Based on the statements by the external examiners, the Research Council makes a decision on granting the permission for public examination. The external examiners' statements are attached to the minutes of the board meeting of the Research Council in which the decision about granting the permission for public examination of the doctoral research is made. If the Research Council grants the permission for public examination for the doctoral research, the external examiners' statements will be submitted to the opponents and the Custos.
After the permission to examine the doctoral research has been granted, the Research Council, following the proposal of the Contact Teacher, nominates one or two opponents for the doctoral research, as well as the Custos for the public examination. The proposals are discussed in Tutke’s Faculty Meeting, and the opponents are nominated based on the recommendations of the Contact Teacher and the supervisors of the work.
The opponent must hold a doctorate. In a case there are two opponents at least one of them must hold a doctorate, and the other has to be an unanimously recognized artist or an expert in the field. One or both of the external examiners can be appointed opponents. The supervisor of the work or the responsible professor of the degree program or a close colleague cannot act as the opponent. Opponents are chosen primarily outside the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
After the external examination, the finalized commentary, the statements by the external examiners and the documentation of the artistic parts are delivered to the opponents. The opponents are given two months for examining the commentary.
A professor of the Performing Arts Research Centre or another academically qualified professor or docent employed by the Theatre Academy, Uniarts Helsinki, can be appointed to act act as the Custos. The Custos leads the discussion during the public examination, attends to the tasks addressed to the Custos by the Theatre Academy and submits an account to the Research Council concerning the public examination.
The Planning Officer will settle the date of the public examination together with the defender, the opponents and the Custos. The defender shall settle on all practical matters concerning the public examination together with the Planning Officer.