The "European Doctorate" label was instituted in 1992 by the liaison committee of the Conferences of Rectors and Presidents of the Universities of the member countries of the European Union, which became the European University Association in 2001. The
label is a complement to the doctoral degree, and adds recognition of a European dimension. It is awarded when the following conditions are met:
- The doctorate must have been partly prepared during a stay of at least one trimester in a European state*, other than the one in which the defense takes place;
- Authorization for the defense is granted on the basis of reports written by at least two professors or equivalent from higher education establishments in two European states other than the one in which the defense takes place;
- At least one member of the thesis defense jury must belong to a higher education establishment in a European state other than that in which the doctorate is being defended;
- Part of the defense must be conducted in a European national language other than the national language(s) of the country where the defense takes place.
*By "European state" is meant one of the member countries of the European Union, extended to the other states of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)
Conditions
The candidate wishing to obtain the "European Doctorate" label must, in agreement with his/her thesis director, take into account the conditions for obtaining this label in the context of his/her thesis. At the end of their thesis, they must comply with Aix Marseille Université's procedure for the defense of doctoral theses, which must be initiated no later than 9 weeks before the scheduled date of the defense.
When submitting their request for authorization to defend their thesis to the school, doctoral candidates must enclose the "European Doctorate" label application form. This file, which can be downloaded from the ADUM platform , comprises the following documents:
- The application form, completed and signed by all parties.
- The attestation of mobility (in French or English) indicating the period of stay, signed by the director of the European host laboratory.
- The report on the period of mobility (one page)
- The "European Doctorate" application form is sent to the jury on the day of the defense.
- The "European Doctorate" label does not appear on the doctoral diploma. After the defense and submission of the final version of the thesis manuscript to the Service Commun de Documentation, the department in charge of doctoral studies provides the doctor with an attestation of the "European Doctorate" label, signed by the President of the University.