Thesis supervisors must submit for approval by the academic committee of each programme, a proposal of seven experts in the field, indicating their details and a list of five relevant research merits that endorse their suitability.

The Thesis Committee Proposal must include the following information:

• Three full members (unless the number is different because it has been established in a joint-guardianship agreement):

• • The principle of balanced composition, between women and men, must be guaranteed.
  • The selection board will be made up of a majority of members from outside the University of León (at most one member from the ULe).
  • Under no circumstances may the tutor or the directors form part of the examining board, except in the case of theses presented in joint doctoral programmes or those subject to joint supervision agreements with foreign universities, according to the agreement.
• Four alternates who shall meet the same requirements as the full members.

All members of the selection board (members or alternates) must belong to universities or institutions of higher education or research. However, with due justification, up to a maximum of one member and one alternate may practise their profession outside the abovementioned institutions. For these purposes, health institutions shall be considered as non-university institutions.

The members of the selection board may not all belong to the same university or institution.

Family members up to the second degree of the thesis supervisors may not form part of the examining board.

The co-authors of the contribution in ordinary theses, or those who certify the stays or those who issue the reports in theses with the mention “International Doctorate” may not form part of the examining board.

The co-authors of the publications in the theses by compendium of publications, for doctoral students who have registered for the first time from the academic year 2017/2018, may not be part of the tribunal either.

Although the designation of the selection board comes from the Academic Committee, it is up to the Standing Committee of the EsDule to ratify or modify it, if it deems it appropriate.

At the end of the public exhibition period, the defence of the thesis is authorised, and the examining board will be appointed at the same time.

The examining board that will assess the doctoral thesis will be made up of three full members and two substitutes. The examining board shall be made up of three members.