- The main participants enter the auditorium where the dissertation is to be held in the following order: the Respondent, the Custos, the Opponent.
- Male respondents, the Custos and the Opponent are required to wear tails and a black waistcoat. They may also wear a military uniform without decorations. Female respondents are required to wear a black day-dress without a hat. The Custos and the Opponent, if they hold a Ph. D. (or equivalent degree) are required to carry their doctor's hat when entering and leaving the auditorium.
- When all have taken their seats, the Custos opens the dissertation proceedings with the words: "As the Custos appointed by the Board of the Faculty of Accounting and Industrial Management/Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Vaasa, I declare the proceedings open."
- The Respondent stands to make his/her lectio praecursoria, which should not exceed 20 minutes. The lectio starts with the words: "Mr./Mrs. Custos, Mr./Mrs. Opponent, Ladies and Gentlemen."
- After the opening lecture, the Respondent addresses the Opponent with the words: "Professor (Dr.) ..., would you, as the Opponent appointed by the Board of the Faculty of Accounting and Industrial Management / Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Vaasa, present the comments and critique on my dissertation."
- The Opponent stands and briefly reports on the status and importance of the topic field in science and on other similar issues of a general nature. After the report the Respondent and the Opponent take their seats.
- In the first part of the assessment, the Opponent pays particular attention to the method and to general questions after which a detailed appraisal follows.
- The Opponent may not take more than four hours for his/her assessment so as to allow time for questions from other possible opponents. If the examination of the thesis takes a long time, the Custos may adjourn proceedings for a short time.
- When the examination of the thesis is complete, both Opponent and Respondent stand while the Opponent makes his/her final appraisal.
- The Respondent remains standing to offer his/her thanks to the Opponent.
- The Respondent then turns to the audience with the following words: "Would those of you among this distinguished audience who have questions or comments to make on my dissertation kindly request the Custos leave to speak."
- The Custos as chairman then throws the proceedings open to the floor and sees to it that the Respondent has the opportunity of answering every remark and that the other opponents do not stray from the point.
- The dissertation proceedings may not exceed six hours. It is the Custos who closes the proceedings. He rises and says: "The discussion is closed."
After the public examination:
- The Opponent is to give a written evaluation, and thus a proposal for the final grade, of the dissertation within four weeks. The criteria for evaluation are the scientific value of the dissertation, its fitness to its purpose and the public defence of the dissertation.
- The faculty board makes the decision of approving or rejecting the dissertation and evaluates the dissertation by giving the final grade based on the Opponent's statement, after giving the doctoral candidate a possibility to respond to the Opponent's statement.
The grading scale of a dissertation (descending order):
- Laudatur: to indicate an exceptional scientific value of the dissertation
- Eximia cum laude approbatur
- Magna cum laude approbatur: as the dissertation can be approved without any hesitation
- Cum laude approbatur
- Non sine laude approbatur
- Lubenter approbatur: as the dissertation is fullfilling minimum criteria
- Approbatur
Väitöstilaisuuden järjestäminen
Proceduren vid doktorsdisputationer
