Regulations

Article 1.

These Regulations regulate the organization and implementation of PhD programmes at the School of Dentistry (hereinafter: the School).

Article 2.

The Faculty organizes and conducts University postgraduate studies in the field of Biomedicine and health, and conducts the procedure for obtaining the academic degree of Doctor of Science in this field in accordance with the Law on Scientific Activity and Higher Education. The study program is adopted by the University Senate on the proposal of the Faculty Council.

Article 3.

The Faculty Council establishes the The Board for Postgraduate Sudies as its permanent body (hereinafter: the Board) in order to harmonize the criteria and activities of PhD process. The Board has an odd number of members and, as a rule, consists of employees of the School with scientific-teaching position.

Article 4.

The study is conducted through scientific research and teaching according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The PhD program finishes with the preparation and defense of the Doctoral Thesis. The Doctoral Thesis is written and defended in the Croatian language. In some cases, upon the well reasoned and justified request of the applicant, writing and defense in English may be approved.

Article 5.

Full-time PhD program takes, as a rule, three years. Participants in the doctoral study are required to complete the study within seven years from the date of enrollment. Classes are conducted according to accepted teaching programs in the form of lectures, seminars, exercises, consultations and other forms of teaching.

Article 6.

The student is obliged to report on the results of their scientific research work during their studies. At the end of each study year, the student must submit to the Board an annual report on the research content and results, and published papers.

Article 7.

The decision on announcing the Tender (call for applications) for enrollment of candidates for PhD programme is made by the Faculty Council. As a rule, the public application call is announced twice a year and is announced in the daily press. The Tender contains: the name of the study, enrollment conditions, maximum and minimum number of students, tuition fees, list of documents required to apply for the competition, deadline for submitting applications for the competition, and other conditions published on the bulletin-board and on the Schools website.

Article 8.

Candidates submit their applications using the electronic form available on the Internet and on other prescribed forms, which are an integral part of the application procedure. The application includes a proposal of the field of work, a proposal of a mentor, and an explanation of the chosen scientific field.

Article 9.

Candidate to a PhD programme may be a person who has completed the university graduate programme at School of dental medicine or university integrated undergraduate and graduate programme in the scientific field of Biomedicine and Health Sciences and related field with 300 ECTS and with a grade point average of at least 4,0, respectively in the grading system 5-10 or AF grade point average of at least 8.51 for full-time students. For part-time students grade equal to or greater than 3.51 (in the system of grades 1-5), equal to or greater than 7.51 (in the system of grades 5-10) is acquired. Active knowledge of English (proven by an appropriate certificate or based on a test organized by the School of Dentistry) is prerequisite. An interview with the applicant is a mandatory part of the enrollment process. Candidates who have completed university graduate studies abroad are required to submit a a positive decision on the academic recognition of a foreign degree of higher education before enrolment.

Individual general courses can be enrolled by candidates of other doctoral studies with recommendation of a mentor.

Article 10.

A student may request recognition and transfer of previously collected ECTS credits based on: completed postgraduate study, passed exams and defended master's thesis in the country or abroad, completed specialist study and passed exams at the dental school in the country or abroad, partially or fully completed doctoral study and passed exams at another university at home or abroad. The concordance of the ECTS system is assessed and determined by the Board.

Article 11.

ECTS credits are admitted:

• to enroll in the fifth semester of PhD programme, it is necessary to achieve 120 ECTS credits, a master's degree carries 90 credits, a scientific paper published in a journal cited in Current Contents carries 20 credits, and a scientific paper published in other peer-reviewed journals carries 5 points. Participation in a scientific project financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia carries 30 points.

• for enrollment in the third semester of PhD programme, it is necessary to achieve 60 ECTS credits; completed scientific postgraduate study with passed all exams carries 50 points, a scientific paper published in a journal cited in Current Contents carries 20 points, and a scientific paper published in other peer-reviewed journals carries 5 points. Participation in a scientific project financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia brings 30 points.

• for candidates who have completed postgraduate specialist study - 30 ECTS credits and the possibility of enrollment in the first year of postgraduate university PhD programme.

• for candidates who have passed some postgraduate exams, the number of ECTS credits for those are estimated by the Board.

Article 12.

