A PhD thesis will be evaluated by two readers, and then defended in person, in front of a jury. The rules to follow when setting up panels for a PhD thesis defense in USEK, whether in the framework of an agreement without or with joint guardianship with a partner institution are:

1. Jury composition:

• The jury must have at least 5 members, including two readers. Resumes, or CVs (with list of works and publications) must be attached to the request for designation of jury.
• The reader must be, at least, holder of the academic rank of associate professor or similar and not to have participated in the work of the thesis. They must be present at the defense of the thesis. At least one of the readers is chosen from an institution of higher education out of USEK, having a proven track record in the research field.
• at least one of jury members shall have the rank of professor.
• an examiner in a thesis jury at USEK shall be, at least, holder of the academic degree of associate professor or similar.
• at least two of jury members shall be from outside USEK including one of the readers.
• supervision cannot be majority or casting vote in the jury.
• invited members are not considered in the composition of the jury and do not take part in the deliberation.
• the chair of the jury is appointed at the thesis defense session, holder of the academic rank of Professor. She/He must be a faculty member from a higher education institution and physically present in the room where the defense is taking place. The reader may not be chosen as jury chair.
• The PhD thesis supervisor(s) and DAC member(s) may not be chosen as either reader for the thesis defense or jury chair.

2. Jury in joint guardianship:
A PhD student in joint guardianship (cotutelle/codirection) shall be enrolled in the two signatory institutions of the agreement. It is, therefore, appropriate to conduct the procedures for the defense in both institutions jointly and refer, first, to the text of the joint agreement which should stipulate specific provisions.