INFORMATION GUIDE TO THE DOCTORAL … · DOCTORAL PROGRAMME IN EUROPEAN UNION STUDIES 2014 2015 ....

INFORMATION GUIDE TO THE

DOCTORAL PROGRAMME IN

EUROPEAN UNION STUDIES

2014 2015

INFORMATION GUIDE TO THE DOCTORAL PROGRAMME IN


2014 2015

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PRESENTATION

1. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

The legal basis for the Doctorate in European Union is established in the following Spanish regulations:

Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies;

Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October, which regulates official university studies, amended by Royal

Decree 861/2010 of 2 July, amending the Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October, which established the

regulation of official university studies;

Royal Decree 1002/2010, of 5 August on the issuance of official university degrees;

Regulation governing Doctoral Studies and Doctoral Schools of 26 October, 2011; and

Internal regulations of the UNED Doctoral School

2. OBJECTIVE

The Doctorate in European Union studies is premised on the increasing importance of university studies

on the European Union, not only in Member States, but also in third countries where interest in the

European Union is growing day by day. The objective of the UNED Doctorate in European Union studies

of is to structure an area of Higher Education and Multidisciplinary Investigation on the European Union,

permitting the training of high-quality investigators and the preparation of doctoral theses in this

important field of studies and research.

3. EXTERNAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT

The Doctorate in European Union studies is part of the framework of European Doctoral Studies that

have been recently developed in the most important universities, both in European and in non-European

countries.

One of the special features of this Doctorate is its deeply multidisciplinary character, with the

participation of university professors from fourteen areas of knowledge belonging to the Spanish

National Distance Education University (UNED), the Complutense University of Madrid and the University

of Vigo.

This Doctorate in European Union studies is academically related to the Master’s Degrees in European

Union studies, which are offered at various Universities, and especially at the following:

UNED: Master in European Union. Person in Charge: Dr. Yolanda Gómez Sánchez. There are three

different Specialities, two in Spanish: Speciality Law, Speciality Economics/Politics and one in English:

Multilevel European Integration and Fundamental Rights.

AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA: Master in Public Law and Multilevel Integration Processes.

Person in Charge: Dr. Teresa Freixes Sanjuán

UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA: Master in European Constitutional Law. Person in Charge: Dr. Francisco

Balaguer Callejón

UNIVERSITY OF VIGO: Master in EU Policies and Territorial Cooperation. Person in Charge: Dr. Luis

Domínguez Castro.



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4. STRUCTURE OF THE DOCTORATE

The Doctorate on the European Union is structured in seven research areas (7) covered by three

research teams (3), each of them consisting of accredited professors from various scientific areas as

detailed in the Section "Research Areas and Research Teams".

The Doctoral programme has a total of fifty-nine (59) professors coming from fourteen (14) areas of

knowledge, in the Faculties of Law, Economics, Politics and Sociology, as well as History, from three

different universities as already mentioned: UNED, University Complutense of Madrid, and the University

of Vigo. In addition, the Doctorate is endorsed by the collaboration of a relevant number of Spanish and

non-Spanish professors from the Jean Monnet Centre of European Studies and other institutions (Refer

to the Section on “Collaborators”) who contribute their experience in European studies to the Doctoral

programme, which is the purpose of the “Jean Monnet Action” financed by the Education, Audiovisual

and Cultural Executive Agency (EACEA) through the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, professors and

modules, as well as through the other specific programmes of the Agency.

5. LANGUAGES

This Doctorate has Spanish and English as official languages. Other languages of the European Union

may also be used in the academic activities and in the preparation of the doctoral theses written within

the framework of the International Doctorate.

6. CONVENTIONS AND COLLABORATION

Conventions:

1) The Doctorate in European Union studies has a collaboration agreement with the University of

Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) enabling Ph. D. Students to prepare doctoral theses through a system

of joint supervision and research periods spent in that University.

2) UNED has also signed collaboration agreements with the Open University of Holland (Open

Universiteit Nederland) and with the University of Distance Learning in Hagen, Germany

(FernUniversität, Hagen) within the framework of the Erasmus Intensive Programme and Intercampus.

