Doctoral degrees

Doctoral degrees

At the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree are conducted in accordance with the Regulations approved by the Scientific Council on 30 January 2024 (Resolution No. 9/2024).

Mode I – this mode applies to persons who have completed training at the doctoral school

Mode II – this mode applies to persons who apply for the award of a doctoral degree on an extramural basis

Mode III – this mode applies to persons who started doctoral studies before the academic year 2019/2020 and for whom the doctoral dissertation process was not commenced before 30 April 2019 – these persons apply for the award of a doctoral degree on the basis of the Act of 20 July 2018 – the Law on Higher Education and Science

Mode IV – this mode applies to persons who started doctoral studies before the academic year 2019/2020 and for whom the doctoral dissertation process was commenced before 30 April 2019 – these persons apply for the award of a doctoral degree on the basis of the Act of 27 July 2005 – the Law on Higher Education

At the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, public defences of doctoral dissertations take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays (at 11:00 or 13:30). Reservation of a date for the public defence can be made upon submission of the complete doctoral dissertation and its appendices. Arrangement of the date for the defence must be agreed with the advisor and reviewers, information on available dates can be obtained in the Secretariat of the Scientific Council.

Document templates

Information concerning doctoral students at the Doctoral School (mode I)

A first-year doctoral student, within 30 days of the start of doctoral studies at the Doctoral School, submits to the Secretariat of the Doctoral School an application for the designation of an advisor(s), indicating the discipline of science within which the doctoral dissertation will be prepared and the persons proposed. The Scientific Council shall designate an Advisor or Advisors no later than 3 months from the start of doctoral studies.

A candidate who has completed training in a doctoral school has achieved the learning outcomes for qualifications at level 8 of the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF). In this case, the achievement of learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 is confirmed by the certificate of successful completion of training in the doctoral school signed by the head of the doctoral school or his/her deputy.

Upon completion of the training (writing of the doctoral dissertation), the candidate submits to the President of the Scientific Council an application for conducting the proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree together with a set of documents. The Doctoral Committee, after formal consideration of the candidate’s application, forwards the application to the Scientific Council, which may decide to accept or refuse to conduct the proceedings.

The Doctoral Committee proposes at least three candidates for dissertation reviewers to the Scientific Council. Candidates for reviewers shall be proposed 2 weeks before the meeting of the Scientific Council. The nomination should include a questionnaire on the candidate’s achievements as a reviewer.

The public defence of the dissertation takes place at an open meeting of the Doctoral Committee. The non-public part of the meeting is attended by members of the Doctoral Committee and the dissertation reviewers in an advisory capacity.

The awarding of the degree takes place at a meeting of the IBB PAS Scientific Council. The Scientific Council’s resolution on awarding or refusing to award the doctoral degree is taken on the basis of the proposal of the Doctoral Committee. The reviewers, the dissertation advisor(s) and the associate advisor, who are members of the Scientific Council, are excluded from voting.

Information concerning persons applying for the award of a doctoral degree on an extramural basis (mode II)

A candidate applying for a doctoral degree on an extramural basis submits an application for the designation of an Advisor(s) to the President of the Scientific Council prior to commencing the proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree.

The procedure for conducting the proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree starts with the submission of an application together with a set of documents by the candidate.

A candidate who has not completed training in a doctoral school (and does not have confirmation of learning outcomes at PQF level 8) should request the Council of the Doctoral School to conduct a procedure for the verification of learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8.

A candidate, prior to the public defence of the doctoral dissertation, is required to deliver a Doctoral Seminar at the Institute; the date of the seminar is set in consultation with the Head of the Doctoral School (Anna Muszewska, Ph.D. – e-mail: phdschool@ibb.waw.pl).

The awarding of the degree takes place at a meeting of the Scientific Council of IBB PAS. The Scientific Council’s resolution on awarding or refusing to award the doctoral degree is taken on the basis of the proposal of the Doctoral Committee. The reviewers, the dissertation advisor(s) and the associate advisor, if they are members of the Scientific Council, are excluded from voting.

The proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree on an extramural basis are subject to a fee.

Information concerning participants of doctoral studies who commenced their training before the academic year 2019/2020 (mode III) for whom:

– the doctoral dissertation process was not commenced before 30 April 2019

– the procedure for the award of the doctoral degree was commenced after 30 September 2019

Pursuant to Article 179.7 of the Act of 3 July 2018 Regulations implementing the Act – the Law on Higher Education and Science, in the case of persons who started doctoral studies before the academic year 2019/2020 and apply for the award of a doctoral degree on the basis of the Act of 20 July 2018 – the Law on Higher Education and Science, the procedure for the award of the doctoral degree was commenced through the submission of an application for the designation of an Advisor or Advisors.

A candidate is considered to have achieved the learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 when the candidate:

Has successfully completed the doctoral programme in accordance with the regulations of the “School of Molecular Biology” at the Institute and has achieved the learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8. In this case, the achievement of learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 is confirmed by a certificate signed by the Head of the Doctoral School or his/her deputy.
Has passed an examination in the basic discipline related to the topic of the doctoral dissertation (biological sciences, chemical sciences).
Has taken an examination in philosophy or has certificates of completion of a series of classes in philosophy taught as part of the doctoral training programme at the Institute.
Holds a certificate of proficiency in a modern foreign language at a language proficiency level of at least B2; or has passed an examination confirming proficiency in a modern foreign language at a language proficiency level of B2.

For referrals to the English and Philosophy examinations and examination protocols, please contact the Secretariat of the Doctoral School (room 6D, e-mail: sbm@ibb.waw.pl). The doctoral examination in an additional discipline should be arranged with the Chair of the Doctoral Committee (Ewa Szołajska, Ph.D. – ewasz@ibb.waw.pl). A certificate of completion of a series of lectures is issued by the Secretariat of the Doctoral School.

The doctoral dissertation will be sent to the reviewers once it has been delivered to the Secretariat of the Scientific Council (Room 6D) along with the required set of documents.

The awarding of the degree takes place at a meeting of the Scientific Council of IBB PAS. The Scientific Council’s resolution on awarding or refusing to award the doctoral degree is taken on the basis of the proposal of the Doctoral Committee. The reviewers, the dissertation advisor(s) and the associate advisor, who are members of the Scientific Council, are excluded from voting.

Information concerning doctoral students who commenced the doctoral dissertation process before 30 April 2019 (Mode IV)

All doctoral dissertation processes commenced before 30 April 2019 and not completed by 31 December 2024 will be closed by operation of law (legal basis: Journal of Laws of 2023, item 1672).

31 December 2024 is the deadline by which the Scientific Council should adopt at its meeting a resolution on the award of a doctoral degree (the last meeting of the Scientific Council takes place on 17 December 2024). The defence of the doctoral dissertation should take place early enough to allow all dissertation processes to be completed.

Those who do not complete the doctoral dissertation process by 31 December 2024 will have the opportunity to commence the proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 20 July 2018 – the Law on Higher Education and Science.

Doctoral examinations are taken in:

the basic discipline related to the topic of the doctoral dissertation (biological sciences, chemical sciences);
an additional discipline (philosophy);
a modern foreign language.

The Doctoral Committee proposes at least two candidates for dissertation reviewers to the Scientific Council. Candidates for reviewers shall be proposed 2 weeks before the meeting of the Scientific Council. The nomination should include a questionnaire on the candidate’s achievements as a reviewer.

The doctoral dissertation will be sent to the reviewers once it has been delivered to the Secretariat of the Scientific Council (Room 6D) along with the required set of documents.

1-2 weeks before the public defence of the dissertation, you should arrange a date for the technical defence with the reviewers and the Secretariat of the Scientific Council.