Exceptionally, candidates who have achieved significant scientific achievements and who meet the requirements of Article 73, paragraph 3. of the Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education enroll in postgraduate studies, but do not attend classes and do not take exams. The applicants referred to in the previous paragraph shall enclose evidence of the achievement of significant scientific achievements in the application. The decision on fulfilling the conditions for enrollment in PhD programme without attending classes and taking exams is made by the Faculty Council on the proposal of the Board.

Article 13.

The selection of candidates is carried out by a PhD Programme Application Committee appointed by the Faculty Council from among the Faculty's teachers for a period of three years. Acceptance and enrolment of candidates is announced on the School's notice board and website. The decision on acceptance and enrolment of candidates is considered as a first instance decision. Candidates whose application for enrolment is not accepted may submit their appeal to the Dean within 8 days from the date of announcement of the decision on the School's notice board and website. The Dean's decision on the appeal is final.

Article 14.

If a sufficient number of candidates fulfilling the conditions for enrolment in the programme have submitted their applications, the Dean shall reach a decision to organise the programme.

Article 15.

Candidates who meet the criteria for enrollment are required to sign an agreement on mutual rights and obligations. The costs of PhD programme are paid before enrollment in each semester in equal shares of the total amount, or at once before enrollment in programme. Upon signing the contract referred to in paragraph 1. of this Regulation, and payment of financial obligations, the PhD candidate obtain the student status in a PhD programme. The costs of printing the diploma are covered by the candidate. The Dean may, at the request of the student and the proposal of the Board, approve the extension of studies and order the payment of additional costs.

Aricle 16.

The Vice-Dean for Science is, by obligation, the Head of the postgraduate university study for obtaining the academic degree of Doctor of Science and the Chairman of the Board. The Head coordinates and supervises the organization of postgraduate university studies and is responsible for the implementation of this Regulation.

Article 17.

The study advisor is an employee of the School with the scientific-teaching position. When enrolling PhD programme, the Faculty Council may assign a study advisor for the doctoral student, who will assist them in the study and monitor his work and progress during his studies or until the appointment of a mentor.

Article 18.

A person may be appointed as a mentor of the PhD candidate if he/she is an employee of the School holding a scientific (research associate, senior research associate, scientific advisor) and/or teaching degree (assistant professor, associate professor, full professor) and position or is elected in the title scientific-teaching degree at the School, provided that he/she is an active researcher in the field for which the PhD thesis is proposed.

The Doctoral Studies’ curriculum is created for each student from the subjects available at the University, freely selected, and that curriculum is created by the student in agreement with the PhD curriculum. Approval of the selection of courses is given by the study advisor (proposed mentor) until the appointment of a mentor. The study advisor and mentor must not be a in blood relation, spouse or in-law relative with the candidate or a person who share interests with the candidate that affect or may affect their neutrality. The mentor is required to submit annual reports on the PhD candidate’s progress to the Faculty Council, using the appropriate form. The mentor is obliged to resolve all obligations to the student within three months from the date of the request or individual action.

The Doctoral Studies’ curriculum is created for each student from the subjects available at the University, freely selected, and that curriculum is created by the student in agreement with a supervisor and/or a three-member commission, and with the approval of the School Council.

Article 19.

The decision to appoint a mentor is made by the Faculty Council on the basis of a proposal of the Board. The tasks of the Board are proposing: committees for the evaluation of the topic, proposing mentor for the doctoral thesis, committees for the evaluation of the doctoral dissertation, committees for the defense of the doctoral dissertation. The commission consists of five members. Members of these commissions cannot be persons in blood relation, spouse or in-law relative with the candidate or a person who share interests with the candidate that affect or may affect their neutrality.

Article 20.

Doctoral Studies are run as regular study programmes according to the teaching plan and curriculum adopted by Zagreb University Senate, on the basis of the School Council in the form of lectures, seminars, exercises, consultations and other forms of teaching. Classes are conducted by persons elected to scientific and scientific-teaching titles. A teacher can have a maximum of three courses in the postgraduate study program. Doctoral students have a duty to attend lectures, seminars and exercises, and may be justifiably absent in 1/5 of the total number of hours provided by the PhD programme.

Article 21.

Courses enrolled by six or more students are conducted in the form of lectures, seminars and exercises. Courses enrolled by five or fewer students are conducted in the form of consultations, seminars and exercises. To the question of attendance of classes, records of classes, sitting examinations and students' obligations, the provisions of the Rules on Under-graduate and Graduate Studies shall be applied, mutatis mutandis.

