Application for a thesis defence

Instructions to form 9 (version 2024-03-15) (PDF, 170.75 KB)

Form 9, Application for public defence or licentiate seminar (version 2024-03-15) (Word, 81.83 KB)

Flowchart (PDF, 85.17 KB)

Form – Reports on the doctoral student´s learning and development as a researcher including achievement of outcomes for degree (part 3) (Word, 163.86 KB)

Examination Board and Opponent

For further information The examination board and opponent

Fee to the opponent

The opponent’s fee is SEK 15,000. Note that no fee is paid to an opponent who is employed at, or affiliated to, KI.

Important information regarding opponents from other countries:

For these, a so-called SINK decision is required (SINK = special income tax). Use the Swedish Tax Agency's form SKV 4350 (English version: 4350a). A coordination number is also required, and according to new rules, the person applying for a coordination number must appear in person for an identity check at the Swedish tax office or at selected embassies. To avoid this, it is important that the SINK application states a reason why the person cannot appear for an identity check, for example that he/she will only be working for a few days in Sweden.

Avoiding conflict of interest (COI)

The requirements on the impartiality and objectivity of the Examination Board members and opponents are extremely high. This is in your interests, as such demands help to prevent subsequent allegations of irregularities. If there is the slightest reason for others to doubt the objectivity of the Examination Board, it would mean that your interests have not been looked after sufficiently.

The following documents are available to help you judge whether a conflict of interest situation exists:

COI as defined by the Administrative Procedure Act

According to the Administrative Procedure Act, conflict of interest refers to any circumstances in which a member of a decision-making body engaged in a discussion about, or the presentation of specific material can be assumed to lack objectivity of opinion. The opponent and members of an Examination Board must thus have absolutely no connection with you personally, your supervisor or your project.

Karolinska Institutet’s COI rules

Guidelines on conflict of interest (COI) (PDF, 499.9 KB)

The Swedish Research Council’s COI rules

The Swedish Research Council (VR) has also issued general COI rules:

The Swedish Research Council’s COI rules

The VR’s Scientific Council for Medicine and Health has defined how its COI rules are to be applied, specifying the following:

A conflict of interests arises if there has been scientific collaboration and joint production over the past five year period. A co-authored article is sufficient to be considered joint production.
A conflict of interests may arise for periods longer than five years if the collaboration has been particularly close.
The relationship between a postgraduate student and his/her supervisor is considered a matter of conflict of interest, regardless of how long ago the collaboration took place.
An exception from the 5-year rule can be made in the event of collaboration in the form of multicentre studies, which are judged on individual merits.

Many factors are taken into consideration by the Dissertation Committee when judging the suitability of an opponent or a member of the Examination Board. Sometimes it is a matter of clear-cut COI, but situations also arise in which a reviewer is considered unsuitable owing to lack of objectivity despite there having been no formal breach of the COI rules. The purpose of these decisions is to prevent situations in which objectivity can be called to question.