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PhD programmes

What is a PhD?

With Ministerial Decree No. 45 of February 8, 2013, “Regulations concerning the accreditation of PhD locations and courses and criteria for the establishment of PhD courses by accredited entities,” which came into effect on May 21, 2013, a reform of doctoral programs was implemented. This legislative measure aims to enhance the overall quality of higher university education, encouraging new models of industrial research and aligning the disciplinary fields of Italian PhDs with those in Europe, following the model of the European Research Council.

Under the new law, PhD courses are subject to a new accreditation process by the Ministry, based on quantitative and qualitative criteria established by ANVUR (National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes). The PhD constitutes the third level of university education, where training and research are closely intertwined—these are the two foundational elements of the European concept of a university.

PhD courses, lasting a minimum of three years, are accessible to those holding a specialist/master’s degree or an equivalent academic qualification obtained abroad, which must be recognized by the academic authorities, including through inter-university cooperation and mobility agreements. Admission is also granted to holders of a bachelor’s degree obtained under the previous regulations before Ministerial Decrees No. 509/1999 and No. 270/2004.

The study path involves defining a training plan and conducting a research project under the guidance of a tutor, through advanced teaching programs, individual deepening, and periods of study abroad. It concludes with the preparation of a thesis conducted using scientific methods and containing original content. The PhD opens the door to the world of scientific research, predominantly in academia but also in advanced research centers, sectors requiring high-level professional skills, and production facilities.

Our PhDs

European and global markets law. Crisis, rights, regulation