If the doctoral dissertation demonstrates excellent academic quality, by national and international standards, the supervisor or the Manuscript Committee may submit an argumentation and recommendation to the Dean that the doctorate should be awarded with the distinction Cum Laude.

Nomination to award the Cum Laude distinction

A motion to award the doctorate with the Cum Laude distinction may be made by the doctoral dissertation supervisor or by a member of the doctoral subcommittee. This nomination must be set out in writing and state the reasons on which it is based, and must be submitted in confidence to the Rector Magnificus through the Beadle’s Office at least seven weeks prior to the established defence ceremony date.

The Cum Laude Award is awarded to the top 1 – 2% of doctorates in the Netherlands.

Recommendation to award the Cum Laude distinction

The doctoral subcommittee shall put forward two external examiners who have obtained a doctorate and who are experts in the doctoral dissertation’s field of study. These examiners may not have published with the doctoral candidate and shall not be members of the doctoral committee. A curriculum vitae of each examiner must be sent with the request. The nomination must be signed by the dean concerned. The Rector Magnificus shall designate the examiners. The external examiners must send their recommendations in writing and in confidence to the Beadle’s Office within three weeks of being appointed.

The doctoral subcommittee shall put forward two external examiners who have obtained a doctorate and who are experts in the doctoral dissertation’s field of study, and who shall not be members of the doctoral committee.

The Rector Magnificus must make the motion and the recommendations of the external examiners known to the members of the full doctoral committee in confidence as soon as possible. Regarding the motion to award the cum laude distinction, the full doctoral committee must take the following into account: (1) the significance and degree of originality of the questions asked and methods used; (2) the academic and technical standard of the work; (3) the opinions of the external examiners; (4) the quality of the defence; (5) the share of persons other than the doctoral candidate; and (6) the language and style.

Decision to award the Cum Laude distinction

Regarding the award of the doctorate, the members of the full doctoral committee who are entitled to vote shall vote on the award of the cum laude distinction by secret ballot. The members who are entitled to vote may only vote for or against the motion.  The Rector Magnificus shall not vote.

The motion shall fail if more than one vote against it is cast. In all other cases, the motion shall pass.

As proof of the award of the doctorate, the person who has obtained the doctorate shall receive a degree certificate in Latin that has been signed by the Rector Magnificus or the person acting in his stead, the doctoral dissertation supervisor and the members of the full doctoral committee. If the doctorate has been awarded with the Cum Laude distinction, this shall be stated on the degree certificate.