Policy: Joint and dual award PhD degree

Purpose

This document outlines the procedure for establishment and approval of Joint and Dual Award PhD degrees.

Overview

ANU is committed to the delivery of high quality research training of PhD candidates through the provision of an exceptional research environment and access to the opportunities to work with the best researchers nationally and internationally. ANU offers Joint and Dual Award PhD degrees through approved partnerships as one mechanism to deliver excellence in research and research training. The ANU Research Award Rule is the overarching legislation for this Policy.

Scope

This policy applies to PhD programs only.

Definitions

Joint Award - is the award of a single Doctor of Philosophy degree to participating candidates upon successful completion, where the jointly awarded nature of the degree and the name and insignia of the other Institution, will be indicated on a single testamur awarded by the Home Institution.

Dual Award - is awarded by two collaborating institutions issuing two testamurs, each recognising that the program was carried out as part of a dual award.

An Institutional Joint or Dual Award PhD Program refers to a program agreed at an institution-to-institution level, for an agreed period, for a cohort of students. Such a program will normally but not always come under an overarching agreement for research cooperation between the institutions, which is typically signed by the VC or their Delegated Authority. Where no general agreement on research cooperation is in force, the agreement to establish an institutional PhD program will be signed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research) (PVC-GR). Two institutions may establish an institutional PhD agreement without a candidate being identified in advance.

An Individual Joint or Dual Award/Cotutelle Program refers to a one-off, non-continuing program arranged for a single individual without an institutional-level agreement.

Home Institution: is the institution designated as the primary coordinating institution of a candidate undertaking a Joint or Dual Award PhD, normally on the basis that it invites the candidate to apply for the program and provides a greater share of resources throughout the candidature, and is the institution at which the candidate intends to spend the greater period of time.

Host Institution: is an institution other than the home institution of a candidate undertaking a Joint or Dual Award PhD, to which the candidate will travel to undertake part of their program.

Partner Institution refers to the non-ANU institution in a Joint or Dual Award PhD.

Institutional Agreement: This is an over-arching agreement between the ANU Research School/College/ANU and another institution that aims to establish a long-term research collaboration. These agreements can be initiated by either the ANU or the partner institution. They are established when institutions want multiple/cohort of candidates to enrol in the Joint and Dual/Cotutelle program over a long period of time. The agreement specifies the requirements, governance, commitments and clauses for the program established under it and applies to all the candidates who enrol in such programs.

Individual Agreement: This is an agreement that is set up between ANU, the partner institution and an individual candidate for their Joint and Dual/Cotutelle program. When there is no overarching agreement an individual agreement can be initiated by either the ANU, the partner institution or the candidate. The clauses in this agreement only apply to the parties included in the agreement and for the duration mentioned. Individual Agreements must be completed for every candidate even if an overarching Institutional Agreement exists with a partner institution.

Policy statement

1. ANU offers Joint and Dual Award PhD programs where they are beneficial to ANU and its students through:

1. Expansion of the University’s research collaborations through enhancing links and research collaborations to research-intensive institutions; and/or
2. allowing candidates:

• to experience multiple research environments,
• benefit from complementary expertise and facilities,
• research training opportunities in other institutions; and/or

3. Increased engagement with partners and leading Universities including members of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU).

2. ANU ensures that for all Joint and Dual Award PhDs:

1. The requirements of the ANU Research Awards Rule are met
2. The programs meet ANU requirements for establishment of approved partnerships
3. The programs are consistent with the Research standards in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards)
4. There are mechanisms in place to assure the quality of the program
5. There is evidence of existing or prospective research links that will benefit from the collaboration.

Institutional Joint or Dual Award PhD Program

3. ANU may establish an Institutional Joint or Dual Award PhD Program with another higher education institution. PhD candidates are supervised by an ANU supervisor and a supervisor at the approved partner institution.

1. For an institutional Joint Award PhD Program, one testamur is awarded, bearing the Arms and Delegated Signatures of both institutions.
2. For an institutional Dual Award PhD Program, two testamurs are produced, one by each institution. The testamurs reference the collaborative study arrangement unless an alternative is approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on the basis of restrictions arising from local legislative requirements.

4. The Institutional Joint or Dual PhD Program agreement that is signed between ANU and the approved collaborating University is for a specified period, and is available to a cohort of candidates.
5. A Candidature Agreement for Joint or Dual Award /Cotutelle PhD Program outlines specific conditions of the candidature and examination that are not covered in the other documents that relate to the Program.
6. The number of students incoming under an institutional agreement is expected to be comparable to the number of students outgoing.

Individual Dual Award/Cotutelle PhD Program

7. An Individual Dual Award/Cotutelle PhD Program agreement must be signed by Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research) and the equivalent delegate from the partner institution.
8. PhD Candidates are supervised by an ANU supervisor and a supervisor at the approved partner institution.
9. Two testamurs are awarded, one by each institution, but referencing the collaborative study arrangement at each institution unless an alternative is approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on the basis of restrictions arising from local legislative requirements.
10. The Candidature Agreement for Joint or Dual Award /Cotutelle PhD Program outlines the specific conditions of the candidature and examination.
11. A Dual Award PhD is referred to as a Cotutelle only where the partner institution is a French University. The testamur records that the program is a Cotutelle PhD.

Candidature

12. Candidates enrolled in a Joint or Dual Award PhD are required to spend at least one year at ANU and one year at the approved partner institution during their degree.
13. Candidates must commence the Joint or Dual Award program within the first 12 months of candidature at either institution unless later entry is approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research) (PVC-GR)
14. ANU and the partner institution waive tuition fees of Joint and Dual Award PhD students for the periods when they are the host institution. Fees may continue to be required by the home institution.
15. Subject to meeting requirements approved by the PVC-GR), a student may at any stage transfer from a Joint or Dual Award PhD to a PhD program at ANU.

Approval

16. Approval of an ANU Joint or Dual Award PhD Program is based on the merits of the case presented as specified in the Procedure.
17. All Proposals to Establish a Joint or Dual Award PhD Program are signed off by the PVC-GR on the recommendation of the relevant Associate Dean of the College.
18. Where the Joint or Dual Award PhD Program comes under an overarching Head Agreement or MOU between institutions, the Head Agreement is signed off by the Vice Chancellor.
19. Joint PhD Degrees require CRICOS registration for the specific joint degree program.
20. Where the Joint or Dual Award PhD program is with an international partner the agreement must align with the Policy: International partnerships and agreements.