Thesis Assessment and Oral Defense

The thesis examination should include thesis assessment by the Examination Panel, a compulsory oral defense, and any other assessment arrangements that may be required by the Examination Panel. If the thesis is confirmed to be of the required academic standard by the Panel of Examiners, an oral defense will be arranged. The oral defense is compulsory. It should normally take place in Hong Kong and be conducted in English. Students who have not fulfilled the coursework or any other academic requirements stipulated by the University will not be allowed to undertake the oral defense.

Under normal circumstances, the oral defense will take place within two to three months from the submission of the thesis, depending on the timing of receiving the examiners’ comments. However, for students who fail to give advance notice for submission of their thesis or fail to submit their thesis by the intended submission deadline, a longer period of time will be required to arrange the oral defense.

Oral Defense Arrangements during Typhoons and Rainstorms

The following arrangements for oral defense will be adopted in the event of adverse weather conditions:

(a) If a Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above is issued or an "extreme condition" announcement is issued by the Hong Kong Government after super typhoons or the Hong Kong Observatory announces that a typoon signal No. 8 or above will be issued within 2 hours, the oral defense will be suspended as appended below:

(b) If a typhoon signal No. 8 or above is issued or the Hong Kong Observatory announces that a typhoon signal No. 8 or above will be issued within 2 hours when the oral defense is already in progress, it should be terminated as soon as practicable. However, if the oral defense is already in progress, it should be continued except for situations which endanger students and warrant immediate termination of the oral defense as determined by SGS.

(c) If a Black Rainstorm Warning is issued before an oral examination commences

(d) If a black rainstorm warning is issued during the oral defense, all oral defense in progress should continue except for situations which endanger the participants of the oral defense and warrant immediate termination of the oral defense as determined by SGS.