The formalities

Guide for organizing remote defenses

For the attention of the thesis director and jury chair

Given the Ordinance n° 2020-351 of March 27, 2020 relative to the organization of examinations and competitions during the health crisis born of the covid-19 epidemic, and given the decree of October 27, 2020, remote defenses (partial or total) are currently authorized after agreement of the President of the University.
In order to set up the practical organization of the remote defenses, please take note of the following information.

Thesis Directors are responsible for:

• The choice of the tool for the videoconference in consultation with the PhD student. The tool must allow the proper conduct of the videoconference defense; audio tools are not allowed.
• To ensure that all participants have access to the tool and that the tool works (audio, video, communication, display of slides) by organizing a test before the defense, with all participants.
• To transmit to all the members of the jury the Declarations on Honor (see document "Declaration on Honor") and to recover them, signed, before the defense. These signed declarations must be sent by email, along with the PV of the jury, to the UPHF Doctoral Studies Department.
• To organize a videoconference meeting (partial or total) with only the members of the jury before the defense in order to designate the President of the jury.
• To organize a meeting in video conference (partial or total) with only the members of the jury after the defense in order to establish the defense report and the choices in terms of dissemination of the thesis.
• To transmit to the President the PV of the jury to be completed and signed remotely.
• It is recommended to create 3 distinct meetings in the form of 3 connection links: the first one for the presentation (link provided to authorized participants), the second one for the deliberation (link provided only to the jury) and finally the third one for the proclamation of the result (link provided to authorized participants).
• The access of other participants to the videoconference defense is possible for non-confidential theses if it does not impact the quality and the good progress of the defense, in the good respect of the technical limits of the tool chosen for the videoconference. These third party participants cannot use the textual discussion (chat) and must keep their microphones closed. They must of course be excluded in the jury deliberations.

The Jury Chair

• Makes sure that the defense is well organized, and in particular ensures that the moments of confidentiality are well respected. He/she must therefore know how to use the videoconferencing tool and have the rights to make the necessary manipulations to ensure confidentiality during the deliberation, by momentarily excluding the doctoral student from the videoconference.
• Verifies the identification of jury members and ensures that only authorized individuals are logged into the various meetings.
• Drafts and signs the jury minutes.
• Details in the defense report whether the defense was held remotely, in accordance with Order 2020-351, and specifies which members of the jury were remote.
• All members of the jury and the doctoral student must remain in contact at all times during the defense and be able to have a continuous exchange. If these conditions are not met, the jury president may stop the defense and request its postponement.