International PhD collaboration

Joint supervision and relevant collaboration partners

DTU collaborates with a number of international partner universities on joint supervision of PhD students.  

What is joint supervision?

Most PhD students at DTU complete their PhD with an external co-supervisor. The external co-supervisor can be employed at a university, research institution or company in Denmark or abroad and be active researchers within the relevant research area.

To increase mobility among PhD students and to strengthen the collaboration with strategic partners, DTU offers the opportunity to take part in more formalized agreements on joint supervision. DTU has strategic framework agreements on joint supervision with the following universities:

• University of Queensland (UQ), Australia
• Universities in the NordicFiveTech Alliance
  • Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway
  • Aalto University, Finland

• Universities in the Eurotech Alliance
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
  • Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), France
  • Technion, Israel
  • Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), The Netherlands
  • Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany

Practical information

• The PhD student can register in a joint supervision programme at any time during the PhD. If the PhD student registers when applying for academic approval, this must be noted at the application form. If the PhD student registers during the program PA&D must be notified,
• The PhD student must spend a substantial amount of time at the partner university and have a co-supervisor from the university in question.
• The PhD diploma supplement will mention that the PhD project took place under joint supervision. The PhD student will receive a single PhD degree from DTU (not a double or joint degree).
• The partner university will usually require that the PhD student enter into a visiting scientist agreement with the part university in question.  

PhD students from the above-mentioned partner universities, coming to DTU for a research visit, will need to enter into a visiting scientist agreement with DTU. Also please consult the guidelines for guest researchers/guest PhDs.

Double PhD degrees

DTU may from time to time enter into a general agreement with a partner university about a double degree scheme. DTU will only do this if such a scheme is of significant importance to the partner university.    

Further, DTU accepts double degree arrangements in connection with PhD projects under MSCA joint doctoral networks, as we are subject to EU regulations. 

1. Which universities does DTU offer double degrees to?

DTU wishes to strengthen the collaboration between DTU and our strategic partner institutions and bring together our unique teaching and research. To reach this goal DTU offers the possibility of PhD collaboration via joint supervision and joint publication. 

In special cases, DTU does enter double degree agreements with other universities. These agreements are reserved for our Strategic Alliance partners and institutions with a formal double EU PhD agreement – e.g. through Marie Curie Joint Doctoral programmes. This document describes DTU’s rules for entering double degree agreements in these special cases.

2. Definitions

A partner University is the university with which DTU wishes to offer a double degree. 

A PhD student has primary enrolment at the home University. 

The partner institution is host to a PhD student who wishes to obtain a second, or double PhD in addition to the diploma from their home institution.

A partner PhD student has home institution at a partner university.

3. Default PhD rules

Unless otherwise stated, the home university rules apply.

4. Dispensation and appeals

Dispensation from these rules and appeals are decided by DTU's Provost. Formal complaints can be made according to section 29 of the PhD Order.

5. Rules for PhD students enrolled at DTU as home institution

PhD students enrolled at DTU as home institution are subject to the standard DTU PhD rules and must meet the requirements set forth in the Danish PhD Order.

If a PhD student enrolled at DTU wishes to obtain a double degree at a partner institution, then they may need to meet additional requirements as specified by the partner institution besides the requirements set forth by DTU and the Danish PhD order. If these requirements cannot be aligned, DTU rules must be followed. 

Read DTU's standard agreement for double degrees