A student’s joint PhD program is covered by an agreement that, once approved and signed by the two institutions concerned, will allow the student to be officially recognized as a joint PhD student at both institutions and to enjoy the privileges associated with that status. The agreement specifies the academic requirements of the student's program of study and a number of conditions to ensure that the joint supervision process runs smoothly.

For more information on the steps to take to apply for and set up a joint PhD agreement, please consult the Setting up a Joint PhD page.

Joint PhD agreements between UdeM and partner universities

All agreement templates are available from the Coordinator, who can also answer any questions about joint PhDs.

Note: Any changes to the agreement template proposed by a doctoral student or a partner university must be approved by GPS. The amended draft must be reviewed by the Coordinator before the signing process can begin.

France

In 1996, the Bureau de la coopération interuniversitaire and two French partners, the Conférence des présidents d’université (CPU) and the Conférence des directeurs d’écoles françaises d’ingénieurs (CDEFI), signed an agreement authorizing joint PhD arrangements between French and Quebec universities.

The resulting framework agreement on joint PhDs sets out the applicable procedures and proposes an agreement template that includes the provisions and conditions governing joint PhDs along with clauses to ensure that projects run smoothly.

UdeM uses the same agreement template for cooperation with all French institutions, and it has been accepted as is by a large number of French universities.

At times French universities wish to use their own joint PhD agreements. As these agreements are often designed for joint PhDs involving other French or European institutions, the framework they propose may not be well suited to the North American management model used at Université de Montréal, particularly regarding two key aspects — payment of tuition fees and the individual student’s program of study. Some of these agreements therefore require significant changes before they can be signed by all parties.

For this reason, it would be advisable to check whether the agreement template proposed by UdeM is acceptable to the French institution concerned.

Canada

It is possible to carry out joint PhDs in partnership with other Canadian universities, provided they are not located in Quebec. Once you have identified the university with which you wish to set up your joint PhD, please contact the Coordinator to check whether the partnership is acceptable.

Other countries

It is possible to carry out joint PhDs in partnership with a number of universities around the world. Once you have identified the university with which you wish to set up your joint PhD, please contact the Coordinator to check whether the partnership is acceptable.

For international universities with which a joint PhD is possible, we strongly advise you to use one of UdeM’s agreement templates.

Drafting the agreement

The joint PhD agreement is designed to inform and protect all parties, but it also sets out their obligations. Make sure you understand the ones that apply to you.

The principles that should guide you in determining your program of study are as follows:

A rewarding educational experience

The purpose of pursuing a joint PhD is to benefit from the contributions of both of the research and higher education institutions that you have selected. You should therefore immerse yourself in both environments. You should choose your periods of residency at each institution with this purpose in mind. What time periods and arrangements will enable you to derive maximum benefit from your experience at each institution? Will you take courses, work in a laboratory, or join a research group? The options will vary from field to field, but keep in mind that a joint PhD cannot be limited to joint supervision combined with a personal research stay (e.g. archival research and library work).

Duration and continuity of residency

Ideally, you should spend at least four sessions at Université de Montréal, but we accept a minimum of three sessions (the equivalent of one year) if this is not possible.

The simplest and most commonly used formula is an alternating sequence: one year at one institution followed by one year at the other one. This formula minimizes the number of trips, allows for slight adjustments to academic calendars, and in many cases facilitates the declaration of residency periods and payment of tuition fees.

However, other scenarios may be considered if your planned educational experience requires or allows it.

Note: All courses and seminars required for your program of study must be taken during your planned stays at UdeM — you cannot take them while you are abroad.

Financial obligations

The timing and duration of your stays at each institution will affect the total cost of your joint PhD. The Joint PhD Costs page will provide you with more information on this point.

Note: You will be required to pay tuition fees and other fees payable to Université de Montréal on a session-by-session basis during your stay there.

Comprehensive exam

This exam is a requirement for all PhD programs at Université de Montréal. Doctoral students must pass it no later than the sixth session after their initial registration in the PhD program. However, some programs set a different schedule for their comprehensive exam, so it is important to be familiar with the timing of the exam in your program. PhD students cannot start work on their thesis until they have passed the comprehensive exam. They must work with their thesis supervisors to determine the appropriate time to take this important step in their training. If it coincides with a period of residency outside Quebec, you will need to make special travel arrangements or arrange for technological support to take the exam remotely (e.g. via videoconference).

For more details on the comprehensive exam, consult our Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Regulations page.

Thesis defence

In a joint PhD there is only one thesis defence, and it is recognized by both institutions. In your agreement you must state the location chosen for this final stage of your program; it should be the same as your planned location for the session concerned.

Formalities and conventions surrounding the thesis defence vary from one country to another. Joint PhD students should consult their research supervisors to choose the option that is best suited to their interests.

French doctoral students who wish to pursue a career in France after defending their thesis in Quebec must ensure that their thesis defence report can be prepared and processed in compliance with French standards.

Quebec doctoral students should be aware that some French universities require two external examiners to sit on the thesis evaluation committee.

Social security

The joint PhD agreement requires students to be covered by health insurance and liability insurance policies, whether they are at Université de Montréal or outside Quebec.

Quebec students studying in France and French students studying in Quebec are covered by the Memorandum of Understanding on Social Security for Students and Participants in Cooperation Programs between the Government of Québec and the Government of the French Republic. You must make reference to the Memorandum in your joint PhD agreement, after checking that nothing prevents you from being covered by the required insurance policies.

For any questions regarding insurance, Quebec and international students can contact UdeM international.

Signatures

Your joint PhD agreement must bear your signature and the following signatures for each university:

• Your thesis supervisors, who approve the details of your doctoral program and assume responsibility for your training and supervision;
• The academic authority (i.e. the director or person responsible for graduate studies in your home unit, whose counterpart in France is usually the director or person responsible for the faculty of doctoral studies), who compares your joint program of study with the normal program for doctoral students in your field in order to confirm its quality and compliance;
• The institutional representatives, including the Assistant Vice-Rector for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Université de Montréal, who have the authority to commit their institution to a joint PhD arrangement.

Université de Montréal prefers to use certified electronic signatures. The Coordinator will organize the signing process in conjunction with the partner institution's joint PhD/cotutelle office. At the end of the process, an original copy will be sent to all the signatories. 

Amending the agreement — Addenda

If you already have a signed joint PhD agreement but wish to modify its terms and conditions, an addendum must be drafted. For example, you may wish to extend the period covered by your agreement or change your place of residency. It is important to discuss such matters with your thesis supervisors beforehand.

To begin the process of drafting an addendum, please complete the template that meets your needs and attach it in editable PDF format to the CHE_Cotutelle form, available in your Student Centre. Please note that, if the partner university has already provided you with an addendum template, you may attach it to the CHE_Cotutelle form instead. UdeM's addendum templates are available on the Documentation page.

If none of the templates posted on the GPS website meets your needs, please contact the Coordinator.