Zoom Webinar for defense at KTH

Registration is made using a form which can be found under ”Licentiatseminarium, disputation“ in the form archives:

intra.kth.se/administration/blanketter/forskning-forskarutbildning 

For more information about thesis defense view link:

intra.kth.se/en/forskning/forskarstudier/avhandling-disputation-och-examen-1.680207

Basic requirements:

• As to the core of the defense, respondent, opponent, grading committee and chairperson must be able to communicate with each other 2-way including picture and sound.
• When it comes to audiences, they should be able to see and hear the thesis defense. They should also be able to ask, at least via chat function.
• Thesis defense should also be public. The audience must also be given the opportunity to attend physically, in addition to the opportunity to participate remotely, as some of the audience may lack computer / computer experience.

In order to enable the thesis defense process in the current situation, KTH has developed a solution where thesis defenses can be carried out completely remotely. This solution is based on the Zoom webinar, which enables the meeting organizer to have complete control over the distance meeting and how the thesis defense should be carried out, for example:

•  the respondent, the opponent, the grading committee and the chair actively participate as a "panel"
•  audience can see and hear but cannot send video and sound (to avoid the risk of disruption)
• The audience is given the opportunity to ask questions either via the chat function or in Q&A format

Here is a workflow and instructions on how to proceed.

If you want to use the Zoom webinar for thesis defense, then the organizer of the meeting needs to via an e-mail contact it-support@kth.se

NOTE! The respondent should not be the organizer of the Zoom webinar.

1. In the e-mail, the organizer shall provide the following information:
   • In the subject line enter: thesis defense, respondent's name and date
   • In the message enter:
     • When do you at the latest need access to the Zoom webinar, in order to post the link when the dissertation is posted
     • Name, e-mail address and telephone number of the organizer (or other contact person for the defense, ie the person who will have continued contact with KTH IT-Support in this matter)
2. KTH IT-Support will register a Zoom webinar license for the defense and give feedback to the organizer
3. If any of the committee or audience should attend from a room at KTH, a suitable room with video equipment must be booked through KTH's local booking. A list of suitable premises can be found here: intra.kth.se/en/it/kth-videoconferencing/video-conf/rooms-with-videoconf/boka-rum-med-videokonferens-1.800139
4. The organizer also needs to set up a separate Zoom meeting (Note: not Zoom webinar) only for the opponent, the grading committee and the chair, where the audience is excluded. This zoom meeting need to be booked by another person, tentatively from the grading committee. That is because of the limitation in the system which doesn’t allow the same person to book two meeting at the same time 

You can find instructions for how to set up a Zoom meeting here:

intra.kth.se/en/it/kth-videoconferencing/zoom/bjud-in-till-zoom-mo/bjud-in-till-zoom-mote-1.826070

KTH IT-Support helps with instructions, tips and advice, with the start of the Zoom webinar meeting itself, as well as with support in the physical room if wanted.

If support is needed during the actual defense, contact KTH IT Support immediately on 08-790 6600. KTH IT-Support handles these types of cases with the highest priority.

Once you have received feedback from KTH IT-Support that a Zoom webinar license is registered for the defense (usually using the chairman's kth.se account), you need to set up a Zoom webinar meeting. It is essential that the webinar is set up in advance and posted in good time in accordance with current regulations.

To set up a Zoom webinar meeting for a public defense :