A cotutelle is a joint program offered by two higher education institutions: UQTR and an institution located outside Quebec. This program allows students to obtain a dual doctoral degree (as they will complete both doctoral programs), awarded and recognized by both institutions.
Doctoral students enrolled in a cotutelle program undertake a single research project, part of which will take place at UQTR and the other part at the partner institution. Joint supervision is planned in advance: the two co-supervisors jointly establish the research project assigned to the student and outline its implementation stages in a joint supervision agreement (convention de cotutelle). This agreement specifies all aspects of the student's upcoming dual doctoral training, including all courses in each of the two programs and their scheduled semesters, the requirements for both doctoral examinations, the procedures for the thesis defense, and so on.
When planning a student's path towards a cotutelle agreement, it is important to take these elements into account: 1) the student must be registered full-time at UQTR, from his first admission session and for all subsequent sessions until his recommendation for the diploma, regardless of the institution where he is located during the different sessions; 2) the cotutelle agreement (convention de cotutelle) must have been completed, approved and signed by all stakeholders of both institutions, before registration at UQTR can be done (if the student begins his doctorate abroad at the partner university, his registration must be done remotely by the UQTR registrar's office, conditional on the student having already obtained his CAQ and study permit, and also on his cotutelle agreement having been finalized); 3) registration for courses in the UQTR doctoral program in cellular and molecular biology will only be permitted by UQTR during sessions involving physical attendance at UQTR. Students beginning their cotutelle at the partner university must still register full-time at UQTR during this period, without being able to select courses. They will have to wait until the session when they come to UQTR to begin their training and UQTR courses.
For each semester of registration, from the beginning to the end of both doctoral programs, students will pay tuition fees only at the institution where they are enrolled. Students can receive the Universalis causa scholarship and the UQTR tuition fee exemption (provided they meet the eligibility criteria), during the sessions in which they stay at UQTR and pay tuition fees, during the first 9 sessions of the doctorate for the Universalis causa scholarship and the first 8 sessions of the doctorate for the tuition fee exemption.