Rules & Guidelines

Below you will find information about Publishing Guidelines, Doctoral Degree Regulations and Integrity regulations.

Publishing guidelines

Authorship guidelines

For most PhD candidates, doing a PhD involves writing scientific publications. As part of this process, the PhD candidate and the supervisory team discuss and agree who qualifies for co-authorship and why, but also on the ranking of the author list. The guidelines with regard to authorship, citation and affiliation can be downloaded here.

Affiliation guidelines

The WUR affiliation should be clearly identified on the research output. If all publications of a PhD candidate carry the same affiliation name, they will more likely be linked to the candidate’s name in external databases, such as Scopus and Web of Science, as well as in WUR systems Pure and Staff Publications. For more information click here.

Open Access

Open Access to research results means that this material is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. The costs of Open Access publishing do not lie with the reader but with the author. For more information click here.

Doctoral Degree regulations

For the most up-to-date procedures, please visit the Hora Finita manuals.

The Doctoral Degree regulations elaborate on:

  • The PhD candidate (who are you?)
  • The promotor and co-promotor
  • The thesis committee
  • Appointment promotor
  • Criteria that thesis and propositions must meet
  • Evaluation of thesis and propositions
  • The public defence
  • The designation cum laude
  • Settling disputes
  • Appendices (examples and specification)

    PhD candidates are strongly recommended to download a copy and familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations.

    Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

    All researchers at Wageningen University & Research are in their work bound by the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, including all PhD candidates. When a PhD candidate has defended his/her thesis in public and accordingly is awarded the doctorate degree, he/she must sign the degree. Upon signing the degree he/she states that he/she agrees and will live up to the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. Hence all PhD candidates must be familiar with the content of the document to know that they can live up to this code.

    Integrity and privacy

    How do we treat one another and the outside world? This is the central question relating to (scientific) integrity and privacy protection at Wageningen University & Research. Please read more about the integrity and privacy policy of WUR on these pages.

    (Un)wanted behaviour

    Especially people who are in a dependency relationship to others, like PhD candidates, are vulnerable with respect to unwanted behaviour. WUR stands for a safe study and working environment, both physically and socially. We do not tolerate sexual intimidation or transgressive behaviour in any way or situation. We take reports extremely seriously, and each incident is one too many. We, therefore, ask you to report incidents and address others so that, together, we can ensure a safe work and study environment in which everyone feels free to speak up against boundary-crossing behaviour.

    Need confidential advice? Go to the Contact and Support page to find your way to PhD guidance at WUR.