In the latter case, the agreement also includes the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Collaboration:

This Doctoral programme will benefit from collaboration with the following educational centres,

institutions, and associations:

1) The Centre of Excellence on European Integration and Globalization, held by professor Francisco

Balaguer of University of Granada

2) The Jean Monnet Chair, ad personam, on "The impact of the Lisbon Treaty on European integration",

held by Professor Lucia Serena Rossi and the "Centro Interdipartimentale Ricerce sul Diritto Europeo" of

the University of Bologna.

3) Graduate School in Law and Economics, University of Hamburg (Germany)

4) Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence University of Vigo, directed by Dr. Luis Domínguez Castro, Holder

of the Jean Monnet Chair, ad personam of the European Union

http://www.uvigo.es/uvigo_es/administracion/ori/profesores/jean_monnet/programa.html

5) AUDESCO-ECSA Spain (University Association of Community Studies)

http://www.ucm.es/info/audesco/

http://www.uvigo.es/uvigo_es/administracion/ori/profesores/jean_monnet/programa.html

http://www.ucm.es/info/audesco/



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6) Jean Monnet Chair, ad personam, for European Constitutional Law, headed by Dr. Teresa Freixes

Sanjuán, Autonomous University of Barcelona

http://eucatcons.uab.es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=167:master-europeu-en-

dret-i-politiques-de-la-unio-europea&catid=1:novetats&Itemid=53&lang=es

7) Jean Monnet Chair , ad personam, for European Constitutional Law and Globalization, headed by Dr.

Francisco Balaguer Callejón of the University of Granada http://www.ugr.es/~catedrajmonnet/

8) The Institute of History of Intolerance (Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation), directed by

Professor D. José Antonio Escudero, full professor of History of Law and former European MP.

http://www.uned.es/ihi/

9) Juan Mascareñas Pérez-Iñigo, Professor of Financial Economy of the Complutense University of

Madrid, as member of the AUDESCO Council (ECSA-Spain) and of the Board of ECSA-World (European

Community Studies Association). http://www.uic.es/en/ecsa

http://eucatcons.uab.es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=167:master-europeu-en-dret-i-politiques-de-la-unio-europea&catid=1:novetats&Itemid=53&lang=es

http://eucatcons.uab.es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=167:master-europeu-en-dret-i-politiques-de-la-unio-europea&catid=1:novetats&Itemid=53&lang=es

http://www.ugr.es/~catedrajmonnet/

http://www.uned.es/ihi/

http://www.uic.es/en/ecsa



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PROGRAMME COORDINATION

This Doctoral Programme is governed by both single-member and collegiate bodies.

The single-member governing bodies of the Doctorate are the General Coordinator and the Secretary.

General Coordinator of the Doctoral Programme:

Dr. Yolanda Gómez Sánchez

Full Professor of Constitutional Law,

Jean Monnet Chair, ad personam, of the European Union

Member of the Group of Legal Experts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

UNED Faculty of Law

Email: [email protected]

Secretary of the Doctoral Programme:

Dr. Cristina Elías Méndez

Professor of Constitutional Law

UNED Faculty of Law


Dr. Fernando Val Garijo

Associate Professor, Ph. D., International Public Law

UNED Faculty of Law


The collegiate bodies are the Doctoral Commission and the Executive Doctoral Commission.

a) The Doctoral Commission, composed of:

- The General Coordinator

- The Secretary

- A representative of each of the three research groups included in the Doctorate. Other members of the

groups, or other centres and research institutes, both national and international, may attend the

meetings, with speaking rights but no voting rights.

mailto:[email protected]





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- A representative of the doctoral students

- A representative of the Administrative and Services Staff

b) Executive Doctoral Commission:

- The General Coordinator

- The Secretary

- A representative of each of the three research groups included in the Doctorate. Other members of the

groups may attend the meetings, as non-voting members with speaking rights.

