Public examination at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology

Finalising your dissertation and arranging the public examination  

Once you have received permission to proceed to public examination of doctoral dissertation, it is time to finalise your dissertation for publication and arrange the practicalities of your public examination. The public examination is held to examine the doctoral dissertation publicly and can usually be held within two months of the faculty granting permission to proceed to public examination. This gives you enough time to complete the publication process, prepare the news release and prepare for the public examination. 

Read more about the publication process on the page Publishing a doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology. 

Agreeing on the date and venue of public examination 

1. Discuss a potential opponent with your main supervisor or UEF supervisor and agree on a preliminary date for the public examination. Your main supervisor or UEF supervisor will contact the proposed opponent to confirm their availability. If needed, you can contact Executive Assistant Satu Turunen regarding travel and accommodation arrangements for the opponent. 

2. Agree on the schedule with the publication series editor as well. You can find the publication series editor’s details on the page Publishing and printing your dissertation at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology. 

3. Agree with your main supervisor or UEF supervisor on which of you will book the auditorium for the public examination. We recommend making the auditorium reservation using the form linked below, as the same form allows you to reserve the lobby for coffee or toast after the public examination if necessary. 

• Joensuu campus room reservation 

• Kuopio campus room reservation 

4. If you would like a livestream of the public examination, submit a service request to the university’s IT services via UEF e-Services. Please note that livestreaming requires the consent of all parties (the doctoral candidate, the custos and the opponent). 

As a general rule, public examinations at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology are held with the doctoral candidate, custos and opponent all present on the Joensuu or Kuopio campus, and the public examination can be followed online. 

Scientific qualifications of the opponent and custos 

In the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, the opponent must be a person outside the University of Eastern Finland who has completed a doctoral degree and holds at least the title of docent or equivalent scientific qualification. The Faculty recommends that the opponent primarily be a professor.  

The custos represents the University of Eastern Finland and their task is to guide the course of the public examination. The custos is usually a main supervisor employed by the University of Eastern Finland or another member of UEF staff who has completed a doctoral degree. 

Disqualification policy 

The grounds for disqualification defined in the Administrative Procedure Act are taken into account when appointing the opponent. 

In accordance with the faculty’s policy: 

• The opponent must not have had any prior collaboration with the doctoral candidate. 

• The opponent must not have had any collaboration with the supervisor or supervisors during the past three years. Collaboration refers to, for example, working in the same research group, co-authored publications or other ongoing or planned collaboration (e.g. in research projects or supervision of theses).  

• An exception is made for co-authored publications produced in different research groups or within large international infrastructure or research networks, which typically have dozens of authors. Justification for the exception must be provided as an attachment to the application.  

Dean’s decision on the public examination 

Download and save the form Proposal: opponent and custos, and date and auditorium of public examination (opens in new tab) to your computer. Fill in the form and send the signed form by email to the faculty’s Academic Affairs Specialists at [email protected]. The form must be signed by both you and your main supervisor or UEF supervisor. The faculty’s Academic Affairs Specialists will separately request confirmation of the proposal from the Deputy Head (Research) of the department or unit. 

If a person with the title of docent or equivalent scientific qualification is proposed as the opponent, their publication list must also be attached (a link to an electronic publication list is sufficient). 
 

The Vice Dean (Research) makes the decision on the opponent and custos based on the proposal. In the same decision, the Vice Dean (Research) confirms the date and auditorium of the public examination. If there are any changes to the information confirmed in the decision, separate approval must be requested from the Faculty. 

Preparing for the public examination 

Dissertation news release and the doctoral candidate’s photo 

UEF Communications and Media Relations will announce your public examinationon the university’s website, social media and to the media. Fill in the electronic news release form no later than two weeks before your public examination. 

Your photo can be shared with the media together with the news release. If you would like your photo to be included, have your photo taken no later than two weeks before the public examination. 

Coffee reception 

After the public examination, the doctoral candidate usually offers coffee or toast to the audience. You can order the catering from the campus restaurant closest to the auditorium. The reception is usually held in the restaurant or in the lobby — remember to make reservation if you choose the lobby. As a rule, you are responsible for ordering and covering the costs of the catering. You can check department-specific practices with the Head of the Department or School. 