Article 22.

The curriculum and the teaching plan determine the conditions for enrollment in a higher year of study. Students who do not succeed in enrolling in the next year of studies shall lose the status of student. In justified cases, students who have lost the status of student may, no later than 3 months after the day of loss of that status, submit a request for continuation of studies according to the valid teaching plan and curriculum. A decision on that request shall be rendered by the Vice Dean for Science, and if the student is dissatisfied with that decision he/she has the right, within 15 days, to submit an appeal to the Dean against that decision. The Dean may dismiss, dismiss on merits or grant the appeal, and Deans' decision is final.

Article 23.

The student initiates the procedure of of the Doctoral thesis proposal by submitting an application to the Faculty Council in which he / she proposes the topic of the Doctoral thesis when he / she collects at least 45 ECTS credits and completes the second semester. The application is submitted on the form DR.SC.-01 and contains: general information and contact of the applicant, CV of the applicant, title of the proposed topic, proposed or potential mentor, explanation of the topic, written approval of the Ethics Committee of the School of Dentistry.

Along with the thesis proposal, the applicant encloses: an student's record book (indeks), list and copies of published papers, a short CV with a description of scientific and professional activities, a statement that the procedure for obtaining the academic degree of Doctor of Science has not been initiated in any other institution. The fulfillment of the conditions for initiating the procedure of of the Doctoral thesis proposal is determined by the Board.

Article 24.

The candidate who meets the criteria for initiating the procedure of the Doctoral thesis proposal acceptance, defends the topic, and the achievement of the expected scientific contribution is assessed. The public debate on the proposed Doctoral thesis must take place within three months from the proposal submission. The time from July 15 to August 31 does not count towards the specified deadline. The proposed and selected mentor/s may not be members of the commission for evaluation and public debate on the proposed Doctoral thesis, nor for evaluation and defense of the completed Doctoral thesis. The Service for Studies and Continuing Education announces the place and time of public debate on the proposed Doctoral thesis and informs the candidate and the members of the Board.

Article 25.

Members of the commission for evaluation of the proposed Doctoral thesis chair the public debate. The committee will evaluate the candidate's request for writing and defending a doctoral thesis in English language and present its reasoned proposal in the proposal report. The approval of the writing and defense of the Doctoral thesis in English is decided by the Faculty Council when accepting the Doctoral thesis proposal.

Article 26.

The Committee submits report to the Board with a proposal to accept or reject the topic of the Doctoral thesis in writing, and the Service for Studies and Continuing Education no later than thirty days after the public debate of the Doctoral thesis proposal.

Article 27.

The report on the defense of the public debate of the Doctoral thesis proposal must contain: proposal of the title of the doctoral thesis in Croatian and English, scientific field and field to which the proposed topic belongs, language in which the doctoral thesis will be written, list of expected original scientific contributions. The motion rejecting the proposed topic of the Doctoral thesis must be explained. The motion to accept or reject the the proposed Doctoral thesis is made by the Faculty Council on the proposal of the Board. The mentor orally explains to the Faculty Council the proposed Doctoral thesis and the expected original scientific contribution or proposal for rejecting the proposed Doctoral thesis.

Article 28.

A second mentor (co-mentor) may be permitted in justified and clearly explained cases, a decision on which shall be rendered by the Faculty Council during the Doctoral thesis proposal approval, on the basis of a motion by the Doctoral Thesis Committee and Board.The co-mentor may be a person with a scientific-teaching or scientific title, who is an employee of the School, but in another scientific branch. Students have the right to change the mentor appointed to supervise the accepted proposed Doctoral thesis or the Doctoral thesis once, by means of a written request and with a statement by the previous supervisor, written on the appropriate University form.

Article 29.

Doctoral thesis may be written in form: 1) Monograph. 2) A set of published scientific papers accompanied by a critical review chapter, which consists of an introduction, discussion, conclusion and a comprehensive review of the relevant literature (the Scandinavian model). A critical review places the results of the doctoral thesis in the context of existing scientific knowledge. Such a form of work is possible only as part of research work done during PhD study, and scientific papers must be published after enrollment in PhD programme. Scientific papers proposed as a doctoral thesis must form a complete set of at least three papers published in journals covered by the Web of Science or ERIH, of which at least one in a journal with an impact factor greater than the median impact factor of the journal in the scientific field of doctoral research. Each work, except with a special explanation, can qualify only one doctoral student. The doctoral candidate must be the main author in at least two of the above papers. The combined papers must give a new scientific contribution in relation to the individual paper, which is confirmed by the Faculty Council on the proposal of the Board. The doctoral thesis can be written in Croatian or English language.

