International recognition on Doctoral certificates

International Doctorates

UPNA doctoral theses which are prepared and defended in accordance with the following requirements will merit the award of an International Doctorate:

• During the educational period, the PhD student must spend at least three months outside Spain at a higher education institution or respected research centre, either pursuing studies or performing research work.
• Part of the doctoral thesis, at least the summary and the conclusions, must be written up and presented in one of the usual languages for academic papers in the relevant field of knowledge, other than any of the official languages of Spain. This rule is not applicable when the periods abroad are spent in a Spanish-speaking country and the reports and experts are from such a country.
• The two external reviewers must belong to a non-Spanish higher education institution or research institute.
• At least one member of the committee examining the thesis must be a specialist Doctor belonging to a non-Spanish higher education institution or research centre, and may not be the person in charge of the period abroad mentioned in the first section.
• The thesis must be defended at the Public University of Navarre or, in the case of joint doctoral programmes, at any of the universities taking part or according to the terms defined in the relevant collaboration agreement. 

Procedure 

1.- An application for recognition of an international doctorate must be submitted when the thesis is submitted, together with the following documentation:

• Certification issued by the foreign Higher Education or Research Centre stating that the student completed the period abroad referred to in the previous article. The certification must record the start and end dates of the period.
• Reports from the supervisor or supervisors of the thesis and the academic committee for the programme regarding the application.
• The foreign language chosen for the defence of the thesis must be specified in the application.

2.- In view of the documentation presented, the report of the examining committee proposed for defence of the thesis, the report of the external reviewers and other reports which it may require, the Doctoral School of Navarre will reach a decision as to whether the applicant may opt for recognition. The interested party, the thesis supervisor or supervisors and the academic committee for the doctoral programme will be informed as to the School’s decision.

3.- The file for the defence of doctoral theses which may be recognised for the award of an "International Doctorate" will include an additional section to be filled in by the examining committee.