This Programme is part of the academic offer of the UNED Doctoral School created by a decision of the

UNED Governing Council of 23 October, 2012. This will allow for specific management mechanisms for

Doctoral studies to be created, and will provide the necessary infrastructure for the academic activities

of Doctoral students. It will also enable the development of partnerships, the projection of the results at

the international level, and the raising of funds needed to finance scholarships and research stays in

international centres, as well as the implementation of research projects.



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NUMBER OF VACANCIES

NUMBER OF VACANCIES AVAILABLE

A maximum number of 25 Ph. D candidates will be admitted to this Doctoral Programme on European

Union Studies.

60% (15) of these 25 vacancies are for students applying for the full-time Doctoral course, and 40%

(10) for students applying for the part-time Doctoral course. If the part-time vacancies are not

completely filled, the surplus may be awarded to full-time requests.

The criteria and procedure for the admission of part-time students is the same as for the admission of

full-time students.

Students can change their modality of dedication (part-time, full-time) in accordance with the rules of

UNED by expressly including this request in the request to continue with the doctoral studies that must

be made every academic year for registration.

The Academic Commission will resolve on the requests submitted in accordance with the following

criteria:

Prior academic record (LL.B, graduate, or equivalent, and Master, as the case may be): 30%

Student profile (previous studies, experience, or activities in European Law and/or European

Union): 50%

Knowledge of languages (order of priority: English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese,

others). The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages will be used to assess the ability

levels, and in each case, will be verified in a personal interview, by telephone or by means of

communication technologies such as videoconferencing or similar: 10%

Other (EU-related professional experience, positions or functions relating to the scope of the

Doctorate, publications, academic activities, etc.): 10%]



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ACCESS REQUIREMENTS AND ADMISSION CRITERIA

Prior information System

a) Access Profiles

The diversity of approaches within the scope of this Doctorate in European Union Studies, manifested in

the diversity of its faculty and academic teams (which include jurists, historians, economists and political

scientists from different areas of scientific knowledge), calls for an equally pluralistic access profile of Ph.

D. candidates. Although the recommended access profile for this Doctoral Programme targets students

holding degrees in Law, Economics and Business studies, Political Science and Sociology, Social Work or

History, candidates with other degrees are also eligible, as long they provide proof of studies and specific

knowledge of the European Union in their application.

As reflected in the selection scale, knowledge of languages is valued according to the system of levels of

the Common European Framework of Reference from a minimum level of A2.

b) Enrolled students

Once admitted to the Doctoral programme at the beginning of the first year, attendance to an

informative session on the general aspects of the Doctoral programme, both organizational and

academic, is mandatory for students. This session helps to contextualize the work to be developed and

also enables doctoral students and researchers of the programme to get to know each other, which

encourages teamwork. The main objective is to provide the doctoral students with preliminary

information about the academic programme of the Doctorate, as well as the necessary knowledge about

what a doctoral thesis is and which the preparation and defence stages are.

The schedule of this Open Day is as follows:

1) Bases of the Doctoral programme;

2) What is a doctoral thesis and how is it developed, specifically in the field of social issues?

In line with the specific methodology of UNED, this Open Day may be followed by the students

personally or online.

Access Requirements and Admission Criteria

a) General requirements: As a general access requirement, students must be included in one of the

situations listed in Article 6 of the Spanish Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28 January, which regulates official

doctoral studies, or in the second additional provision of the said Royal Decree. In accordance with the

current legislation and the regulations of UNED, to be eligible for the research period of the Doctoral

programme students must be in possession of an official Master's Degree, or an equivalent degree

issued by an institution of higher education of the European Higher Education Area. In addition, access is

open to students holding a title from educational systems outside the European Higher Education Area,

without the need for recognition, on verification that the title ensures a level of education equivalent to

the corresponding Spanish titles of Master's Degree and allows access to doctoral studies in the country

of issue. This admission does not imply, in any case, the official approval of the title held by the person

concerned, nor recognition for purposes other than the completion of a Doctoral Programme.

