artistic work, as well as publish writing about the project and the research under development.

Finally, DSs are required to successfully complete the compulsory and elective educational and research activities corresponding to one hundred and eighty (180) ECTS as stipulated in Article 2.

Article 11. Evaluation of Doctoral Thesis

After the completion of the writing of the doctoral thesis, the three-member Advisory Committee accepts or rejects the application of the DC for the public oral examination and its evaluation after checking the compliance with the above conditions. If the three-member Advisory Committee accepts the application of the DC, it prepares a detailed report and submits it to the Departmental Assembly requesting the appointment of a seven-member Examination Committee for the evaluation of the doctoral thesis.

The members of the seven-member Examination Committee are the members of the three-member Advisory Committee, except for the retired members, who are replaced by an equal number of members by decision of the Departmental Assembly, as well as four additional members who meet the criteria of par. 2, of article 94 of Law 4957/2022. At least four (4) of the seven (7) members of the examination committee are members of the teaching and research staff of the Higher Educational Institution (HEI) in which the doctoral thesis is carried out.

The DC must send a hard copy or an electronic version of the doctoral thesis to the members of the seven-member Examination Committee (by arrangement) at least thirty (30) days before the date of its support.

The doctoral dissertation (DD) is publicly defended by the DC before the seven-member Examination Committee and an audience which is present without the right to intervene in the proceedings. The oral support in the case of artistic research needs to be accompanied by a simultaneous or earlier presentation/exhibition/transmission of the artistic works of the research of the DC. The meeting for the public oral examination of the DC may also be held by means of videoconferencing if it is not possible for all members of the Examination Committee to be physically present, in accordance with the legislation in force.

The Examination Committee then meets without the presence of third parties, judges the thesis in terms of quality, completeness, originality of thought and contribution to science and art and, on the basis of these criteria, approves it by a majority of at least five (5) of its members. The retired members of the three-member Advisory Committee, who have been replaced in accordance with article 5 of these Regulations, may attend the meeting without the right to vote.

The public presentation by the DC shall not exceed one (1) hour. Upon completion of the presentation and any questions raised, the DC shall leave the meeting.

The seven-member Examination Committee will then draw up a report and judge the thesis in terms of its quality, completeness, originality and contribution to the advancement of science and art.

The approved doctoral thesis shall be evaluated on the following scale:

– Excellent

– Very Good

– Good

It is possible, following a decision of the Committee, to award the Doctoral Degree with the mention “Excellent with distinction” for the outstanding quality of the doctoral thesis.

After the approval of the doctoral thesis, the doctoral candidate must submit the doctoral thesis and its abstract in Greek/English as follows:

– Hard and digital copies to the National Documentation Centre

– Digital version for the library of the University of Western Macedonia.

Article 12. Appointment of Doctors

On the date of approval of the DD by the seven-member Examination Committee, the status of doctoral candidate is acquired. The conferral by the Assembly of the Department has a certifying character.

The proclamation of the doctorate is made at a Departmental Assembly in the presence of the Dean of the School.

Article 13. Reasons for removal form the registry

The Assembly of the Department may decide to remove a doctoral candidate after:

– a request for de-registration by the DC

– a justified recommendation of the supervisor or the Advisory Committee when:

– Progress is deemed inadequate (In particular, inadequate progress of the DC is documented by at least two (2) negative Progress Reports).

Article 14. Transitional Provisions

Matters not provided for by Law 4957/2022 and not directly defined by these Regulations for Doctoral Studies shall be resolved by the Assembly of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts of the University of Western Macedonia.

The Assembly has the right to modify the operation of the Regulations for Doctoral Studies in any case deemed necessary to ensure the quality of the (Foreign Language) Doctoral Studies Programme.

Those who were admitted to the Doctoral Studies Programme (DSP) under the regulation described in Government Gazette 6652/B’/31.12.2021, may be examined under the new regulation, provided that they attend additional hours for the courses Methodology I and/or II corresponding to 2ECTS. The certificate of attendance will be certified by the respective professors.

APPENDIX I

APPENDIX II