PhD co-tutorship is a procedure that allows a student to prepare his or her Phd under the joint direction of two professors authorized to direct research in two universities, one French, one foreign. The student agrees to follow academic coursework and seminars in both universities according to a rythm defined by both parties.
PhD co-tutorship is a procedure regulated by a law (January 6th 2005) applied and initiated by the President of the University, which allows for a student to prepare a PhD under the joint direction of two professors authorized to direct research belonging to two different universities, one French the other foreign.
The student is registered to both universities, but only pays tuition fees for one of the two establishments. This university in considered the home university. The co-tutorship procedure must be initiated with the home university.
The student agrees to follow alternately classes and seminars in both universities at a pace put in place by both universities.
At the end of the student’s PhD, one thesis defense (the conditions of which must be decided by the co-tutorship contract) is organized in either one of the universities with a mixed jury composed of four members.
This thesis defense leads to two different diplomas corresponding to each country’s PhD. requirements: status of doctor for the French university and the equivalent for the foreign university.
Co-tutorship must be put in place during the 1st year of your PhD.
Paris 8 CONTACT:
Coordinator of the Doctoral Schools,
Séverine Mardirossian
Tél: +33.(0)1 49 40 70 52
severine.mardirossian@univ-paris8.fr
REQUIRED PAPERWORK
Registration certificate, certifying the student is a registered PhD student or a PhD application form signed with the Doctoral School stamp, or a student card. Acceptance letter of the student’s PhD advisors.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
The procedure must be initiated by the student’s PhD advisors, who propose a co-tutorship and agree on the subject, the advising arrangements, the terms for the thesis defense, and the title and deliverance of the diplomas.
The contract, in French and in the foreign language, must be signed by:
Both PhD advisors
The Director of the Doctoral School in the home university
The Director of the Doctoral School in the second university
The contract, written in both languages, is signed by the President of Paris 8 and transmitted by the PhD advisor of the foreign university for approval. The original contract must then return to Paris 8 to the Research Service (Service de la Recherche) where it will be archived at the International Relations Department (SERCI) and at the Office for PhD students. There, the diploma will be delivered.
GRANTS FOR PhD CO-TUTORSHIP
Once the contract has been established, the PhD students may apply to several different funding options proposed by different institutions (AUF, Région Ile de France, Université franco-italienne,…) though funding is by no means guaranteed.