The suitability of the content of the previous studies carried out by the applicant will be assessed by the

Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme applying the above cited access scale.



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b) Part-time students: Given the special characteristics of UNED, in accordance with the first additional

provision of the Spanish Organic Law of Universities, and in order to comply with the provisions of Article

4 a) of the UNED Statutes (provide access to university education and the continuity of their studies to

all persons capable of pursuing higher education that choose the UNED system for its methodology or for

work-related reasons, economic reasons, residence or other) the Academic Commission may authorise

part-time studies for all those students who request it in their application. However, all recipients of aid

for full-time doctoral studies, regardless of the granting agency or entity, must enrol in and pursue their

studies full-time. For this reason, this Doctorate has established that 40% of the available vacancies

may be filled by students seeking to pursue a part-time Doctorate.

c) Attention for students with special needs:

The specific requirements of students with disabilities will be attended on two different levels:

- On the one hand, the UNIDIS (Centre of Attention for University Students with Disabilities -UNED), a

service dependent of the Vice Rector for Students, Employment and Culture, implements assistance and

collaboration policies for the benefit of all students with specific needs, so that they can enjoy the same

opportunities as other UNED students. UNIDIS also ensures equal opportunities for students with

disabilities at UNED and helps to suppress barriers to access, participation and learning for all persons

with disabilities that are members of the academic community.

http://portal.uned.es/portal/page?_pageid=93,154331&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL)

- On the other hand, the Academic Commission of the Doctorate in European Union, in close

collaboration with UNIDIS, will study the adaptations required to attend to students with disabilities and

ensure that their education is carried out with the same degree of quality and rigor as that of the rest of

the students, with the necessary adaptations in view of the degree and nature of their disability.

http://portal.uned.es/portal/page?_pageid=93,154331&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL



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SUPPLEMENTARY STUDIES

This Doctorate in European Union studies has not established any supplementary studies other than its

own Academic Activities, which are detailed in a later Section.

Activities to be carried out during the course can be either compulsory or optional, and will be duly

announced in advance.

Students may be called to attend specific follow-up sessions focused on the development of their

doctoral work.



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RESEARCH AREAS AND RESEARCH TEAMS

The Doctoral Programme is structured around seven research areas (7) and three research teams (3),

each of them made up by leading professors from various scientific areas as detailed in the Section

"Research Areas and Research Teams". Each team will have three professors with coordinating functions

within the group, and professors and lecturers professionally related to the research areas developed

under each team.

a) The research areas are as follows:

Area 1: Legal system, sources, and institutions of the European Union. European territorial system

Area 2: European citizenship and European integration

Area 3: Governance and Political and Economic Organization

Area 4: Origin and Evolution of the Multilevel System of Fundamental Rights

Area 5: Fundamental Rights in Europe and institutional guarantees

Area 6: Constitutional, international and EU jurisdiction, and jurisdiction of the European Court of Human

Rights

Area 7: Jurisdictional guarantees for fundamental rights

b) The research teams are as follows:

Team name:

EUROPEAN MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE LEGAL SYSTEM, SOURCES AND INSTITUTIONS.

EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL SYSTEM

Research areas under this team:

Area 1: Legal system, sources, and institutions of the European Union. European territorial system

Area 2: European citizenship and integration

Area 3: Governance and Political and Economic Organization

Professors-Doctors acting as Team Coordinators:

Dr. Antonio Torres del Moral

Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law UNED

Dr. Pedro Pablo MIRALLES SANGRO

Full Professor of Private International Law (UNED)

Dr. Lucrecio Rebollo Delgado



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Professor of Constitutional Law UNED

Faculty:

ABARCA, Ana Paloma / Full Professor of Private International Law (UNED)

GUZMÁN ZAPATER, Mónica / Full Professor of Private International Law UNED

MASCAREÑAS PÉREZ-IÑIGO, Juan / Full Professor of Financial Economics Complutense University

