Joint PHD (cotutelle) registration

Why a joint PhD (cotutelle) ?

When a PhD candidate is also willing to pursue research work abroad, it is recommended that he or she undertakes it under a joint PhD programme (Cotutelle), that is to say under the supervision of both a foreign director and a director at the University of Strasbourg.

Double registration

The setting up of a cotutelle requires the enrolment of the doctoral student both at the University of Strasbourg and at a foreign University. Candidates willing to carry out their thesis in cotutelle are invited to contact the foreign University about the various criteria for the admission to doctoral studies at the foreign University.

Cotutelle agreement

According to the terms of the joint PhD agreement which has to be concluded (see the model agreement proposed by ED 101), the doctoral candidate will be entitled to receive, after completion of a single defence of the thesis, the doctor degree from the University of Strasbourg and the doctor degree from the partner University. The setting up of a cotutelle requires the candidate to fairly divide his research work between the University of Strasbourg and the partner University.

A cotutelle agreement must be signed before the end of the first year of PhD studies at the University of Strasbourg.

Writing language of the thesis

The doctoral College of the University of Strasbourg established the following rules:

• writing in English or German is allowed for all thesis, upon authorisation delivered by the Director of the Doctoral School.
• writing in another language must be done exclusively within the framework of a joint PhD programme (Cotutelle).
• in both cases, the thesis must be accompanied by a substantial summary in French under the control of the thesis supervisor.