I came across this blog post about a live-streamed dissertation defence. For those who don’t know, dissertation defences are usually closed-door meetings. At the PhD level, the candidate usually makes a presentation (usually about 20 minutes) summarizing his/her research to the voting members of the panel. Most schools require a minimum of three voting members which consist of the candidate’s thesis committee and some form of external review. The procedure is administered by a representative of the university who ensures that all of the rules are followed.
Not sure that I’ll have a chance to watch the event live, but if it’s possible, I will definitely check it out afterwards.