TORRES DEL MORAL, Antonio / Full Professor of Constitutional Law UNED

BARREIRO PEREIRA, Fernando / Professor of Macro-Economics UNED

CALVO GONZÁLEZ, José Luis / Professor of Economic Analysis UNED

CASTRO-RIAL GARRONE, Fanny / Professor of Public International Law, UNED. 2

DE DIEGO ÁNGELES, Pablo Luis / Professor of Applied Economics - UNED

DOMÍNGUEZ CASTRO, Luis / Professor of Contemporary History University of Vigo

FERNÁNDEZ MIRADA CAMPOAMOR, Carmen /Professor of Constitutional Law UNED

GARCÍA-ATANCE GARCÍA DE MORA, María Victoria / Professor of Constitutional Law UNED

GONZÁLEZ FERNÁNDEZ, Sara / Professor of Applied Economics University

HERRANZ, Mónica / Professor of Private International Law UNED

LACRUZ LÓPEZ, Juan Manuel / Professor of Criminal Law UNED

LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ, José Humberto / Professor of Economic Structure UNED

PALOMARES LERMA, Gustavo / Professor of Political Science UNED

JARILLO ALDEANUEVA, Álvaro / Associated Professor of Public International Law

Team name:

ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF RIGHTS. MULTILEVEL SYSTEM OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN THE

EUROPEAN UNION

Research areas carried under this team:

Area 4: Origin and Evolution of the Multilevel System of Fundamental Rights

Area 5: Fundamental Rights in Europe and their institutional guarantees


Dr. Yolanda Gómez Sánchez

Full Professor of Constitutional Law, UNED



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Holder of the Jean Monnet Chair, ad personam

Member of the Spanish Legal Team of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Evaluator for the European Research Council European Commission

Dr. Javier Alvarado Planas

Full Professor of History of Law and Institutions, UNED

Dr. Carlos Vidal Prado

Professor of Constitutional Law (accreditation as full professor), UNED

Faculty:

CIÁURRIZ LABIANO, Mª José / Full Professor of Ecclesiastical Law (UNED)

SOUTO GALVÁN, Esther / Full Professor of State Ecclesiastical Law (UNED)

BENDITO CAÑIZARES, María Teresa / Professor of Civil Law UNED

ELIAS MÉNDEZ, Cristina / Professor of Constitutional Law - UNED

MELENDO, Mariano / Professor of Criminal Law, UNED

MONTES SALGUERO, Jorge / Professor of History of Law and Institutions, UNED

NAVAS CASTILLO, Antonia / Professor of Constitutional Law, UNED

PÉREZ MARCOS, Regina / Professor of History of Law and Institutions, UNED

RODRÍGUEZ MOYA, Almudena / Professor of Ecclesiastical Law (UNED)

GUTIERREZ NOGUEROLES, Aurora / Associate Professor of Constitutional Law - UNED

NÚÑEZ MARTÍNEZ, María Acracia / Associate Professor of Constitutional Law, UNED

PÉREZ ÁLVAREZ, Salvador / Associate Professor of Ecclesiastical Law (Accredited as Professor), UNED

SANZ BURGOS, Raúl / Full-time Lecturer (Ph. D) of Philosophy of Law, UNED

BURGUERA AMENAVE, Leyre / Assistant Professor (Ph. D.) of Constitutional Law, UNED

NÚÑEZ FERNÁNDEZ, José / Assistant Professor (Ph. D.) of Criminal Law, UNED

TRILLO FIGUEROA, Eduardo / Part-time Lecturer (Ph. D.) of Public International Law, UNED

Team name:

MULTILEVEL JURISDICTION AND JURISDICTIONAL GUARANTEES IN EUROPE

Research areas carried under this team:

Area 6: Constitutional, international and EU jurisdiction and jurisdiction of the European Court of Human

Rights

Area 7: Jurisdictional guarantees for fundamental rights



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Dr. Vicente Gimeno Sendra

Full Professor of Procedural Law UNED

Dr. Pedro Julio Tenorio Sánchez

Full Professor of Constitutional Law UNED

Dr. Manuel Díaz Martínez

Professor of Procedural Law (Accreditation as Full Professor) UNED Faculty:

