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PhD TV in figures

When and what people defend

What the 2,209 published listings show about when defenses happen, in which fields, and what the theses are about. The page is built from the listings each night; the dates mostly show when we started reading each university’s agenda, so nothing here charts a trend over time.

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The schedule

The hours

UEF starts 93% of its defenses at 12:00

UiT starts 90% of its defenses at 12:15, and UiO 46% at 13:15. Each row is shaded by its own total, so a place with a dozen defenses reads as clearly as one with hundreds.

Share of the row’s defenses:up to 2%2–5%5–12%12–25%over 25%
01:0003:0005:0007:0009:0011:0013:0015:0017:0019:00KU Leuven17:00 · 43%Groningen11:00 · 22%UvA13:00 · 28%Radboud10:30 · 30%VU11:45 · 30%UU12:15 · 27%Maastricht13:00 · 36%Aarhus13:00 · 36%AUTh11:00 · 19%Uppsala09:15 · 26%UT14:30 · 38%UiO13:15 · 46%KTH09:00 · 32%Oulu12:00 · 88%TU Delft10:00 · 38%Erasmus13:00 · 39%Aalto12:00 · 88%Tampere12:00 · 79%MIT14:00 · 18%UEF12:00 · 93%VUB17:00 · 43%Princeton10:00 · 33%HOU10:00 · 18%NTUA10:00 · 18%Técnico Lisboa14:00 · 40%UiT12:15 · 90%
Local start times in quarter-hour slots, in each listing’s own time zone. The figure on the right is the row’s busiest slot and its share. Universities with fewer than 10 defenses are left out.
Table
WhoStartsDefensesShare
KU Leuven08:0010.3%
KU Leuven09:0030.8%
KU Leuven09:3061.6%
KU Leuven10:00256.5%
KU Leuven10:3092.3%
KU Leuven11:0030.8%
KU Leuven13:00112.9%
KU Leuven13:1510.3%
KU Leuven13:30328.3%
KU Leuven14:00246.3%
KU Leuven14:3010.3%
KU Leuven15:00123.1%
KU Leuven15:3010.3%
KU Leuven16:006216%
KU Leuven16:30153.9%
KU Leuven17:0016543%
KU Leuven17:3051.3%
KU Leuven18:0071.8%
KU Leuven20:0010.3%
Groningen09:003615%
Groningen11:005422%
Groningen12:455322%
Groningen14:0010.4%
Groningen14:305322%
Groningen16:154920%
UvA10:004519%
UvA11:002712%
UvA13:006628%
UvA14:003415%
UvA16:006126%
Radboud10:305830%
Radboud11:3021%
Radboud12:305227%
Radboud14:304523%
Radboud16:303518%
VU09:453123%
VU11:454130%
VU13:454130%
VU15:452418%
UU10:0021.7%
UU10:152622%
UU12:0021.7%
UU12:153127%
UU14:0032.6%
UU14:152925%
