Guidelines for Conducting a Professional Debate in PhD. Study at FCE CTU

1. The PhD. student applies for a debate over a professional study before the completion of a block of study. The block of study consists of passing a series of compulsory professional courses, language preparation completed by an examination in one foreign language and professional activity presented by the elaboration of a written study and a debate on the PhD. dissertation.
2. The professional study is written preparation for the dissertation. It contains a brief global review of the state of the art (summarised critical literature search) complemented with the current results of the student´s own work in the field of the dissertation topic. These results may also be presented by submitting a number of PhD. student´s publications. The recommended extent of the study is 20 pages in the A4 format.
3. The study is the subject of a debate over the dissertation at the Supervising Department which becomes the basis for the final name and the content of the dissertation.

1. Explicit members of the board for holding a professional debate are: the Supervisor, the Specialist Supervisor (if appointed), the Head of the Supervising Department and the Chairperson of the Branch Board, or another member of the respective Branch Board appointed by the Chairperson (Art. 31 par. 7 of the Study and Examination Code for Students of CTU in Prague (SEC CTU)).
2. The Board has at least three members. The Supervisor and the Opponent (Opponents) are the Board members with the right to vote but they cannot chair the Board.
3. The Head of the Supervising Department appoints at least one Opponent of the study.
4. The Board has a quorum if the absolute majority of its members, but at least three members, are present.
5. The Board makes decisions through majority vote for accepting or non-accepting a professional study. If a study is not accepted, the Board also decides on the reasons for its non-acceptance.
6. In the case of equal votes, the Chairperson´s vote is decisive.
7. The Board is usually chaired by the Branch Board Chairperson. The Branch Board Chairperson appoints another chair from among the Branch Board members if:
• he/she cannot participate in the debate,
• he/she is the supervisor of the PhD. student undergoing the debate.

1. The PhD. student applies for holding a professional debate no longer than 8 weeks before the completion of their block of study. The block of study is scheduled for the maximum of 4 semesters in full-time study and the maximum of 6 semesters in combined study (Art. 31. par. 8 SEC CTU). The application is submitted to the Head of the Supervising Department on a prescribed form. Together with the application, the following enclosures are submitted:
• Graduated subjects (confirmed by Science and Research Department)
• Excerpt from the database of CTU publications (V3S component)
• Copies of three major publications (if the PhD. student has published)
• Name of the professional study and its abstract (the recommended maximum length of the abstract is 200 words)
2. The professional study must be submitted to the Head of the Supervising Department in the written and electronic form no later than three weeks before the debate is held, who, in turn, may permit a later date of submission.
3. The Head of Supervising Department sets the place and time of the professional debate at least three weeks before it is held and invites the PhD. student to it. At the same time, he/she ensures the delivery of the PhD. student´s professional study to the Branch Board Chairperson and the appointed Opponent.
4. The Head of Supervising Department invites the Board members to the professional debate at least two weeks before it is held.
5. The PhD. student must be able to read the Opponent´s review at least two working days before the debate is held.
6. Minutes of the debate over the professional study are made and signed by the Board Chairperson and all Board members present. The Board Chairperson ensures the delivery of the minutes, including the Opponent´s review, to the Science and Research Department no later than on the seventh day following the holding of the debate.

1. In the course of the debate, the PhD. student first presents the major parts of the study and the suggested name and content of the dissertation to the Board.
2. Opponents´ and Supervisor´s reviews are read, and the PhD. student responds to them.
3. This is followed by a professional debate of the Board members and the PhD. student over the professional study, the suggested name and content of the dissertation.
4. The debate is finished by the Board´s decision on the approval (disapproval) of the results of the professional study.
5. In the case that the Board decides on its disapproval of the conclusions of the study and suggests its rewriting, it sets the date of a repeated debate, no later than within three months from the date of the unsuccessful debate. This does not extend the length of study, but only moves the date of the completion of a block of study.