Guide to Organizing Remote Thesis Defenses

Thesis advisors are responsible for:

• Selecting the videoconferencing tool in consultation with the doctoral student. The tool must ensure that the defense proceeds smoothly via videoconference; audio-only tools are not permitted.
• Ensuring that all participants have access to the platform and that it functions properly (audio, video, communication, slide display) by conducting a test prior to the defense with all participants.
• To distribute the Affidavits (see the document “Affidavit”) to all members of the examination committee and to collect them, signed, before the defense. These signed declarations must be sent by email, along with the jury’s minutes, to the UPHF Doctoral Studies Office.
• Organize a videoconference meeting (either partially or entirely virtual) with only the members of the committee prior to the defense in order to appoint the Chair of the committee.
• Organize a videoconference meeting (partial or full) with only the jury members after the defense to draft the defense report and determine the thesis’s dissemination options.
• To send the Chair the jury minutes to be completed and signed remotely.
• It is recommended to create three separate meetings in the form of three connection links: the first for the presentation (link provided to authorized participants), the second for deliberation (link provided only to the jury), and finally the third for the announcement of the result (link provided to authorized participants).
• Other participants may attend the thesis defense via videoconference for non-confidential theses, provided this does not impact the quality or smooth conduct of the defense, while fully respecting the technical limitations of the videoconferencing tool selected. These third-party participants may not use the text chat feature and must keep their microphones muted. They must, of course, be excluded from the jury’s deliberations.

The Chair of the Committee

• Ensures the defense is properly organized, and in particular, ensures that moments requiring confidentiality are strictly observed. He or she must therefore know how to use the videoconferencing tool and have the necessary permissions to take the required actions to ensure confidentiality during deliberations, including temporarily excluding the doctoral candidate from the videoconference.
• Verifies the identity of the jury members and ensures that only authorized individuals are connected to the various meetings.
• Drafts and signs the jury’s minutes.
• Specifies in the defense report whether the defense was conducted remotely, in accordance with Order 2020-351, and identifies the committee members who participated remotely.
• All members of the examination committee and the doctoral candidate must remain in constant contact throughout the defense and be able to engage in a continuous exchange. If these conditions are not met, the chair of the examination committee may halt the defense and request that it be rescheduled.