For preliminary examiners and opponents

Below is practical information and formalities for those of you who will be serving as a preliminary examiner or Opponent for a doctoral dissertation being submitted at Åbo Akademi University. If you should have any questions, you can always turn to the supervisor or Head of Subject who contacted you as well as Research Services at Åbo Akademi University.

(The instructions on this page are based on the Regulation on Doctoral Studies that came into force on November 1, 2025. For processes that started before November 1, 2025, please see steering documents linked at the end of this page.)

For preliminary examiners

 

At least two preliminary examiners are appointed by the head of department based on a proposal made by the head of subject for the doctoral researcher’s major subject. Preliminary examiners must possess the scientific competence of a docent or equivalent academic merits, and their primary occupation must be outside Åbo Akademi University.

A doctoral dissertation manuscript will be sent to you after passing the plagiarism control. In case of a monograph, the manuscript will also undergo an ÅAU internal language revision.

When you have received the manuscript, a reasoned, written statement shall be submitted within 30 days for an article-based dissertation, 60 days for a monograph. The statement shall

• be based on the assessment criteria,
• clearly state whether permission for a public defence will be granted or not, i.e. whether the manuscript is approved or not approved,
• be submitted to Research Services.

As a preliminary examiner you may suggest minor revisions, which the supervisor and doctoral researcher consider together before submitting the request for permission to defend. However, if the preliminary examination reveals significant deficiencies and the work does not meet the minimum requirements for a doctoral dissertation, it must be rejected.

For Opponents

 

One or two Opponents are appointed by the head of department based on a proposal made by the head of subject for the doctoral researcher’s major subject. Opponents must be docents or possess equivalent academic merits, and their primary occupation must be outside of Åbo Akademi University.

You will receive a digital version of the manuscript by no later than one month before the date of the public defense. The doctoral researcher will send a printed copy of the doctoral dissertation to you 10 days before the public defence.

The procedure for the public defence of a doctoral dissertation consists of:

• the Respondent’s lectio praecursoria
• your general statement on the doctoral dissertation
• your detailed examination of the doctoral dissertation and the Respondent’s defense
• your overall opinion of the doctoral dissertation, without a proposed grade

This part of the public defence should last at least two hours, but not exceed four hours. After this, the audience may also present comments on the doctoral dissertation. The total length of the public defence must not exceed five hours.

Immediately following the public defence, you will meet with the examination board to discuss the assessment criteria and grading scale.

After the public defence, you will have 7 days to submit a written report, along with a proposed grade, to Research Services.

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Please note:
Pre-examination processes and permissions for public defences granted with a decision made before November 1, 2025, shall follow the guidelines stated in the following, previous steering documents:

Instruction on doctoral studies

Regulation on doctoral studies