ESCOBAR HERNÁNDEZ, Concepción / Full Professor of Public International Law - UNED

CABEZUDO BAJO, Mª José / Associate Professor of Procedural Law (Accreditation as Professor) UNED

CALAZA LÓPEZ, Sonia / Professor of Procedural Law - UNED

ALONSO FURELOS, Juan Manuel / Professor of Procedural Law UNED

IBÁÑEZ LÓPEZ-POZAS, Fernando / Professor of Procedural Law UNED

GÓMEZ DE LIAÑO FONSECA-HERRERO, Marta / Associate Professor of Procedural Law - UNED

LÓPEZ-BAJARAS PEREA, Inmaculada / Associate Professor of Procedural Law (Accreditation as Professor)

UNED

LUACES GUTÍERREZ, Ana Isabel / Associate Professor of Procedural Law UNED

SERRANO TÁRRAGA, María Dolores / Associate Professor of Criminal Law UNED

VAL GARIJO, Fernando / Associate Professor of Public International Law UNED

VÁZQUEZ GONZÁLEZ, Carlos / Associate Professor of Criminal Law UNED

BOTICARIO GALAVÍS, María Luisa / Lecturer of Procedural Law UNED

LOZANO EIROA, Marta / Assistant Professor (Ph. D.) of Procedural Law UNED

GARCÍA GARCÍA-CERVIGÓN, Josefina / Full-time Lecturer (Ph. D) of Procedural Law - UNED

MARCOS MARTÍN, Teresa / Research Fellow (Ph. D.) - Public International Law - UNED

RODRÍGUEZ ARTACHO, Salvador / Ph. D., Lawyer – Part-time Lecturer of Constitutional Law UNED

SARRIÓN ESTEVE, Joaquín / Lecturer of Constitutional Law, University of Valencia

VACAS GARCÍA-ALOS, Luis / Ph. D., Judge of the Spanish Supreme Court.



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COMPETENCIES AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The competencies and skills to be mastered by doctoral students, and required in order to obtain the

title of Doctor, are in accordance with the qualifications laid down in the European Higher Education Area

are:

BASIC COMPETENCIES

CB11: Systematic understanding of a specific area of study and mastery of the skills and research

methods related to that area.

CB12: Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial research or creation

process.

CB13: Ability to contribute to expanding the frontiers of knowledge by means of original research.

CB14: Ability to perform a critical analysis with evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.

CB15: Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community, and society in general, on

areas of knowledge in the forms and language commonly used in the international academic community.

CB16: Ability to promote progress in science, technology, social sciences, art, or culture within a

knowledge-based society both in an academic and professional context.

PERSONAL CAPACITIES AND SKILLS

CA01: Achieve progress in contexts with scarce specific information.

CA02: Find the key questions that need to be addressed in order to solve a complex problem.

CA03: Plan, create, develop, and launch new and innovative projects in the corresponding area of

knowledge.

CA04: Work as a member of a team, or independently, in an international or multidisciplinary context.

CA05: Integrate knowledge, face complex issues, and make judgments with limited information.

CA06: A critical and intellectual defence of solutions.

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

In order that all Doctorate students at UNED acquire a standard, minimum, and transversal education,

and for them to acquire the skills and competencies described above, the University will organize various

academic activities, although it will be for the Academic Committee of the Doctoral programme to

determine the tools or courses through which the doctoral candidates will receive the necessary training

to acquire such skills.



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The academic activities will focus on the following content:

Introduction to the distant-learning Doctoral programme

Handling of bibliographic searches

Bibliographic database management tools

Qualitative evaluation of bibliographic sources

How to reference scientific and academic literature

Management and analysis of scientific data

Courses and workshops for dissemination and exchange of the research that has been

conducted.

Attendance at seminars and conferences to update and exchange scientific data.

At the beginning of each academic year, the Research Team will announce the academic activities to be

carried out during the academic year.

