1. At the start of the doctoral research

• If applicable (see Article 2 of the Regulation Governing the Attainment of Doctoral Degrees), admission to the degree ceremony should be applied for by means of Model Letter 4. The doctoral candidate should use Model Letter 2 to ask the Board of Deans to appoint the supervisor(s).
• If necessary, Model Letter 3 is used to ask for the appointment of the co-supervisor(s)

2. Date of the ceremony

• After the thesis has been accepted by the Assessment Committee, which must have been done at least three months before the planned date of the ceremony, this date can be provisionally reserved with the secretariat of the Board of Deans. In doing so, take account of the following conditions.
• Sessions may take place on the following days: Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, at 12:00, 14:00 or 16:00 hours.
• The secretariat of the Board of Deans knows whether a particular date has already been reserved for an inaugural lecture or farewell lecture.
• The date and time will be officially set by the Rector’s signature on the draft title page. After this, changes can only be made in very special circumstances.
• Note: the time of commencement will be strictly adhered to.

3. The title page of the dissertation

• The formal external and internal requirements of the dissertation are described in Chapters 6 and 11 of the Regulation Governing the Attainment of Doctoral Degrees. To obtain the Rector’s approval of the title page, candidates must submit a copy (preferably a printer’s proof or master print) to the secretariat of the Board of Deans at least three months prior to the date of the ceremony.
• Candidates are advised to add an ISB number to the dissertation. This number ensures that the dissertation is registered both nationally and internationally, and is brought to the attention of potential readers. Publications carrying an ISB number are listed in the Boekblad and appear in the national bibliography (Brinkman).
• If the dissertation is published as part of a fund or series, the ISB number will be applied for by the publisher of the dissertation. If the candidate is the publisher of the dissertation, he/she must contact the printer or the ISBN Bureau in Culemborg to obtain the ISB number.

4. Reverse of the title page (see Model text 8a)

• This only lists the names of
  - the (co-)supervisor(s) and the name of the institution where such person(s) work(s),
  - the Assessment Committee, and
  - any institutions that have provided financial support for the research and/or the dissertation. One of the copies submitted must be signed by the supervisor.

5. Additions of a non-scientific nature

• With the express permission of the Board of Deans or the Rector, the dissertation may include additions which lie outside the scope of a scholarly treatise in the strictest sense of the term (Article 24, Paragraph 3 of the Regulation Governing the Attainment of Doctoral Degrees). Additions of a commercial nature shall not be allowed.

6. Reception and address

• Dissertations shall include a card containing the name, the private address and the telephone number of the candidate, as well as an announcement concerning the reception.
• A map of the town centre (including the locations of car parks) can also be added.

7. Number of copies

• At least four weeks before the date of the ceremony, the secretariat of the Board of Deans must have received: 40 copies of the dissertation, being:
  - 30 copies for internal distribution to (amongst others) the Information Department and for use during the ceremony;
  - 10 copies for the university library to comply with its exchange obligations vis-à-vis other university libraries.

• See Form 12 in Chapter 11: compensation for 40 copies at € 0.06 per printed page.

9. Other means of duplication

• Unless stated otherwise above, other means of duplication accepted by the Board of Deans will be considered equal to printing with regard to the application of the above.

10.Introductory meeting

• At the request of the chairman, candidates may be asked to meet the chairman of the degree ceremony beforehand (see Article 28, Paragraph 3 of the Regulation Governing the Attainment of Doctoral Degrees).
• Approximately four weeks before the date of the ceremony, the secretariat of the Board of Deans may be asked who will chair the ceremony.

11.Preparatory discussion for the degree ceremony

• At the request of the doctoral candidate, the beadle may go through the stages of the ceremony with the candidate, including the use of audiovisual aids.

12.Public nature, admission and reservation of seats

• The degree ceremony will take place in the auditorium and is open to the public. The auditorium seats up to 240 persons. The chairman of the degree ceremony may restrict or refuse entrance to the auditorium, if such is required in the interest of order or public safety.
• Children under the age of 6 may not be present during the defence of the dissertation.

13. Audio recording, photographs, and film/video recording

• At the request of the candidate, the chairman of the degree ceremony may grant the candidate permission to make an audio recording (or to have such made) for private purposes (i.e. not for publicity purposes), for example by means of an audio cassette recorder.
• No photographs or film/video recordings may be made during the defence.
• No objections shall be made to the taking of photographs, film/video recordings after the defence, during the announcement of the decision of the Assessment Committee, during the presentation of the certificate, or during the reception.

14.Clothing

• It will be appreciated if the clothing is in accordance with the importance that the university attaches to this ceremony.

15. Press Release

• Doctoral degree ceremonies are announced in the university’s academic events agenda that is published every month on the UM website and sent to the various media. The agenda is sent to the regional and national press: newspapers, magazines, journals, radio and television. In addition to factual information, such as the date, the name of the candidate and the title of the dissertation, the information also includes a brief outline of the dissertation. A few weeks before the degree ceremony, the candidate will be asked to provide a brief summary (of up to 100 words) of the dissertation. The summary must be intelligible for a person not familiar with the subject field. The emphasis should be on the main conclusions of the research or the practical effects of such. It is advisable to consult the supervisor with regard to this issue.
• The PR Office may draft a more elaborate press release on the basis of the outline. The purpose of such press releases is to stress to the media the social relevance of certain research projects. In such cases the PR Office will contact the doctoral candidate.

16.Radio and television

• Radio or television recordings may be made with the prior written consent of the Rector. The latter’s permission is also required for the installation of audio recording equipment in the auditorium by public media. Such permission must be requested from the Rector at least three working days before the ceremony. Under special circumstances, this term may be shorter.