Dnr: SU-404-4.2.8-0018-16
Stockholm 2016-01-15
Johan Nilsson, Ämnesansvarig för forskarutbildningen, Meteorologiska institutionen

Normally a committee of three persons serves on a licentiate seminar: one opponent (discussion leader), one committee member from MISU who acts as examinator (examiner), and one committee member from outside MISU. At least one of the committee members should be docent and both genders should be represented.
(See also Examination av licentiatuppsats vid Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten. www.science.su.se/polopoly_fs/1.84933.1334576277!/menu/standard/file/Examination_av_licentiatuppsats.pdf)

The licentiate seminar begins with a 40 minutes presentation by the candidate. The opponent (discussion leader) continues with a discussion and questions (typically 15-20 minutes). This is followed by questions from the audience, starting with the committee members. The committee meets directly after the seminar to decide the grade (passed or not passed). The supervisor should be present during the grading discussion. The department arranges a small celebration after the seminar, e.g. serving coffee and cake in the lunchroom and buying flowers. Below a timeline of the steps leading up to a licentiate seminar is given.

8 to 6 weeks advance

The supervisor proposes an opponent and one external committee member as well as a planned time for the defense to the ämnesansvarig. The seminar time should have been discussed with the MISU administrator responsible for scheduling. Ämnesansvarig appoints an internal reviewer at MISU, who performs a preliminary assessment of the thesis and gives a recommendation of whether it meets the criteria for a licentiate thesis. It is practical if the internal reviewer also can serve as the internal committee member at the licentiate seminar.

4 weeks before the seminar

i)    The internal reviewer gives a recommendation to ämnesansvarig.
ii)    Ämnesansvarig takes a formal decision on the seminar time and the committee members and opponent. The supervisor normally chairs at the seminar.
iii)    The candidate distributes the thesis to the committee.

3 weeks before the seminar

i)    The committee gives a recommendation to ämnesansvarig on whether the thesis holds sufficient quality to be publicly defended.
ii)    The licentiate seminar is announced by the department; the announcement provides information on how an electronic version of the thesis can be obtained.
iii)    The candidate publishes the summary/abstract of the thesis in DiVA and distributes the thesis to relevant institutions in Sweden.
iv)    The candidate starts the printing process.

Some general remarks of responsibility in relation with Licentiate seminars.

The supervisor:

i)    proposes an opponent and one external committee member.
ii)    in consultation with the MISU administrator responsible for scheduling, finds a suitable seminar time.
iii)    puts the opponent and external committee member in contact with relevant MISU administrator if they need assistance with travel booking.
iv)    chairs the seminar (as a general rule).
v)    takes part in the grading discussion directly after the seminar.
vi)    meets and takes care of opponents and committee members from outside SU; if appropriate the supervisor can take the non-SU guests to lunch. Lunch is paid by MISU and is registered on the same project account as PhD-defense lunches. (Dinner costs are not paid by MISU. If the supervisor wants to pay dinner from own grants, then note that the maximum total cost can be 700 SEK per external guest per day including lunch costs.)

Ämnesansvarig:

i)    appoints the internal reviewer, the committee members, and the opponent.
ii)    receives the recommendations from the internal reviewer, the committee members and the opponent.
iii)    provides a grading protocol to be signed after the seminar (it should be handed to the administrator responsible for course registration).

Internal committee member:

i)    is the examinator.
ii)    chairs the grading discussion directly after the seminar; the committee members, the opponent, and the supervisor should be present.
iii)    makes sure that the grade is documented in a written protocol, singed by the internal committee member and the supervisor.

The candidate:

i)    distributes a preliminary thesis to the internal reviewer in time.
ii)    distributes the thesis to the committee members, and opponent/discussion leader in time.
iii)    takes care of the printing of the thesis.
iv)    publishes in DiVA.