Apply for public defence or licentiate seminar at LIME
The Doctoral educational program will lead to a Doctorate degree or a Licentiate degree
Hybrid public defences, doctoral and licentiate
Public defences at KI, doctoral and licentiate, will take place on site with participants present in the room, but it is also possible to combine this with digital participation, creating a hybrid thesis defence.
Follow link below with information about the different options that are available for hybrid thesis defences (doctoral and licentiate):
Public defence beyond the pandemic (leaving LIME webpage)
If someone from the Examination Board or opponent is to participate digitally, this must be stated on the desicion form after the thesis defence / licentiate seminar.
Content of thesis
At least two original papers (at least one in licentiate theses) must be published, or accepted for publication, in a peer-reviewed journal. The remaining papers can be manuscripts. The total number of papers in a doctoral thesis can vary, as long as they in total have a scope and quantity equivalent to four years of full-time doctoral education and to two years of full-time for licentiate theses. At least one of the original papers, published or in manuscript, shall have the doctoral student as first author (does not apply to licentiate theses). Shared first authorship is accepted. Please note that the requirement for first authorship only applies to those admitted to doctoral education from 1 March 2024. In addition to original papers, published or manuscript, a thesis may also include other scientific papers accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Read more about the content of the thesis here:
Application for a public defence / doctoral degree
The Doctorate degree (Swe: Medicine doktorsexamen) is the highest educational degree in Sweden. A degree from Karolinska Institutet is always expected to be of the highest international standard.
The dissertation process is protracted and time-consuming. Be prepared for between three and five months to elapse between your application to defend a doctoral thesis and the actual dissertation.
Preliminary date for dissertation
As soon as you have a preliminary date for dissertation you need to send an e-mail to administrative officer Ingrid Smedberg at ingrid.smedberg@ki.se and to prefektassistent@lime.ki.se. That is to make sure that your planned date is not already booked for another earlier planned dissertation at our department.
Applications to defend a doctorate thesis is to be submitted to the Dissertation Committee in ways as instructed on the application form 9 (NOTE! new form as of March 2024). Deadlines for applications to Dissertation Committee is found in link below. Two weeks before their deadline, the application is to be sent to the administrative officer at LIME (see how below).
Meetings and deadlines of the Dissertation Committee (leaving LIME web page)
Recommendations for preparation of manuscripts to be included in doctoral thesis
The Board for Doctoral education at LIME has created recommendations for manuscripts' preparation intended for doctoral student and supervisors by the time the candidate is ready to his/her application to the Dissertation Committee. The incentive for these recommendations is as a checklist to help the doctoral student to enhance the quality of the manuscript/s to be included in doctoral thesis but that yet not have been published. The recommendations hopefully will assist both in writing the manuscript/s, and prior to preparing to submit the application for public defence or licentiate seminar.
Pre-dissertation seminar
Doctoral students at LIME that are planning to have their dissertation as of January 2020 are expected to have a pre-dissertation seminar in some form (on location at KI, or online). The seminar is to be announced publicly. Send an email to kommunikation@lime.ki.se as well as an email to “LIME staff” with information about the event (date, time, Zoom-link/room, name of doctoral student and supervisors, name of research plan etc). The pre-dissertation seminar is to take place no earlier than 6 months prior (or less than 3 days before) to planned dissertation. A specific protocol is to be filled out by principal supervisor at the seminar and handed in to administrative officer Ingrid Smedberg directly after the seminar.
Pre-dissertation seminar at LIME - protocol
The application, form 9
New forms:
- As a result of a new procedure for monitoring achievement of learning outcomes, new forms have been introduced when submitting an application for a public defence as of 2024-03-15:
- Use form 9 version 2024-03-15 according to instructions (link to instructions on top of form 9). This version is less extensive than before, but is be combined with a report on the doctoral student’s achievement of learning outcomes which is submitted in a separate form and constitutes part 3 of the defence application.
How to sign the application (doctoral student and supervisors):
- Supervisors and doctoral student can physically sign the same signature page for COI, or you can sign one page each, then scan that page/these pages and attach to the application form pdf, or you can use EduSign (applies only for KI employees/affiliated to KI). You can also have a combination, with scanned signatures and digital signatures. However, scanned signatures need to be done first, then you can use EduSign for the page/document.
- Make sure it is clear in the application if a person is to sign digitally, that includes the name of director of doctoral studies (be aware if it Per Palmgren or Stefano Bonacina that has approved doctoral student's last ISP) and the name of the head of the department Sabine Koch.
- Make sure doctoral student's name is visible on top of all pages. Don´t forget signature by doctoral student on the last page of the application.
Ladok:
Look through your Ladok-excerpt to make sure you have all necessary credits according to your general syllabus as well as enough activity percentage. There are five general syllabi for the research subject Medical Science, find your version below (dependent on your starting date as a doctoral student).
General syllabi for the subject Medical Science at KI (leaving LIME web page)
Send in the application to LIME administrative officer:
No later than two weeks prior to deadline for Dissertation Committee the application (including all attachments and signatures by doctoral student and supervisor) is to be sent in by email to the departmental administrative officer of doctoral education Ingrid Smedberg (ingrid.smedberg@ki.se) as five pdfs.
Name the files with the correct number 1A, 1B, 2B_Ethics, 2B_Papers or 3, together with your last name.
1A. Application form, (D1-D6 with signatures)
1B. One (1) PDF file with the following documents in the indicated order:
- First page/ title page of all constituent papers (incl. author list and affiliations)
- Copy of protocol from half-time/licentiate seminar (make sure it has all necessary signatures)
- Copy of the ISP where supervisors are listed. As well as possible changes in the supervisor's constellation.
