¹ This order sets out the conditions, procedure and competent authorities for the granting of the doctorate by the Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

² The duties of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs may be delegated to the Dean responsible for doctoral training, excluding the tasks referred to in Art. 15, para. 4, 16, para. 1, and 18, para. 3. ¹

³ The terms and conditions are set out in EPFL direction directives. ²

¹ The EPFL awards the title of Doctor of Science (Doctor of Science or PhD) certifying that the holder has provided a personal and original scientific work and has successfully completed a doctoral study plan (s. 3, para. 3), and is therefore capable of engaging in high level scientific research.

² The EPFL publishes the names of the individuals to whom it awards the title of doctor.

³ The titles of doctors awarded by the EPFL in co-supervision with other institutions are governed by specific agreements.

⁴ Honorary doctors receive the title of doctor, in addition to the mention "Honoris causa" (c.) (art. 23).

¹ Doctoral training is carried out in the framework of a doctoral programme.

² A commission directs each program. It consists of the Programme Director, who chairs it, and at least two other EPFL teachers, as well as a representation of the PhD students. Its members are appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

³ In their studies, the programme committees set out study plans, which affect ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits for controlled studies.

May require PhD admission:

A.

The holders of a diploma or master issued by a FIF;

B.

Holders of a diploma in physical or natural sciences awarded by a high school in Switzerland which allows for a doctoral dissertation in this high school without prior examination;

C.

Holders of a university degree whose level corresponds to a Master EPF;

D.

Holders of another university degree recognized by the EPFL.

¹ The applicant shall request in writing his admission to a doctoral programme of the EPFL to the Director of the Programme. He shall attach to his application the documents required for the constitution of his file. ²

² The director of the programme shall decide on the committee's notice of admission with or without conditions (para. 5). ³

³ It takes into account the applicant's level of excellence, as well as the availability to the EPFL of the management resources and the logistical means necessary to carry out the thesis.

⁴ An applicant who has completed a thesis in a discipline similar to or related to that envisaged is not accepted as a PhD candidate at the EPFL. An applicant who has failed or abandoned the conduct of a thesis in a discipline similar or related to that envisaged may be admitted as a PhD candidate at the EPFL only on the exceptional authorisation of the Vice-President for Business Academic. Art. 17 is reserved.

⁵ The applicants referred to in s. 4, let. D, must establish that their knowledge corresponds to those sanctioned by a master EPF. To this end, the Director of the Programme shall determine on a case by case basis the conditions which must be met in advance of the application. If an applicant does not meet the conditions set out in the allotted time, he is definitively eliminated from the doctoral training. ⁴

⁶ As soon as the application for admission is accepted, the applicant is authorised to register for the first year of doctoral studies. ⁵

¹ Any doctoral candidate is subject to the application at the end of the first year of doctoral studies.

² The objective of this review is to test the candidate's ability to carry out an independent research work and to write a thesis thesis. Its terms and conditions are defined in the Program Study Regulations.

³ If unsuccessful, the scan can be repeated once.

¹ The applicant draws up a research plan that specifies the subject of the thesis, the method of research and the timetable of the work it intends to undertake. ²

² It shall draw up the research plan within 12 months from the date of registration. ³

³ The applicant draws up the research plan in one of the official languages of Switzerland or in English, in agreement with his future thesis supervisor.

⁴ ... ⁴

¹ Is allowed to prepare a thesis the candidate who has:

A. ²

Successfully completed the application process;

A ^Bis . ³

Obtained the agreement of a thesis supervisor to follow his doctorate;

B.

Established a research plan approved by the thesis supervisor and endorsed by the program director;

C. ⁴

Acquired the credits required by the doctoral study plan for the first year of doctoral studies.

² The Vice-President for Academic Affairs shall decide, on the proposal of the Programme Director, for admission to the preparation of the thesis and shall notify the candidate of its decision.

¹ The subject of the thesis is part of a scientific branch which is the subject of teaching or research at the EPFL.

² It is generally necessary to allow the completion of the thesis within four years from the registration of the candidate, the minimum duration required up to the oral examination (Art. 15) being two years. ¹

¹ The work is followed and directed by a thesis supervisor. The latter is, in general, a professor or master of education and research (SEA) of the EPFL. The Vice-President, Academic Affairs, may authorise derogations.

