European label

The European doctorate label is a complement to the doctoral diploma, adding the recognition of a European dimension. It is awarded when the following conditions are met:

1. The doctorate must have been prepared in part during a stay of at least one trimester in a European country*, other than the one in which the thesis will be defended;
2. Authorization to defend the thesis is granted on the basis of reports drawn up by at least two professors or equivalent belonging to higher education establishments in two European countries, other than that of the country where the defense takes place;
3. 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;
4. Part of the thesis defense must be conducted in a European national language other than the national language(s) of the country where the defense takes place;

*European state" means one of the member countries of the European Union, including the other states of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)

Candidates wishing to obtain the "European Doctorate" label must, in agreement with their thesis director, take into account the conditions for obtaining this label within the framework of their thesis. At the end of their thesis, they must comply with Aix Marseille Université's procedure for defending doctoral theses, which must be initiated no later than 9 weeks before the planned date of the defense.

It is the thesis jury that will assess whether the conditions for awarding the European doctorate label have been met.

The "European Doctorate" label will not appear on the doctoral diploma, but will be the subject of an attestation of award of the "European Doctorate" label signed by the President of the University.

Procedure

1. When submitting their application to the Registrar's Office, 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 mobility certificate indicating the period of stay, signed by the director of the European host laboratory (available in French and English)
   • A one-page report on the mobility period written by the doctoral student.
2. The Registrar's Office checks that the application is complete (incomplete applications will be rejected)
3. On the day of the defense, the schooling department forwards the complete application file to the jury, together with the "European Doctorate" label. In addition to the minutes of the thesis defense, the members of the jury sign additional minutes of deliberation concerning the awarding of the "European Doctorate" label.
4. On the basis of the minutes received, the Registrar's Office enters the results in APOGEE for both the doctoral diploma and the European label ("European label" checkbox in the "results" block of the "organization and results of defense" module). At the same time as issuing the certificate of success for the doctoral diploma, the school issues the certificate of success for the "European doctorate" label. Information on successful completion of both the European doctoral label and the doctoral diploma will be forwarded to the Diplomas Department of the DEVE's Schooling Division, so that the final document can be drawn up.
5. Each semester, the schooling department will provide feedback to the doctoral schools on the European labels awarded to their doctoral students.