Students will have a personalized access to the UNED virtual learning platform aLf where the activity

plan and other information necessary to follow the Doctoral programme will be at their disposal.



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PROGRAMME ORGANISATION

A) BEST PRACTICES GUIDE

On 26 June, 2012, the UNED Governing Council adopted a Best Practices Guide (BPG) for monitoring

doctoral theses aimed at the detection of potential problems of scientific integrity, and at the adoption of

measures for the prevention of such problems by encouraging the performance of scientific activities in a

context of responsibility and accountability in line with the best values of academic excellence. The

Guide complements the current regulations on the preparation of doctoral theses at the University and

should inspire the behaviour of every member of the academic community, without prejudice to its

binding character for those who sign it as part of the document of Doctoral commitment attached as

Annex. The BPG contains a set of recommendations and commitments designed to enhance the research

quality and to protect the rights of doctoral students and professors who assume the responsibility of

supervising the doctoral thesis.

b) ENCOURAGING THE SUPERVISION OF DOCTORAL THESES

In the framework of this Doctorate, theses written under joint supervision, and theses written under the

International Doctorate system are encouraged. Whenever possible, there will be international experts in

the follow-up committees, the preliminary reports and in the Assessing Commission, and on a

compulsory basis when required by the regulations.

c) FOLLOW-UP OF DOCTORAL CANDIDATES

Article 14 of the Regulation of Doctoral Studies and UNED Doctoral Schools establishes the general

procedure for the supervision and follow-up of doctoral students. In particular, the first paragraph lays

down that "UNED will establish the system of supervision of Doctoral students by means of a document

of commitment signed by the University, the Doctoral student, the Tutor and the Supervisor in the form

determined". This commitment will be signed and sealed once the Supervisor of the thesis is appointed

after admission and must include a procedure for conflict resolution in the terms established in this

Regulation, and contemplate the aspects relating to the intellectual or industrial property rights that may

be generated in the field of Doctoral Programmes.

In order to be able to carry out the follow-up, the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme in

European Union studies shall conform to the general procedures established by the University according

to the models available on the UNED website in the following link:

In general, and to facilitate the follow-up of the doctoral students, as already indicated, the programme

has a Virtual platform (ALF) to which the Supervisor, the Tutor and the doctoral student have access. At

the beginning of each academic year, the doctoral student will find a list of academic activities to be

carried out in this virtual space, including obligatory activities to facilitate the acquisition of the

transversal competencies considered by the University as mandatory, as well as those activities that the

Supervisor and the doctoral student choose out of all those proposed for the programme. The Supervisor

of the thesis should indicate the material to be submitted by the doctoral student as evidence and record





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of the activities performed. These evaluations will allow the Supervisor to verify the compliance of these

activities and assess the work carried out.

All the activities carried out during the course by the doctoral student will be included in the Document

of Activities contained in the virtual space.

At the end of each academic year, the Document of Activities will be subject to evaluation by the

Academic Committee.

D) GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING AND PRESENTING A DOCTORAL THESIS

1) Content of the Doctoral Thesis

A Doctoral Thesis is an original research report prepared by the doctoral student, on any discipline, or

material, related to the scientific, technological, humanistic, or artistic field of the doctoral studies

undertaken. The University will establish the necessary procedures in relation to the selection and

registration of the topic of the thesis, as well as the language in which it is written, submitted and

presented, in order to ensure the quality of doctoral theses, both in the writing and evaluation process.

2) Supervision of the Doctoral Thesis

For the preparation of the Doctoral Thesis, the Doctoral Committee will appoint a Supervisor of the

thesis for every doctoral student. Supervisors will be appointed at the proposal of doctoral students

themselves, or of the faculty of the Doctoral Programme.

The Supervisor of the Thesis must hold a Ph. D. certificate and have a track record of research

experience. Compliance with the requirements established by UNED in this regard will imply that this

qualification will be considered a sufficient.