Article 30.

The candidate who has the Doctoral thesis proposal approval can submit the complete and finished Doctoral thesis for evaluation when he / she collects 180 ECTS credits. The doctoral thesis is prepared according to the prescribed University form.

Article 31.

Candidate is obliged to institute the procedure of evaluation of their completed Doctoral theses no later than within four years from the date of their acceptance for full-time students, or six years for part-time students.

Before arranging the date for the defense of a completed and positively evaluated Doctoral thesis, the student has to publish or have accepted for publication at least one internationally peer-reviewed scientific paper, related to the subject of his/her Doctoral thesis in which he is the sole or one of the main authors (first or second). Each paper, except with a special explanation, can qualify only one doctoral student.

Article 32.

The candidate shall institute the procedure for evaluation of the completed Doctoral thesis by submitting a written request co-signed by the mentor. Along with the request, the applicant submits to the School the completed Doctoral thesis printed in seven copies, unbound, with a list of published papers and one printed copy of each paper.

Article 33.

The Board shall propose to the Faculty Council the appointment of a commission to evaluate the proposed Doctoral thesis. The Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee may be scientists in the title of assistant professors (research associate) or in a higher title. At least two members of the commission must have the title of full or associate professor, or the appropriate scientific title. The mentor cannot be a member of the Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee, except in exceptional cases in which the Senate approves it on the proposal of the council of the field for biomedical sciences. At least one member of the Doctoral Evaluation Committee must be from another higher education institution or scientific institute. During the evaluation and defense process, until the submission of bound copies of the doctoral thesis, one copy of the unbound doctoral thesis has to be placed in the Service for Studies and Continuing Education for public access.

Article 34.

The members of the Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee shall send the School Council a motion no later than three months after the Doctoral theses reception. The time from July 16 to August 31 does not count towards the specified deadline.The Doctoral Thesis Committee submits the final evaluation report to the Faculty Council in written. In its report, the Committee may propose: acceptance of the doctoral thesis, revision of the doctoral thesis and re-evaluation of the thesis, rejection of the dissertation. In all three cases, the Commission must give explanation and the reasoned assessment decision.

Article 35.

In the conclusion of the positive evaluation must stand a statement of the achieved original scientific contribution and the scientific field to which the doctoral thesis belongs. The mentor gives a written report on the doctoral research to the positive doctoral theses evaluation. The report on the doctoral dissertation is submitted to the Committee in writing together with the positive evaluation of the doctoral dissertation, and to the Service for Studies and Continuing Education by e-mail.

Article 36.

At the session of the Faculty Council, the mentor of the candidate submits an abbreviated oral report on the evaluation of the doctoral thesis, stating the achieved original scientific contribution.

Article 37.

If the Faculty Council concludes that the report of the Committee did not provide a reliable basis for making a decision on the evaluation of the work, it may include new members in the Committee and request that they submit separate reports or appoint a new Committee and request reconsideration to evaluate the doctoral thesis and to submit a report to the Faculty Council.

Article 38.

If the Faculty Council accepts a positively evaluated Doctoral thesis, as a rule, at the same session it appoints, at the proposal of the Board, a the Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee of five members and depute. Members of the Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee may be of the same composition as the commission for evaluation of the completed thesis. The mentor participates in the procedure of Thesis defense, but does not participate in the evaluation procedure, except in exceptional cases in accordance with Article 33, paragraph 3 of this regulation. At least two members of the Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee must be full professors or scientific advisors. At least one member of the Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee must not be employee of the School

Article 39.

If the evaluation of the doctoral thesis in the report of the Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee is negative, the Faculty Council may decide to expand the composition of the Doctoral Thesis Evaluation Committee, appoint a new Committee for a new evaluation and proposal, or suspend the acquisition procedure PhD.

Article 40.

The defense of a Doctoral thesis is public. An invitation to the public defence appoints the Dean and must be published on the School web site at least 8 days before the defense. The date of the doctoral thesis defense is agreed by the mentor with the Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee and with the candidate.

