• Starting the publication process of the dissertation 25 days before the public examination (see further instructions)
• Starting the printing process of the dissertation 23 days before the public examination
• Sending the media information as soon as the permission to print is granted but at the very latest 20 days before the public examination (see further instructions)
• Public display of the dissertation 10 days before the public examination

Custos agrees on the date of the public examination with the doctoral candidate and the opponent(s), taking into account:

• the time needed for the publication and printing process and the public display of the dissertation (at least 25 days from starting the publishing/printing process to the public examination) 
• the schedules of the other supervisors as well as
• the availability of suitable premises.

Public examination auditoriums

Lappeenranta: 1314, 1316, 1318, and 2310 
Lahti: Auditorium 1B and 2B
Kouvola: Classroom P1027 
Mikkeli: currently no limitations 

You should book the auditorium and check the premises beforehand so that you are familiar with the equipment etc. The public examination is held at the university premises, in accordance with the established practice. 

Public examination in Lappeenranta:

• book the auditorium from lut.lukkaritiimi@lut.fi
• if necessary, contact helpdesk@lut.fi for support with equipment

Public examination in Lahti or Mikkeli:

• book the auditorium from the school's secretary and visit the premises with her. In Lahti you will be contacted by Helpdesk support staff so that you can check the equipment together before the public examination takes place.

Public examination in Kouvola:

• book the auditorium from the coordinator and visit the premises with her.

Once the date of the public examination and the auditorium have been confirmed, add the information to DOCIS (Dissertation-tab à Public examination). After doing this, your dissertation process timeline will be updated and you will receive automatic reminders of the next steps. Inform the digital producers of the upcoming public examination as instructed in the following section (Notifying digital producers of the public examination).

You should also inform the following parties about the agreed date and form (on campus, hybrid) and the auditorium number of the public examination:

public examination in Lappeenranta:

• university porters (tilapalvelut.lappeenranta@lut.fi)
• school’s secretary (LBS.office@lut.fi, LES.office@lut.fi or LENS.office@lut.fi)

public examination in Lahti or Mikkeli:

• school’s secretary  (LBS.office@lut.fi, LES.office@lut.fi or LENS.office@lut.fi)

public examination in Kouvola:

• coordinator  (Anna-Maija.Worlin@lut.fi)

Public examinations are organized traditionally in an auditorium, with the doctoral candidate, opponent(s), custos and the audience present. If necessary, the public examination can be organized as streamed or hybrid, but this is not mandatory. Technical support can be provided for up to four public examinations simultaneously in Lappeenranta and two in Lahti. Starting from August 1, 2026, all public examinations are recorded for internal quality assurance purposes only. The recording cannot be provided for personal use after the public examination. 

Streaming can be requested for the following reasons:

• opponent is participating online
• Double doctoral degree or Cotutelle public examinations
• the scientific value of the dissertation is considerable and the topic (internationally) interesting
• (international) preliminary examiners wish to participate online
• doctoral candidate’s relatives are not able to arrive on campus

Always inform the digital producers of an upcoming public examination by using the following form: Public Examination Notification Form. The same form is also used to indicate any need for streaming or hybrid connection. You will be contacted in 2-4 working days. In Lahti and Mikkeli you should also be in touch with the school's secretary and in Kouvola the local coordinator. 

From August 1, 2026, the Echo lecture capture system will be used for recording and streaming public examinations. In the case of a hybrid public examination (e.g. if the opponent participates remotely), Zoom will be used for the remote connection. Digital producers and helpdesk are responsible for the technical support, and they will go through the technology to be used with you and the custos before the public examination.

In streamed and hybrid public examinations, the remote audience does not have the possibility to take part in the discussion.

Streaming of the public examination

Streaming refers to a public examination in which all participants are present on-site, but the event is broadcast online for a remote audience. The audience participates by viewing the broadcast only. 

Digital producers will send the Echo event link for the audience to the doctoral candidate, and the candidate should send the link to LUT Media and add the link in DOCIS.

Hybrid public examination

Hybrid public examination refers to an event where the opponent participates remotely, and the audience attends both on-site and online. 