- Other attachments (if required: see form 9 instructions)
2B_Ethics. ONE (1) PDF-file containing copies of all ethical applications and permits (decision with approval) stated in D4. Find instructions about how to compile this on form 9.
2B_Papers. ONE (1) PDF-file containg all constituent papers, including manuscripts (not necessarily in a finalized form), in full text.
3. The report of achievement of learning outcomes
Note, pdf 2A listed on form 9 is not to be sent in to us. After approval and signing by director of doctoral education and head of department, the signed form will be sent back to you and you are responsible to send in the digital application with all signatures to the Dissertation Committee at KI (as instructed on the application form).
Notification decision from the Dissertation Committee
A few days after the meeting of Dissertation Committee, you and your supervisors will receive an e-mail notification of the decision, which can be that your application has been either approved, postponed pending complementary material or clarifications, or rejected. Forward that information to administrative officer (ingrid.smedberg@ki.se), assistant to the head of the department (prefektassistent@lime.ki.se), communications officer (kommunikation@lime.ki.se) and director of doctoral education at LIME Per Palmgren (per.palmgren@ki.se).
Time to defend your thesis (leaving LIME web page)
Forms related to the public defence (leaving LIME web page)
Technical support for digital public defence
Please read LIME checklist (far below) for more information about this. Information about this matter is also found on the KI link on top of this page (Thesis defence beyond the pandemic).
Signing form 11 "Decision of the examination board" after the dissertation
In the form 11 ”Decision of the Examination Board– public defence” it should be stated if anyone has participated digitally. The person who participated digitally writes a note about it next to where he/she signs their name.
The form 11 is sent to whoever was not physically present who then signs and returns it as a pdf or by post. The chair of the dissertation is responsible for collecting all signatures on form 11 and then to send all the signed pages (including the one with original signatures) to the administrative officer for doctoral education who will report the decision in Ladok. After that - an email will be sent to the doctoral student with information about how to apply for the degree certificate.
Application for a licentiate seminar
Application for a licentiate seminar may be done after two years' equivalent full-time doctoral study.
Preliminary date for licentiate seminar
As soon as you have a preliminary date for your licentiate seminar you need to send an e-mail to administrative officer Ingrid Smedberg at ingrid.smedberg@ki.se and prefektassistent@lime.ki.se. That is to make sure that your planned date is not already booked for another earlier planned dissertation or licentiate seminar at our department.
Applications to have a licentiate is to be submitted to the Dissertation Committee in ways as instructed on the application form 9 (Note! New form as of March 2024). Deadlines for applications to Dissertation Committee is found in link below. Two weeks before their deadline the application is to be sent to the administrative officer at LIME (see how below).
Meetings and deadlines of the Dissertation Committee (leaving LIME web page)
Pre-licentiate seminar at LIME
Doctoral students at LIME that are planning to have their licentiate seminar as of January 2020 are expected to have a pre-licentiate seminar in some form (on location at KI, or online). The seminar is to be announced publicly (by email to “LIME staff”, and on the LIME calendar) and is to take place no earlier than 6 months prior (or less than 3 days before) to planned licentiate seminar. Use the protocol below and hand it in to administrative officer directly after the seminar. Remember to state clearly who participated digitally.
Pre-dissertation seminar at LIME - protocol
The application, form 9
Same procedure as for application for public defence for a doctoral degree - read more further up on this page!
Notification decision from the Dissertation Committee
A few days after the meeting of Dissertation Committee, you and your supervisors will receive an e-mail notification of the decision, which can be that your application has been either approved, postponed pending complementary material or clarifications, or rejected. Forward that information to administrative officer (ingrid.smedberg@ki.se), assistant to the head of the department (prefektassistent@lime.ki.se), communications office (kommunikation@lime.ki.se) and director of doctoral education at LIME Per Palmgren (per.palmgren@ki.se).
General syllabi for Medical Science at KI (leaving LIME web page)
Information about the licentiate seminar application (leaving LIME page)
Forms related to licentiate seminar (leaving LIME web page)
Technical support for digital licentiate seminar
Please read LIME checklist (below) for more information about this. Information about this matter is also found on the KI link on top of this page (Thesis defence beyond the pandemic).
Signing form 8 "Decision of the Examination Board" after the licentiate seminar
In the form 8 ”Decision of the Examination Board” it should be stated if anyone has participated digitally. The person who participated digitally writes a note about it next to where he/she signs their name.
The form 8 is sent to whoever was not physically present who then signs and returns it as a pdf or by post. The chair of the dissertation is responsible for collecting all signatures on form 8 and then to send all the signed pages (including the one with original signatures) to the administrative officer for doctoral education who will report the decision in Ladok. After that - an email will be sent to the doctoral student with information about how to apply for the degree certificate.
Checklist for dissertation and licentiate seminar at LIME
Generally speaking, responsibility for keeping the dissertation or licentiate seminar process moving devolves on the supervisor, and to some extent on the student. Some service is provided by the administration (check with your research group), but it is up to the supervisor to be aware of deadlines, rules and routines, forms etc.
Checklist for dissertation and licentiate seminar at LIME
Advertise your public defence or licentiate seminar!
Your public defence or licentiate seminar is to be advertised on public channels - use below link to send your information to LIME communication officer:
Apply for your degree certificate
On April 1, 2024, KI switched to digital degrees. This means that all degree certificate issued after April 1 will be digital and will no longer be printed on paper and sent by mail.
What does it mean for me as a doctoral student?
You apply for a degree via Ladok for students. You will receive a notification by e-mail when your diploma has been issued and you will collect your diploma directly in Ladok. You can collect the diploma as many times as you like. The document is a PDF and contains an e-stamp. The e-stamp proves that it is a genuine document and only works if the proof is opened and read digitally.