Article 41.

The candidate submits to the Faculty Secretariat at least nine bound copies of the Doctoral Thesis and one CD before the defense of the Thesis. The Faculty Secretariat submits one copy to the: National and University Library in Zagreb, the University of Zagreb and two copies with the CD library of the School of Dentistry.

Article 42.

During the defense, the student orally presents his work, and then answers questions from the committee and public present at the defense. The commission for defense of the Doctoral thesis shall make an evaluation following the defense. The evaluation at the defense may be: "defended" or "not defended". Report of the defense procedure is written in the Croatian language, and in the case of defense in another language, the report shall also be additionally written in that language.

Article 43.

After the Doctoral Thesis defense, the commission announces the evaluation of the candidate. The evaluation result of the thesis defense may be: defended by a unanimous decision of the Commission, defended by a majority vote of the Commission, not defended. The public defense of a completed Doctoral thesis may only be held once. Minutes shall be taken of the procedure of defence. The Recording Secretary is appointed by the Secretary General of the Faculty.

Article 44.

The Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee prepares its report in the language of the doctoral thesis. If a translation of the doctoral evaluation report is required, the mentor certifies with his / her signature that the translation fully corresponds to the original, which has been prepared in English. The defense is held in the language in which the Doctoral thesis was written. The record of the defense is prepared in the language in which the defense is held. In addition to the original, Minutes on the Doctoral Thesis in English, a translation into Croatian is made and signed by the members of the Committee.

Article 45.

Based on the decision of the Doctoral Thesis Defense Committee, the University of Zagreb issues a diploma of the academic degree and title of Doctor of Science.

Article 46.

The academic degree of Doctor of Science may be revoked if it is established that the Doctoral thesis contains plagiarised or counterfeited scientific work. The procedure for revoking the academic degree of Doctor of Science shall be instituted by the Faculty Council on Board proposition, or on the basis of a motion by interested persons.

Article 47.

When it receives a motion for institution of the procedure for revocation of the academic degree of Doctor of Science, the School Council shall appoint a commission of five members, on the basis of a motion by the Commission for Academic Integrity. A person who was a member of a commission in the procedure for attaining the academic degree of Doctor of Science whose revocation has been proposed may not be appointed to the Commission. The commission shall send the Dean a written report on whether institution of the procedure to revoke the academic degree is well-founded.The Dean shall send that written report by the commission to the proponent of institution of the procedure and the student against whom the procedure was instituted, with a note that the Dean and the School Council may send a reply to that report within three months.

Article 48.

The Dean shall convene a session of the School Council to discuss or decide on the motion to revoke the academic degree of Doctor of Science within two months after receives a reply from the student against whom the procedure has been instituted for revocation of the academic degree of Doctor of Science. The proponent of the procedure and the student against whom the procedure has been instituted shall be invited to the session of the School Council.

Article 49.

The Faculty Council considers all submitted data and decides on the existence of a basis for revoking the academic degree. If it decides that grounds exist for revocation of the academic degree of Doctor of Science, the School Council shall move the competent body of the University of Zagreb to render a decision to revoke the student in question's academic degree of Doctor of Science. With the revocation of the academic degree of Doctor of Science, all the titles for which the possession of the academic degree of Doctor of Science was a requirement shall also be revoked.

Article 50.

Necessary actions in the procedures of accepting the Doctoral Thesis proposal, evaluation and defense of the Doctoral Thesis are led by the Service for Studies and Continuing Education.

Article 51.

The Faculty Council is responsible for the interpretation of the provisions of this Regulation.

Article 52.

Students enrolled in Doctoral Studies before these Rules came into force have the right to complete their studies according to the teaching plan and requirements that were in force when they enrolled in their first year of studies.

Article 53. .

Candidates who initiated the procedure for obtaining a academic degree Doctorate of science outside the doctoral study before these Rules came into force have the right to complete this procedure in accordance with the regulations in force at the time.

Article 54.

Persons who, according to the previous Rules, obtained a Master's degree in science, may obtain a Doctorate degree no later than eight years before those Rules came into force (until 15 August 2011) according to the regulations that were valid on the day the Law on Scientific Activity and Higher Education came into force.

Article 55.

On the date of these Regulations come into force, the Regulations on doctoral studies of 25 January 2008 shall cease to apply.