UU16:0032.6%
UU16:152017%
Maastricht09:4511.1%
Maastricht10:003134%
Maastricht13:003336%
Maastricht15:4511.1%
Maastricht16:002628%
Aarhus09:0044.6%
Aarhus09:3022.3%
Aarhus10:0078%
Aarhus10:1511.1%
Aarhus10:3011.1%
Aarhus11:0022.3%
Aarhus12:0022.3%
Aarhus13:003136%
Aarhus13:1589.2%
Aarhus13:3011.1%
Aarhus14:001720%
Aarhus14:1522.3%
Aarhus14:3033.4%
Aarhus15:0044.6%
Aarhus15:3022.3%
AUTh09:3011.3%
AUTh09:4511.3%
AUTh10:001316%
AUTh10:3056.3%
AUTh11:001519%
AUTh11:3033.8%
AUTh12:001519%
AUTh12:3033.8%
AUTh13:0022.5%
AUTh13:1511.3%
AUTh13:3011.3%
AUTh14:0045%
AUTh14:3022.5%
AUTh15:0033.8%
AUTh16:0067.5%
AUTh17:0011.3%
AUTh18:0022.5%
AUTh19:0011.3%
AUTh20:0011.3%
Uppsala09:001420%
Uppsala09:151826%
Uppsala09:3022.9%
Uppsala10:0034.3%
Uppsala10:15811%
Uppsala12:0011.4%
Uppsala13:0057.1%
Uppsala13:151724%
Uppsala14:1522.9%
UT10:301319%
UT12:301826%
UT13:3011.5%
UT14:302638%
UT16:301015%
UiO01:1511.8%
UiO10:15814%
UiO11:1558.9%
UiO12:15916%
UiO12:3011.8%
UiO13:0011.8%
UiO13:152646%
UiO13:3035.4%
UiO14:0011.8%
UiO15:3011.8%
KTH09:001632%
KTH09:3012%
KTH10:001122%
KTH13:001122%
KTH14:001020%
KTH14:1512%
Oulu10:0012%
Oulu12:004388%
Oulu12:1548.2%
Oulu15:0012%
TU Delft10:001838%
TU Delft12:301532%
TU Delft15:00919%
TU Delft17:30511%
Erasmus10:301330%
Erasmus13:001739%
Erasmus15:301432%
Aalto12:003588%
Aalto12:1512.5%
Aalto13:0037.5%
Aalto17:0012.5%
Tampere10:0012.9%
Tampere11:0012.9%
Tampere12:002779%
Tampere13:00412%
Tampere15:0012.9%
MIT09:0026.1%
MIT09:3013%
MIT10:00515%
MIT10:3013%
MIT11:0039.1%
MIT12:00412%
MIT12:3013%
MIT13:0039.1%
MIT13:3026.1%
MIT14:00618%
MIT15:0026.1%
MIT15:3013%
MIT16:0013%
MIT18:0013%
UEF10:0013.7%
UEF12:002593%
UEF13:0013.7%
VUB09:3014.3%
VUB16:00939%
VUB17:001043%
VUB17:3014.3%
VUB18:0028.7%
Princeton09:3018.3%
Princeton10:00433%
Princeton11:0018.3%
Princeton11:3018.3%
Princeton12:0018.3%
Princeton13:00217%
Princeton13:30217%
HOU09:0019.1%
HOU10:00218%
HOU10:3019.1%
HOU11:00218%
HOU12:00218%
HOU14:00218%
HOU16:0019.1%
NTUA10:00218%
NTUA11:00218%
NTUA12:0019.1%
NTUA13:3019.1%
NTUA14:00218%
NTUA15:0019.1%
NTUA15:3019.1%
NTUA17:0019.1%
Técnico Lisboa09:00220%
Técnico Lisboa10:00220%
Técnico Lisboa14:00440%
Técnico Lisboa14:30220%
UiT09:15110%
UiT12:15990%
The days

