General information

You must upload the title page in Hora Finita at least 2 months before your PhD ceremony. The templates below can be used to desing your title page. After your title page has been approved by the PhD degree registration office, you can include the title page in the final version of your manuscript.

Please note

Wait to print your dissertation until the title page has been approved. So, upload your title page on time.

Templates of dissertation title page

You can download the title page template as a PDF:

• PhD degree
• Double PhD degree
• Joint Doctoral

Printed version

The printed version of your thesis (2 copies plus 2 copies of their propositions) can be

• handed in at the Service desk of the University Library (Broerstraat 4), or

• sent to our postal address:
  
  University of Groningen Library
  Dissertations department
  Postbus 559
  9700 AN Groningen

Electronic version

The electronic versions of the thesis and the propositions must be submitted via Hora Finita .

As of July 10, 2020, the University of Groningen Library (UB) does not assign ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) to PhD theses anymore. Article 4.6.2 of the PhD Regulations of the University of Groningen, which obliges PhD students to request two ISBNs for their dissertation, is hereby cancelled. It is also no longer necessary to mention the ISBNs on the back of the title page (as stated in Appendix 2, Article 4.6 of the PhD Regulations).

Nowadays, a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is more important for the findability of the thesis. After submission via Hora Finita, all dissertations are awarded a DOI by the UB. The PhD student does not have to be apply for the DOI.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact dissertations rug.nl.

Under the terms of the PhD regulations, PhD students are obliged to submit an electronic version of their thesis to the University of Groningen Library through Hora Finita . PhD students must sign the licence agreement provided by Hora Finita, consenting to the non-exclusive publication of the thesis through the University of Groningen Repository (see appendix 8 of the PhD regulations ). They do, however, retain copyright, giving them the right to choose the printer or publisher if a commercial edition of the thesis is published.

If a PhD student has complete control of the entire thesis, he/she can sign the licence agreement without exceptions.

If a PhD student does not have complete control of the entire thesis, he/she can sign the licence agreement, indicating one or more of the following exceptions.

1. The thesis contains material over which third parties have control.
   PhD students must ensure that they have permission from the party with control over the material to publish the thesis through the University of Groningen Repository. In the case of exception 1, the PhD student must state the chapter (or chapters) this applies to in the licence agreement.

1. The PhD thesis contains material in one or more chapters which has been submitted to a publisher but has not yet been accepted for publication, or material that will be submitted for publication within 12 months.
   In the case of exception 2, the PhD student must state the chapter (or chapters) this applies to in the licence agreement, so that the Library can place the relevant chapters under embargo for 1 year. If the embargo needs to be extended during the course of that year, the PhD student can submit a request through the University of Groningen Library ; see exception 4 below.

1. The PhD thesis contains material in one or more chapters which has been published or accepted for publication by a publisher.
   The PhD student must check whether the publisher gives permission for the material to be published through the University of Groningen Repository. More information relating to journal articles (particularly in English) is available on the Open Policy Finder website.
   In the case of exception 3, if the material may not be published online the PhD student must state the chapter (or chapters) this applies to in the licence agreement. The Library will then place the relevant chapters under embargo for 1 year. If the embargo needs to be extended, the PhD student can submit a request through Hora Finita; see exception 4 below.

1. The PhD thesis contains material in one or more chapters which has been published or accepted for publication by a publisher and which requires an embargo lasting longer than 1 year.
   The PhD student must submit a substantiated request to the Rector Magnificus through Hora Finita, asking him/her to set a reasonable embargo period exceeding 1 year. See exception 4 of the licence agreement.

Questions about the licence agreement

• University of Groningen Library
• Copyright information point, University of Groningen

Below you find a document with a summary of the protocol.

Protocol for the PhD ceremony

The PhD Regulations University of Groningen incorporate a number of statutory provisions conform the Higher Education and Research Act (in Dutch: WHW), and a number of conditions laid down by the PhD Board of the University of Groningen. Among other things, the PhD Regulations stipulate who will be allowed admission to the PhD programme and how the supervisors and co-supervisors are appointed, how the thesis shall come into being, and how the Assessment and PhD examining committee shall be composed.

