Initial condition

You must first ensure that it is possible to establish a joint supervision agreement with the partner institution, since a framework collaboration agreement must first be signed between UdeM and the partner institution in question. The absence of a framework agreement could mean that it will not be possible to proceed with your joint supervision project. 

To do so, you must first contact the International Coordinator of Graduate and Postdoctoral studies (GPS) at: cotutelle-international@esp.umontreal.ca and provide the following information:

• The name of the university and the country where you are currently registered for the doctorate.
• The name of the program and the start date of your doctoral training at this university.
• The possible admission date to the Université de Montréal and/or to the partner university, if applicable.

Research Supervisors

Ph.D. candidates do their coursework and research under the direction of thesis supervisors from the two partner institutions. These institutions must show that a collaboration has already been established, through the production of research and co-authorships of publications, through the co-organization of colloquia, seminars and conferences, etc.

Program of Study

The research supervisors specifically set out the doctoral student’s program of study (course requirements, courses and seminars, written and oral exam procedures for the comprehensive exam), and the residency period in each institution.

Doctoral candidates are required to satisfy the academic requirements and to comply with the two institutions’ academic regulations. At Université de Montréal, doctoral candidates must successfully pass the courses in which they register and the comprehensive examination, and then write a thesis based on the academic regulations and the procedures in effect at the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Thesis

The completion of the thesis is followed by a single defence, at UdeM or at the partner university, before a committee of researchers appointed in equal numbers by the two participating institutions. This committee includes, in the majority of cases, the two thesis supervisors and at least one external member from an institution other than the two participating institutions.

The protection of the thesis topic as well as the publication, application and protection of the research findings are subject to the regulation in effect in each country participating in the co-advisorship. Provisions related to the protection of intellectual property rights may be included in an appendix to the co-advisorship agreement.

Diploma

At the completion of their doctoral studies, Ph.D. candidates are granted a Ph.D. diploma from Université de Montréal and from the partner institution. The wording of each official document refers to the collaboration of the partner institution and the co-advisorship.