- The doctoral student is informed in writing by the secretariat of the Doctoral College of the date of his thesis defense.
- The thesis defense shall take place two months at least after submitting the thesis to the secretariat of the Doctoral College.
- The thesis defense is public, unless otherwise exceptionally stated by the President.
- An announcement for the thesis defense is issued by the secretariat of the Doctoral College and posted in the different academic units, ten days at least prior to the date of the defense.
- The thesis defense, as well as the deliberation, cannot take place unless all the jury members are present. The deliberation is held behind closed doors.
- Following the deliberation, the jury members shall fill and sign the record of thesis defense. The President of the jury writes the minutes of the thesis defense co-signed by all the jury members who attended the defense.
A duplicate of these minutes is attached to the diploma. The minutes shall indicate the grade obtained by the student, as well as the distinction in accordance with the following scale:
- Grade: 85 / Distinction: Honorable (or “cum laude”)
- Grade: 90 / Distinction: Highly honorable (or “magna cum laude”)
- Grade: 95 / Distinction: Highly honorable with praise (or "summa cum laude")
- Grade: 100 / Distinction: Highly honorable with praise and recommendation for publication
For the distinctions “Highly honorable with praise” or “Highly honorable with praise and recommendation for publication”, the unanimity of the jury members is required.