Post-doctoral party (Karonkka) 

The post-doctoral party (Karonkka) is an academic celebration traditionally held on the evening of the public examination in honour of the opponent. You are responsible for arranging, organising and covering the costs of the post-doctoral party. Find out more on the page Post-doctoral party (Karonkka). 

Support for communication and presentation 

Explore the Support for communication in public defence materials on eLearn Moodle (UEF login required). The videos, instructions and examples can help you: 

• prepare your lectio praecursoria 

• practise interacting with the opponent 

• prepare for media interviews 

• prepare your post-doctoral party (Karonkka) speech 

The materials are available in Finnish and English. 

Prodecure of the public examination at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology 

Stages of the public examination in brief 

1. The custos opens the public examination  

2. Lectio praecursoria   

3. Examination of the dissertation 

4. The custos closes the public examination 

The public examination usually lasts approximately 2–3 hours, but the duration may vary depending on the field of research and the scope of the discussion. The opponent may use a maximum of four hours for the examination. If the public examination lasts longer than three hours, the custos will announce a break. 

Detailed procedure of the public examination 

Dress code 

You, the custos and the opponent dress according to traditional academic convention: a tailcoat with a dark waistcoat (or a uniform without decorations), a dark suit, or other dark formal attire. The opponent may also dress according to the academic tradition of their own university. Agree on the dress code well in advance. There is no dress code for the audience. 

Arrival and start 

• The public examination begins 15 minutes after the announced starting time (e.g. at 12:15 noon if the announced time is 12:00 noon). 

• You enter the auditorium in the following order: first you, then the custos, and finally the opponent. 

• The custos and the opponent carry their doctoral hat in hand when entering and leaving the auditorium. During the public examination, the hat is placed on the table with the lyre facing the audience. 

Opening of the public examination 

Once everyone has taken their places, the custos opens the public examination by stating: 

“As the custos appointed by the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology of the University of Eastern Finland, I hereby declare this public examination open.” 

The custos then introduces those present (the doctoral candidate, the custos and the opponent). 

Lectio praecursoria 

You deliver your lectio praecursoria standing. It may last a maximum of 20 minutes. Begin by addressing the audience: 

“Honourable custos, honourable opponent, ladies and gentlemen.” 

If needed, a translation of your presentation is provided to a foreign opponent. 

At the end of the lectio, you say: 

“I ask you, [title and name of the opponent], as the opponent appointed by the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, to present your critical comments on my doctoral dissertation.” 

Examination of the dissertation 

• The opponent delivers a brief introductory review while standing, addressing the position and significance of your dissertation topic in scientific research. 

• You listen to the introductory review standing, facing the opponent. 

• After the review, you both sit down. 

• The opponent discusses the content of your dissertation with you and poses questions. 

• Correcting typographical errors during the public examination should be avoided. You may provide a written list of errors, which the opponent will append to their statement. 

• The opponent may use a maximum of four hours for the examination. 

Closing of the public examination 

• After the examination, the opponent delivers a closing statement while standing. You listen to it standing, facing the opponent. 

• After the closing statement, the opponent sits down. 

• You express your thanks to the opponent, turn to the audience and say: 

“I now invite any members of the audience who wish to make remarks or comments on my dissertation to request the floor from the honourable custos.” 

• The custos chairs any discussion and ensures that you are given the opportunity to respond to each remark and that the discussion remains on topic. 

• The custos stands and closes the public examination by saying: 

“The public examination is concluded.” 

You may then invite the audience to the coffee reception, for example by saying: 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I warmly invite you to join me for coffee at [venue]. Welcome!” 

Leaving the auditorium 

You leave the auditorium in reverse order: first the opponent, then the custos, and finally you. 

Congratulations 

The audience does not applaud or show approval during the public examination. Congratulations are reserved for the moment when you have left the auditorium and had the opportunity to thank the opponent and the custos.