Theses containing protected content

Doctoral students may apply for a declaration that the thesis contains protected content, addressed to the Academic Committee of the doctoral programme, provided that the conditions set out in the University of Zaragoza’s Regulations on Doctoral Theses are met. In such cases, prior to any action being taken, all members of the Academic Committee who are to have access to the full content of the doctoral thesis must sign the relevant confidentiality undertaking. 
 

When applying for the thesis to be accepted for examination, the doctoral candidate must submit the full version of the thesis and an abridged version from which confidential content has been removed, and must attach the relevant form requesting (Form CP1): (i) that part of the thesis be declared confidential; (ii) that the part of the defence corresponding to the indicated sections take place in camera (Form CP3), where applicable; and/or (iii) that the full text of the doctoral thesis not be published in the university’s repository in digital format.
 

In the event of a favourable decision by the programme’s Academic Committee, any person with access to the full content of the thesis must sign the relevant confidentiality undertaking (Form CP2) and, specifically:

1. Members of the Academic Committee of the doctoral programme. Prior to any action.
2. External reviewers. Prior to receiving the thesis.
3. Members of the examination board responsible for assessing the thesis, both    permanent and substitute members. Prior to their appointment.
4. Doctors requesting access to the thesis during the public consultation period, prior to consultation.
5. Any other legal circumstances.
    

Following the defence, the full thesis will be deposited in the University of Zaragoza Archives and subject to the access and usage controls established by the regulations applicable to this type of documentation, whilst an abridged version, from which confidential content has been removed, will be made available for publication in the repository.
 

The defence of a thesis declared to contain protected content may be held on a restricted basis where authorised by the programme’s Academic Committee. On the day of the defence, once the examination board has been constituted, it shall organise the restricted defence of the thesis and public access to the room, establishing the procedure for the conduct of the defence. Minutes (Form CP3) must be drawn up of this agreement , which shall be attached to the official documentation relating to the conduct of the thesis defence. The agreement on the procedure to be followed, signed by the members of the examination board, shall be displayed on the door of the room in which the defence is to take place at least half an hour before the defence begins.