This procedure allows you to change the initial appointment of your supervisor and/or doctoral thesis supervisor.
The purpose of the request may be to replace your current supervisor or to appoint a new supervisor in cases where the thesis is co-supervised.
A thesis may be co-supervised by a maximum of three PhD holders, provided there are academic grounds for doing so (e.g. interdisciplinarity, joint supervision, or national or international collaborative programmes).
To direct or supervise a doctoral thesis, one must hold a doctorate with ‘accredited research experience’ and belong to the research programme and line in which the thesis is undertaken.
This research experience is accredited by holding at least ‘one period of research activity recognised by the National Evaluation Commission for Research Activity (CNEAI).’
For staff whose research activity is not evaluated by the CNEAI, this research experience must be accredited through the equivalent merits established in Agreement 72/2025 of 17 December of the Permanent Board of the Doctoral School.
Furthermore, no doctor may direct or co-direct more than 10 doctoral theses.
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The resignation of a director takes effect only once the Academic Committee has appointed a new director. Until that time, the previous director continues to carry out supervisory and monitoring duties in all respects.
The appointment of a new supervisor or the addition of a co-supervisor—a change recorded in the doctoral student’s electronic academic record—enables:
- the academic monitoring and supervision of the doctoral thesis
- access the RAPID platform
- annually evaluate the Research Plan and the Activity Report
The Academic Committee of the PhD Programme is the body responsible for authorising changes to the supervisor and/or director.
Any change of supervisor and/or tutor requires the submission of a new doctoral agreement signed by the supervisor(s) and the tutor.
A change of supervisor and/or director may be made at any stage during the PhD programme. However, a valid reason must be provided, and changes of director are generally not authorised in the final year of the PhD programme, except in cases of replacement due to force majeure (death, relocation, etc.).
The Academic Committee notifies the Doctoral School of the change, which is then recorded in the doctoral student’s academic record.
To this end, the Academic Committee must complete and sign the form available on the Doctoral School’s website:
Administrative information > Guides and forms > Forms for administrative procedures > Change of supervisor or tutor
El documento tendrá que estar firmado por:
- el tutor/a, y/o director/a que renuncia, en su caso.
- el nuevo tutor/a y/o director/a
- y el/la coordinador/a del Programa de Doctorado.
Además, junto con el documento de modificación de director/a y/o tutor/a, habrá que adjuntar el nuevo compromiso doctoral subscrito por:
- Doctorando/a
- Director/a y/o tutor/a
Academic Committees must submit communications regarding the appointment of a tutor and/or supervisor via the University of Valencia’s electronic document management system, and within this:
Recipient: - Internal unit
- Centres > Doctoral School
Recipient group: Assignment or change of supervisor, director and research area.
Article 11.4 of Royal Decree 99/2011, regulating official doctoral programmes, and Article 19 of the Internal Regulations of the School of Doctoral Studies and Doctoral Programmes at the University of Valencia (ACGUV 363/24, of 17 December)