Friday is the busiest day for defenses

655 of 2209 defenses fall on a Friday. At Oulu, 82% of defenses fall on a Friday. At Groningen, only 4.1%.

02505007501,000MonTueWedThu655FriSatSun
By university
Share of the row’s defenses:up to 5%5–15%15–30%30–50%over 50%
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunFriKU Leuven26%Groningen4.1%UvA30%Radboud19%VU17%UU23%Maastricht21%Aarhus55%AUTh24%Uppsala71%UT34%UiO48%KTH58%Oulu82%TU Delft21%Erasmus11%Aalto73%Tampere76%MIT21%UEF81%VUB35%Princeton17%HOU9.1%NTUA18%Técnico Lisboa30%UiT50%
The weekday of the local start date. The grid covers universities with at least 10 defenses; each row is shaded by its own total, and the figure on the right is its share on a Friday.
Table
WhoDayDefensesShare
All of PhD TVMon40318%
All of PhD TVTue34616%
All of PhD TVWed41319%
All of PhD TVThu38818%
All of PhD TVFri65530%
All of PhD TVSat40.2%
All of PhD TVSun00%
KU LeuvenMon7921%
KU LeuvenTue5915%
KU LeuvenWed7921%
KU LeuvenThu6818%
KU LeuvenFri9926%
KU LeuvenSat00%
KU LeuvenSun00%
GroningenMon6125%
GroningenTue5623%
GroningenWed6526%
GroningenThu5422%
GroningenFri104.1%
GroningenSat00%
GroningenSun00%
UvAMon3415%
UvATue219%
UvAWed5925%
UvAThu5021%
UvAFri6930%
UvASat00%
UvASun00%
RadboudMon4121%
RadboudTue4021%
RadboudWed4222%
RadboudThu3317%
RadboudFri3619%
RadboudSat00%
RadboudSun00%
VUMon3324%
VUTue3223%
VUWed2921%
VUThu2015%
VUFri2317%
VUSat00%
VUSun00%
UUMon2723%
UUTue2824%
UUWed1614%
UUThu1816%
UUFri2723%
UUSat00%
UUSun00%
MaastrichtMon1820%
MaastrichtTue1516%
MaastrichtWed2123%
MaastrichtThu1921%
MaastrichtFri1921%
MaastrichtSat00%
MaastrichtSun00%
AarhusMon910%
AarhusTue44.6%
AarhusWed55.7%
AarhusThu2124%
AarhusFri4855%
AarhusSat00%
AarhusSun00%
AUThMon1114%
AUThTue1316%
AUThWed1519%
AUThThu2228%
AUThFri1924%
AUThSat00%
AUThSun00%
UppsalaMon45.7%
UppsalaTue34.3%
UppsalaWed34.3%
UppsalaThu811%
UppsalaFri5071%
UppsalaSat22.9%
UppsalaSun00%
UTMon1015%
UTTue1218%
UTWed1218%
UTThu1116%
UTFri2334%
UTSat00%
UTSun00%
UiOMon1018%
UiOTue814%
UiOWed713%
UiOThu47.1%
UiOFri2748%
UiOSat00%
UiOSun00%
KTHMon816%
KTHTue48%
KTHWed12%
KTHThu816%
KTHFri2958%
KTHSat00%
KTHSun00%
OuluMon00%
OuluTue48.2%
OuluWed24.1%
OuluThu36.1%
OuluFri4082%
OuluSat00%
OuluSun00%
TU DelftMon1328%
TU DelftTue511%
TU DelftWed1123%
TU DelftThu817%
TU DelftFri1021%
TU DelftSat00%
TU DelftSun00%
ErasmusMon818%
ErasmusTue1227%
ErasmusWed1125%
ErasmusThu818%
ErasmusFri511%
ErasmusSat00%
ErasmusSun00%
AaltoMon37.5%
AaltoTue410%
AaltoWed12.5%
AaltoThu37.5%
AaltoFri2973%
AaltoSat00%
AaltoSun00%
TampereMon00%
TampereTue12.9%
TampereWed38.8%
TampereThu25.9%
TampereFri2676%
TampereSat25.9%
TampereSun00%
MITMon721%
MITTue618%
MITWed721%
MITThu618%
MITFri721%
MITSat00%
MITSun00%
UEFMon00%
UEFTue00%
UEFWed415%
UEFThu13.7%
UEFFri2281%
UEFSat00%
UEFSun00%
VUBMon313%
VUBTue313%
VUBWed522%
VUBThu417%
VUBFri835%
VUBSat00%
VUBSun00%
PrincetonMon217%
PrincetonTue217%
PrincetonWed217%
PrincetonThu433%
PrincetonFri217%
PrincetonSat00%
PrincetonSun00%
HOUMon655%
HOUTue00%
HOUWed436%
HOUThu00%
HOUFri19.1%
HOUSat00%
HOUSun00%
NTUAMon327%
NTUATue218%
NTUAWed218%
NTUAThu218%
NTUAFri218%
NTUASat00%
NTUASun00%
Técnico LisboaMon330%
Técnico LisboaTue220%
Técnico LisboaWed110%
Técnico LisboaThu110%
Técnico LisboaFri330%
Técnico LisboaSat00%
Técnico LisboaSun00%
UiTMon220%
UiTTue00%
UiTWed110%
UiTThu220%
UiTFri550%
UiTSat00%
UiTSun00%
The fields

Medical and health sciences lead the schedule

705 of 2209 defenses, 32%. Each defense is counted once, under the field of its first discipline. Choose a field to see its disciplines.

