Procedure Stages
A. Pre-defense Stage
At the time the doctoral thesis is submitted to the Doctoral School of Automatic Control and Computers, the required national minimum standards for awarding the doctoral degree must be met in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Submission of the application to initiate the doctoral thesis pre-defense procedure, signed by the doctoral student and the scientific supervisor (Form F1), together with the printed thesis and the required electronic versions.
Submission of the declaration on personal responsibility regarding the originality of the doctoral thesis, signed by the doctoral student and the scientific supervisor (Form F2).
Anti-plagiarism verification using TURNITIN and preparation of the Similarity Report by the advisory and academic integrity committee (Form F3).
Posting the thesis pre-defense announcement at the SD-AC headquarters, indicating the date, time, and location.
Submission of the doctoral supervisor’s Acceptance Report (F5), the Advisory Committee’s Endorsement (F6), and the Minutes of the pre-defense meeting (F7).
Submission of the application for the official filing of the thesis with the IOSUD Secretariat (Form F9), endorsed by the scientific supervisor.
Submission of the CV and the List of publications resulting from the scientific research (F10, F11).
Submission of the form for estimating the date of the public defense (Form F12).
Submission of the acknowledgement form regarding publication of the thesis in preview (Form F14).
Submission: SD-AC Secretariat, PRECIS Building, room PR 003a.
Estimated duration: minimum 30 days.
Turnitin verification: maximum 30 days from submission of the application.
Pre-defense announcement: posted at least 7 days in advance.
B. Public Consultation Stage
The doctoral thesis is published in preview on the national public consultation platform for a period of 90 calendar days.
During this period, observations may be submitted regarding possible violations of ethical and professional conduct standards, including concerns related to plagiarism.
Observations may be submitted online by email to csud@upb.ro or to the UNSTPB Registry Office.
The observations are recorded in a report prepared by the CSUD Secretariat.
CSUD reviews the report and issues the decision regarding validation of the initiation of the public defense procedure.
C. Public Defense Stage
If the CSUD decision is to validate the procedure, the public defense process is initiated by establishing the doctoral committee.
If CSUD invalidates the initiation of the procedure, the doctoral student is required to revise the thesis content within 3 months from communication of the decision, after which the transparency procedure must be resumed.
The proposal for the composition of the public defense committee must be submitted at least 30 days before the public defense date.
The doctoral thesis public defense committee is validated by CSUD.
The application to schedule the public defense date must be submitted at least 25 days before the proposed date.
The Doctoral School posts the public defense announcement at least 20 calendar days in advance.
The official reviewers submit their evaluation reports at least 15 days before the defense.
If all requirements are met, the committee proposes awarding the doctoral degree and submits the file to CNATDCU within a maximum of 30 calendar days.
D. Awarding of the Doctoral Degree
Within 90 calendar days from receipt of the doctoral file, CNATDCU issues a compliance endorsement regarding observance of the administrative procedure carried out at IOSUD-UNSTPB level and compliance with the minimum criteria for awarding the doctoral degree. The administrative procedure includes, as a distinct step, verification of the declaration regarding the originality of the work and analysis of the similarity reports.
Within 30 calendar days from receipt of the compliance endorsement, IOSUD-UNSTPB issues the decision awarding the doctoral degree, signed by the Rector, and prepares and issues the doctoral diploma.
If CNATDCU decides that the administrative procedure carried out at IOSUD-UNSTPB level did not comply with the provisions of these regulations and the national legislation in force, the doctoral file will be sent back to IOSUD-UNSTPB for reassessment and completion. It may be resubmitted to CNATDCU for a new review only after the public defense procedure has been resumed.
If the doctoral student does not opt for separate publication of the thesis or of certain chapters, the digital version of the thesis remains public and may be freely accessed on the national platform managed by UEFISCDI, including after the decision awarding the doctoral degree has been issued. A copyright protection license will be assigned to the thesis.
If the doctoral student opts for separate publication of the doctoral thesis or of certain chapters, a grace period of up to 24 months is granted for completing that publication, during which the digital version of the doctoral thesis becomes inaccessible to the public. After the grace period expires, if no notification regarding separate publication of the thesis has been uploaded to the platform managed by UEFISCDI, the digital document automatically becomes freely accessible and is assigned a copyright protection license.
After the decision awarding the doctoral degree has been issued, within a maximum of 180 days, IOSUD-UNSTPB sends to the National Library of Romania one printed copy of the doctoral thesis and its annexes, in accordance with Law no. 111/1995 on the Legal Deposit of Documents, republished, intended for the Intangible Collection, as well as one digital copy on electronic media, intended for consultation upon request at the premises of the National Library of Romania by any interested person, in compliance with the legal regulations in force.
