In some cases, PhD candidates are permitted to follow a PhD track that involves conducting research and receiving supervision at two institutions: Leiden University and another university. There are two arrangements of joint supervision.

Agreements

Arrangements regarding this joint supervision are set down in an agreement. There are two kinds of agreement:

1. A single individual agreement for the joint supervision of one PhD candidate and the defence in the presence of one or more joint Examining Committee(s), after which one diploma or two paired diplomas is/are issued on behalf of both institutions;
2. A programme agreement between the two universities for a multiyear partnership in the supervision and examining of multiple PhD candidates of both parties. A programme agreement of this kind also includes individual agreements for the participating PhD candidates, as appendices.

You can find more information about the rules and regulations as well as a model agreement on the university website.

Rules within FSW (Faculty of Social Sciences)

• An individual PhD candidate can be supervised by two institutions.
• To formalize arrangements, an individual agreement can be drawn up.
• The agreement should ideally be drafted at the beginning of the trajectory and no later than one year after the start. Applications submitted later will, in principle, no longer be considered.
• The dean must give approval before the agreement is drafted. A cover letter from the PhD candidate and the (co-)supervisor must be included.
• An individual joint degree agreement can be made with any university.
• The decision for a PhD candidate to conduct research at two institutions can be initiated either by the PhD candidate or the (co-)supervisors.
• The specific agreement is prepared within the Graduate School of FSW; SAZ (Anneke Hendriks) will review it too.
• The supervisor is responsible for obtaining the signatures of the supervisors and the PhD candidate. The GSO is responsible for the signature of the rector. 
• If supervision is provided by two institutions, a joint degree agreement is not necessarily required.
• (Within the Netherlands, no joint degree agreement is needed.)
• It is recommended to set up a supervision agreement instead, if needed.

How to prepare the agreement?

Model agreements can be found on the university website. A draft version of the agreement must be submitted to the Graduate School Office for feedback. The Graduate School Office will work with you and the partner university to ensure that the agreement is satisfactory and conform the Leiden University PhD regulations.

For additional details, please check the PhD Guide.