In hybrid public examinations, a personal panelist invitation will be sent to the opponent. Digital producers have compiled instructions for opponent(s) regarding the use of Zoom (Doctoral defense with Zoom webinar.pdf). Custos should forward the document to the opponent(s).

Opponent taking part remotely:

• The Zoom application must be installed before the event.

• The digital producers will send a separate link to the meeting by email and the opponent joins the meeting via this link. By joining via this link they have full rights for speaking and sharing in the event.

• You and custos have to agree on technical testing event with digital producers before the event.

• The custos should invite the opponent(s) to take part in the testing as well.

• The webinar will be organized so that the candidate, custos and opponent(s) are side by side on the screen, like in traditionally organised public examinations.

In case the opponent takes part via remote connections and the time difference to their country is big, it is possible to start the public examination at a different time than noon. However, you should make sure that the services (for example digital producers, room decorations, coffee etc.) are available early morning/late afternoon.

Online public examination (rare, by permission only)

A public examination conducted entirely online, with all participants and the audience attending remotely. The event is held on the Zoom platform. The candidate may not participate in the public examination remotely except in highly exceptional circumstances (Force majeure situations, such as pandemic). DDD and Cotutelle-based public examinations are arranged as specified in the agreement. Always contact LUT.dissertation.process@lut.fi if planning an online public examination.

The doctoral candidate, custos, and opponent will receive personal panelist invitations (separate links than the audience). Digital producers have prepared instructions for using Zoom (Doctoral defense with Zoom webinar.pdf). The custos will also provide the instructions to the opponent.

• The Zoom application must be installed before the event. 

• A testing time will be agreed in advance together with the digital producers and the custos. 

• The custos must also invite the opponent to participate in the testing. 

• The event will be arranged so that the doctoral candidate, custos, and opponent appear side by side on screen, following the traditional layout of a public examination room. 

If the time difference with the opponent’s country is significant, the public examination may begin at a time other than noon. However, as the doctoral candidate, you must ensure the availability of the digital producers early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Information on recording

From August 1, 2026, all public examinations will be recorded for internal quality assurance purposes. Recording primarily focuses on individuals on stage; however, in some cases, members of the audience may also be visible in the recording momentarily. Recordings are not publicly shared or distributed and are regularly deleted approximately six months after the public examination. Link to LUT Privacy Notice Teaching Technology.

You should prepare a so called lectio praecursoria for the public examination. The lectio lasts approximately 20 minutes and it should explain the research project, the underlying problems, development trends and in the latter part of the presentation, a summary of the crucial research problems of your work and the results. The lectio praecursoria is normally given in the language understandable to the general audience; highly specialized terms should be avoided. If the language of the lectio praecursoria is Finnish, you should make a written version of it in English for foreign opponents.

If you want to make a PowerPoint  presentation, the official LUT-template can be chosen directly in PowerPoint (New -> LUT Office Templates).

The school's secretary or coordinator (Kouvola) will reserve the lunch and coffee related to the public examination. You should contact them about the required arrangements well in advance. The school is responsible for the costs. Lunch and coffee services are considered private events.

The custos, the doctoral candidate and the opponent(s) are dressed in academic attire, a tailcoat (black waistcoat) or a dark suit. You as a doctoral candidate suggest the dress code and agree on it in advance with the custos and opponent(s). A foreign academic attire is also acceptable. Ladies wear a dark dress with a closed neckline and long sleeves.

The custos and the opponent should bring their doctor’s hats if they all own one. The custos should discuss the issue concerning doctoral hats with opponents well in advance. When the custos and the opponents enter and leave the ceremony venue, they carry their doctor’s hats in their hands; during the public examination the hats are on the table.

A video presenting a typical public examination at LUT is available in English. It gives an overall picture on how the public examination is held at LUT.

After the public examination there is usually a special occasion called “Karonkka”. It is a festivity arranged to honor the opponent. You are in charge of the arrangements and costs relating to Karonkka. Karonkka is considered a private event. See instructions for arranging the Karonkka party below in Files.