Professor from the UNWE Participated in International Commissions on Conferring Doctoral Degree at The Netherlands University

Prof. D.Sc.(Soc.) Elka Todorova from the Economic Sociology Department took part in the work of three International Commissions of Conferring Doctoral degree at Brabant University, Tilburg, Netherlands.

The Commissions comprise of five professors, experts in the relevant field of defended Doctoral theses. The members are chosen by the academic staff of each Department and they are appointed by the Rector of the university for “opponents”. In the Commissions is also included one representative of Rector`s management body. The work of the members is to review the theses in terms of two or three months before the date of public defence as well as to ask questions during the public defence.

The ceremony on the implementation of the public defence is very solemn and its scenario has been performed for 90 years and the changes in it are just a little bit. The Doctoral student has the right to defend together with a supporter presented by him – very often it is a member of the family. The opponents ask questions unknown to the Doctoral student in advance. The procedure duration is 90 minutes and its beginning and end is announced by the so called public crier.