The PhD regulations take effect as of 1 September, 2018 and replace the old regulations.

The most salient changes in comparison with the old PhD regulations are that:

• from now each PhD must be supervised by at least two formal supervisors, namely two full professors (promotores) or one full professor (promotor) and one co-supervisor (copromotor)
• the Graduate School Admissions Committee will make decisions regarding the admission of prospective students to a PhD programme
• a training and supervision plan must be drawn up by the PhD student and the supervisors before the PhD programme begins
• the PhD student will take an academic pledge at the PhD ceremony
• the PhD student will no longer be awarded a PhD degree by the Faculty, but by the University
• the PhD procedure is organised through a digital workflow (the application Hora Finita, information can be obtained from the Graduate Schools)
• the PhD student must deliver an electronic version of the thesis and the propositions
• the PhD student must submit his data with accompanying explanatory notes .

In the menu on the left you can find information about the PhD procedure, a description of the protocol during the PhD ceremony and a list of useful addresses.

The times of PhD ceremonies are as follows:

• 9.00 p.m.
• 11.00 a.m.
• 12.45 p.m.
• 2.30 p.m.
• 4.15 p.m.

As of now, you can reserve a date for a defense in Hora Finita by yourself. As soon as you have uploaded your thesis in Hora Finita, and your assessment committee have been intalled and invited, you will receive an email indicating that you can reserve your own defense date in Hora Finita.

More information: Instruction manual reservation defense date in Hora Finita

You can use the Promotion Request Form at My University to tell the Facilities Management Department if you would like to hold a reception after your ceremony. It is wise to reserve one of the reception rooms six weeks before your promotion date.

Attending the PhD defence ceremony

• The defence ceremony is open to the public.
• The defence ceremony will be held in the Aula, which has room to seat 320 people. Thirty seats will be reserved for the PhD candidate’s family. If this will not be enough, please contact the Porters’ Office. If it is not possible to hold the defence ceremony in the Aula, then it will be held in the Senate Room where there are 100 seats.
• Children under the age of 6 are not permitted to attend the defence ceremony.
• The Academiegebouw has a lift and wheelchair access through the side entrance.
• There is a supervised cloakroom.
• Parking near the Academiegebouw: One parking space will be reserved for the PhD candidate. There are several car parks within walking distance.

Taping and photography facilities

• During the actual defence part of the ceremony, no photographs may be taken.

Dress code

It would be appreciated if your clothing reflects the value attached by the University to the defence ceremony.

Reception

At the end of the defence ceremony the Beadle, one of the Porters, will lead you to the reception room or to the exit if the reception is being held elsewhere.

The PhD Regulations University of Groningen incorporate a number of statutory provisions conform the Higher Education and Research Act (in Dutch: WHW), and a number of conditions laid down by the PhD Board of the University of Groningen. Among other things, the PhD Regulations stipulate who will be allowed admission to the PhD programme and how the supervisors and co-supervisors are appointed, how the thesis shall come into being, and how the Assessment and PhD examining committee shall be composed.

The PhD regulations take effect as of 1 September, 2018 and replace the old regulations.

The most salient changes in comparison with the old PhD regulations are that:

• from now each PhD must be supervised by at least two formal supervisors, namely two full professors (promotores) or one full professor (promotor) and one co-supervisor (copromotor)
• the Graduate School Admissions Committee will make decisions regarding the admission of prospective students to a PhD programme
• a training and supervision plan must be drawn up by the PhD student and the supervisors before the PhD programme begins
• the PhD student will take an academic pledge at the PhD ceremony
• the PhD student will no longer be awarded a PhD degree by the Faculty, but by the University
• the PhD procedure is organised through a digital workflow (the application Hora Finita, information can be obtained from the Graduate Schools)
• the PhD student must deliver an electronic version of the thesis and the propositions
• the PhD student must submit his data with accompanying explanatory notes .