Medical and health sciences705 · 32%Natural sciences549 · 25%Social sciences405 · 18%Engineering and technology352 · 16%Humanities and the arts163 · 7.4%Agricultural and veterinary sciences32 · 1.4%
Inside Medical and health sciences
Clinical medicine398Health sciences150Basic medicine126Medical biotechnology27Other medical sciences4
Fields and disciplines are the OECD’s Fields of Science. 3 defenses have no discipline yet and are left out.
Table
FieldDisciplineDefenses
Medical and health sciencesClinical medicine398
Natural sciencesComputer and information sciences192
Medical and health sciencesHealth sciences150
Medical and health sciencesBasic medicine126
Natural sciencesBiological sciences112
Social sciencesEconomics and business95
Social sciencesPsychology and cognitive sciences85
Natural sciencesPhysical sciences84
Engineering and technologyElectrical, electronic and information engineering81
Natural sciencesChemical sciences79
Social sciencesEducation62
Engineering and technologyMedical engineering59
Social sciencesLaw53
Natural sciencesEarth and related environmental sciences50
Humanities and the artsHistory and archaeology47
Humanities and the artsPhilosophy, ethics and religion44
Engineering and technologyChemical engineering43
Engineering and technologyMaterials engineering39
Humanities and the artsArts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music)38
Engineering and technologyMechanical engineering37
Social sciencesSocial and economic geography34
Natural sciencesMathematics32
Humanities and the artsLanguages and literature32
Engineering and technologyCivil engineering29
Engineering and technologyEnvironmental engineering29
Medical and health sciencesMedical biotechnology27
Social sciencesPolitical science24
Social sciencesMedia and communications24
Social sciencesSociology21
Agricultural and veterinary sciencesAgriculture, forestry and fisheries19
Engineering and technologyOther engineering and technologies14
Engineering and technologyIndustrial biotechnology12
Engineering and technologyNanotechnology9
Social sciencesOther social sciences7
Agricultural and veterinary sciencesAnimal and dairy science5
Agricultural and veterinary sciencesVeterinary science5
Medical and health sciencesOther medical sciences4
Agricultural and veterinary sciencesOther agricultural sciences2
Humanities and the artsOther humanities2
Agricultural and veterinary sciencesAgricultural biotechnology1
The mix

The share of each university’s defenses in each field, for universities with 10 or more on PhD TV.

Medical and health sciencesNatural sciencesAgricultural and veterinary sciencesSocial sciencesEngineering and technologyHumanities and the arts
All universities2209KU Leuven384Groningen246UvA233Radboud192VU137UU116Maastricht92Aarhus87AUTh80Uppsala70UT68UiO56KTH50Oulu49TU Delft47Erasmus44Aalto40Tampere34MIT33UEF27VUB23Princeton12HOU11NTUA11Técnico Lisboa10UiT10
The fields are stacked in an order that keeps neighbouring colours apart for colour-blind readers. Hover over a segment for its count.
Table
UniversityDefensesMedical and health sciencesNatural sciencesAgricultural and veterinary sciencesSocial sciencesEngineering and technologyHumanities and the artsNo field yet
All universities2209705549324053521633
KU Leuven38476721075113380
Groningen246955545618180
UvA233109600453160
Radboud19210042038390
VU13759331311120
UU1164435524530
Maastricht92569023400
Aarhus873529521240
AUTh8012901512230
Uppsala7023160141070
UT686150113420
UiO562450160110
KTH50522001940
Oulu499120101620
TU Delft47011013320
Erasmus4430109310
Aalto40112022050
Tampere3439111820
MIT33021001200
UEF276659100
VUB2331203410
Princeton1201200000
HOU111106300
NTUA110610400
Técnico Lisboa1001000000
UiT104102120

What the theses are about

Theses written in similar words sit close together

Each dot is coloured by its field. Choose a field, search the titles or light up a place to grey out the rest. Hover over a dot to read it, or click it to pin its card, which links to its page. Zoom with the buttons, a pinch or Ctrl and the wheel, then drag to move around.

Marks
CLINICAL MEDICINECOMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCESHEALTH SCIENCESECONOMICS & BUSINESSELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC & INFORMATION ENGINEERINGEDUCATIONLAWEARTH & RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESCHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Table

Counted from the published listings on 2 November 2026.