3) Approval of the planned Doctoral Thesis

The doctoral student must submit a thesis project, endorsed by a report from the Supervisor, and Co-

Supervisor if appropriate. This project will be admitted, or rejected, by means of a reasoned opinion

issued by the Doctoral Commission.

If admitted, the thesis project, together with the documentation and related reports, will be sent to the

Doctoral Management Section for processing and final approval by the UNED Commission on Research

and Doctoral Degrees.

Once the project is approved, the doctoral student must apply for and process the inscription of the

thesis.

4) Approval for defence of the Doctoral Thesis

Once the thesis has been completed and a favourable report obtained from the Supervisor, and Co-

supervisor if appropriate, the doctoral candidate must submit two copies of the thesis to the Doctoral

Commission in accordance with the wording, formatting, and binding requirements established by UNED

for the submission of doctoral theses.

Prior to the submission of the thesis, in order to obtain the authorization to present or publically defend

it, doctoral candidates are required to provide documentary evidence of having authored and published

some work related to the research topic of the thesis, or of having obtained the agreement of an editor

for the publication of the work. The publication must fall under the specific evaluation criteria arranged

by scientific fields established by a Resolution of the National Evaluation Commission on Research

Activities (CNEAI).



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INTERNAL SYSTEM OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Degree Quality Assurance system is part of the Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) of UNED.

The basic objectives of the UNED IQAS are to ensure the quality of doctoral degrees, their revision and

improvement, whenever necessary, based on the needs and expectations of the interest groups and

stakeholders, which will be informed in due time. This is intended to:

Respond to the commitment of satisfying the needs and expectations of society.

Provide the transparency required within the framework of the European Higher Education Area.

Include continuous improvement strategies

Arrange academic teaching initiatives in a systematic manner to effectively contribute to quality

assurance

Facilitate the accreditation process of the degrees offered by UNED Faculties and Schools.

The body in charge of the implementation of the IQAS is the Academic Committee of the Doctoral

Programme which, in coordination with the Commission of Internal Quality Assurance of the Faculty of

Law, shall ensure the implementation of the specific mechanisms and procedures for this follow-up,

carried out annually by means of analysis of the academic results and satisfaction of the various groups

involved in the doctoral programme (academic personnel, doctoral candidates and administrative and

services staff) taking into account the report issued by the person in charge of the Centre, which allows

to specify the improvements relevant for the proper functioning of the Doctoral Programme.

Sistema de Garantía Interna de Calidad de la UNED (AUDIT)

http://portal.uned.es/portal/page?_pageid=93,22134567,93_22134568&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTL

http://portal.uned.es/portal/page?_pageid=93,22134567,93_22134568&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTL



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Guía de Buenas Prácticas (Best Practices Guide)

ESCUELA DE DOCTORADO (Doctoral School)

Procedimiento de tesis doctorales (Doctoral Thesis Procedure)

USEFUL LINKS

http://portal.uned.es/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/UNED_MAIN/OFERTA/OFERTADOCTORADO/DOCTORADO%20R.D.%2099%202011/GU%C3%8DA%20DE%20BUENAS%20PR%C3%81CTICAS%20PARA%20LA%20SUPERVISI%C3%93N%20DE%20LA%20TESIS%20DOCTORAL.PDF





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MAILBOX FOR SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

In the following page Web de la Escuela de Doctorado, you may use the “Suggestions and Complaints"

Section to inform on any incidents that could arise.

Through the Student Support Centre (CAE), UNED also has a mailbox for suggestions and complaints at

the disposal of the entire university community. The suggestions or complaints should include the

identification of the applicant (name and ID number), the corresponding degree, subject, service or type

of studies, and should be sent by e-mail to [email protected]. Receipt of the

message will be acknowledged within 24 hours and the average response time to e-mails is two working

days

At any rate, in accordance with the Quality Assurance system approved by ANECA for UNED, the

maximum response time is 20 days.



INFORMATION GUIDE TO THE DOCTORAL … · DOCTORAL PROGRAMME IN EUROPEAN UNION STUDIES 2014 2015 ....

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