² The Vice President for Academic Affairs may authorize a thesis work to be followed by two thesis directors. Only one of these thesis directors, under the EPFL, responds to decisions concerning the conduct of the thesis towards the candidate and the school.

³ The applicant submits a progress report on the work to the thesis supervisor each year. The Chief Electoral Officer gives his or her opinion in writing and reports to the Program Director within one month.

⁴ If the status of the candidate's work or knowledge is considered insufficient, the Vice-President, Academic Affairs:

A.

Notify the candidate of the conditions to be met and set a time limit;

B.

Excludes doctoral studies.

⁵ The thesis supervisor may require the candidate to follow certain appropriate lessons.

¹ The thesis must be carried out at the EPFL or in a research institution in the field of EPF.

² The Program Director may authorize the completion of work outside the FIF, provided that the thesis supervisor agrees and the applicant has unqualified access to the required facilities. ¹

¹ The Program Director shall endeavour to eliminate significant differences of opinion between the applicant and the thesis supervisor. The Vice President for Academic Affairs decides if no agreement is reached.

² The Director of the Programme shall ensure, to the extent possible, that the applicant can continue his thesis in the event that the thesis supervisor is unable to perform his duties.

¹ The candidate writes his thesis in one of the official languages of Switzerland or in English, in agreement with the thesis supervisor.

² Upon presentation of a written application by the applicant supported by the thesis supervisor, the Vice President for Academic Affairs may authorize the candidate to write his or her thesis in another language.

³ The candidate writes a summary of his thesis in one of the official languages of Switzerland and English.

The jury designated by the Vice President for Academic Affairs includes:

A.

The program director, or his or her alternate, who chairs the board;

B.

The thesis supervisor;

C.

An internal rapporteur and two rapporteurs external to the EPFL; the Vice-President for Academic Affairs may authorise a derogation if the thesis covers more than two disciplines.

¹ The thesis supervisor and the rapporteurs each draw up a report in which they give their opinion on the thesis.

² The board made an oral examination of the thesis and its scientific context to the candidate. ¹

³ For the doctoral thesis and the oral examination, the board gives the assessment "succeeded" or "succeeded with reservation" or "failed".

⁴ The "successful" appraisal means that substantial additional work, which may relate to the substance or the form of the thesis and whose duration should not exceed six months, is necessary. The Vice President for Academic Affairs decides on the acceptance of the conditions set by the jury. ²

¹ On the basis of the board's proposal, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs decides whether or not to grant the doctor's diploma to the candidate. ¹

² The candidate who passed the oral examination and whose thesis was accepted is called to present his thesis during a public defense. ²

³ The capacity must be held no later than six months after the oral examination.

⁴ He obtains the title of doctor only after the decision to grant him the diploma has been taken, that he has submitted to the EPFL the original of his thesis in the required form, taking into account any proposals of the jury and that the defense has taken place. ³

In the event of a failure on the oral examination, the candidate may, repeat the oral examination, reshuffle his thesis or present a new one within the time limit fixed by the Vice-President for Academic Affairs on the proposal of the Selection Board.

¹ The doctor's degree refers to the name, date and place of birth of the graduate, the academic title awarded, the title of the thesis and the date of the public defense. ²

² He also mentioned the EPFL doctoral program followed successfully. ³

³ It is issued in the name of the EPFL and bears the signatures of the President, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and the thesis director, as well as the seal of the EPFL.

The thesis accepted by the jury is published in extenso. The procedures are set out in the Directives.

The ordinary doctoral candidate is liable to pay the fee provided for in the Ordinance of 31 May 1995 on taxes in the field of FIF ¹ The fee for the admission procedure is included in this amount.

¹ The writer of the thesis is considered to be his author within the meaning of copyright law. Subject to para. 2, it holds all copyright rights.

² In the non-profit making of the content of the thesis, the EPFL has the non-exclusive right to publish and use all or part of the thesis if it has supported the author by financing its work or by providing logistical means to its Provision. ¹

The Ordinance of 24 March 2004 on Immaterial Goods and Participation in the FIF ² Governs intangible property created in the course of the thesis and other than those referred to in s. 21.

The title of doctor "Honoris causa" Is awarded in accordance with Art. 20, para. 2, of the Act of 4 October 1991 on EPF ² , on proposal of the conference of deans.

This order shall enter into force on 1 ^Er February 1998.