Italy

Admission

Doing a PhD in Italy takes three years with a full-time research assignment. Doctoral students receive a monthly scholarship from the university, which gets funds from the Ministry of University and Research. There are usually very few positions available each year; thus, a highly competitive admission contest selects the students to enroll in a doctoral program. For instance, there may be more than 100 applications for 12 positions (scholarships). At the end of the contest, only the students whose rank-order position is not greater than the number of available scholarships are admitted to the program they applied for. It is also possible that a scholarship is available within research funds, but this happens to a much smaller extent, and only a candidate who has been selected through the competitive contest can get the scholarship. A graduate student, therefore, can be enrolled in a PhD program only if s/he is in a position to get one of the available scholarships. Another particular type of scholarship is called “industrial,” as it is sponsored by an industry or private company that

“There are usually very few positions available each year; thus, a highly competitive admission contest selects the students to enroll in a doctoral program.”

supports research training at the university for an employee. Private companies can also open a call for an “apprenticeship” PhD.

The competitive admission contest is based on requirements that may vary across the universities. For instance, at the University of Padova, for admission to the PhD program in Psychological Sciences, which includes educational psychology, the competitive contest is based, in the first stage, on master’s graduation grades, CV, interest letter and research project written in English, two recommendation letters and, possibly, conference presentations and publications. Only the candidates who pass the first stage are interviewed (in English) in person or remotely. Finally, the ranking of the interviewees is drawn up.

Regulations may differ across universities. At the University of Florence, for instance, PhD programs are interdisciplinary (e.g., Education and Psychology) and candidates from different disciplines may compete for the same ranking. It is mandatory for candidates to include a CV and a research proposal when applying; it is also desirable to include publications or other qualifications, besides a master’s degree or equivalent. The exam can be written or oral and it includes: i) an assessment of the CV, publications, master’s degree thesis and other titles; and ii) an assessment of the research proposal. The oral exam can be held in Italian or English. If the oral exam is held in Italian, then English competence is assessed.

Trajectory

At the beginning of the PhD trajectory, doctoral students are usually assigned a supervisor and, in some cases, a cosupervisor. They may be full, associate,

“During the second (or third year), it is mandatory (or strongly encouraged) to spend a period of research (at least three months) in a university or research center of another country.”

or assistant professors. In addition, a supervisory committee of three professors (or the entire panel) of the doctoral school evaluates the PhD students at the end of each year based on the written report and oral presentation of their work. A formal judgment is required for admission to the next year of the doctoral program.

During the PhD period, doctoral students not only have to realize their research project under the supervision of one or two professors, but also to fulfil a number of requirements in the context of the doctoral school. More specifically, during the first year, students must attend a number of courses mainly devoted to the acquisition of methodological skills. Mandatory courses are about various advanced statistical procedures and software, scientific writing, and publishing in high-ranking journals. Courses about current topics and research paradigms and techniques are also mandatory. When enrolled in interdisciplinary PhDs, students need to attend courses on a variety of themes and topics to be exposed to different academic fields and extend their research methods and contents, in accordance with the complexity of the contemporary world and multicultural knowledge. At the end of each year, PhD students must present their work to the aforementioned committee.

During the second (or third year), it is mandatory (or strongly encouraged) to spend a period of research (at least three months) in a university or research center of another country. All courses and seminars are taught in English. Students are strongly recommended to attend (and present at) international conferences. They are financially supported for registration, travelling, and accommodation expenses.

During each year, PhD students are offered several other mentoring opportunities; for instance, they are asked to attend “school lunch” presentations of invited professors as well as the presentations of the students who are approaching the end of their doctoral training.

Photo © University of Padova – Massimo Pistore – All rights reserved

PhD awards ceremony at the University of Padova

On a voluntary basis, a doctoral student can also run seminars for bachelor’s or master’s students. It is very common that PhD students co-supervise master’s students in designing an empirical study for their master’s thesis, helping in particular with the preparation of research instruments and materials, and data collection in labs.

Around the end of the third year, PhD candidates present their work to all members of the doctoral school and fellow students of the doctoral school. Doctoral thesis and evaluation

As concerns PhD students’ research projects, they must include multiple research studies that become part in the doctoral thesis. Theses are typically written in English. If one or more studies are published in journal articles during the PhD period—as recommended— they are presented in the thesis. These articles should have the PhD student as the first author.

Photo © University of Florence – All rights reserved

PhD awards ceremony at the University of Florence in 2019

At the end of the PhD period, the doctoral school appoints external evaluators of doctoral theses. Evaluators are proposed by the supervisors from among international and national wellknown scholars who are experts in the topics of the theses. The external evaluators access and review a thesis through an online system. They may recommend major or minor revisions, or accepting the thesis as is. If major revisions are required, a candidate is offered an extension of time for the submission of the final version.

When the PhD project is completed and the thesis ready for defense, the supervisor makes a proposal for the composition of the final evaluation committee, which typically consists of three members, all external to the candidate’s own university. The examination committee is approved by the doctoral school. Again, regulations may differ across universities

Defense

The “defense” is not a very formal event in our universities, as it is distinct from the event in which the PhD diploma is handed to neo-doctors. The defense is public and for each candidate takes about one hour, possibly in the department’s nicest room. The event does not have a ceremonial flavor, only a

scientific flavor. The members of the examination committee are dressed formally, but without gowns. The chair opens the session and the candidate is invited to give a presentation of his/her work in 30-40 minutes. After the candidate’s presentation, the committee members give their general evaluative comments and ask questions to engage in discussion with the candidate. Again, the length of students’ presentation and of the whole session may vary across universities. Next the examination committee deliberates and decides whether the PhD degree can be awarded to the candidate. In practice, it never happens that the degree is not awarded. The result is announced in public by the chair of the committee.

Photo © University of Padova – Massimo Pistore – All rights reserved

PhD awards ceremony at the University of Padova

“The ‘handing’ over of the PhD diploma is an event with a real ceremonial flavor, which typically takes place in the nicest room of the university.”

Grand finale

The “handing” over of the PhD diploma is an event with a real ceremonial flavor, which typically takes place in the nicest room of the university. For instance, at the University of Padova this ceremony takes place in the historical Aula Magna where Galileo Galilei and other exceptional scientists taught (Galilei’s chair is still there). In Florence, the ceremony takes place in a prestigious location in the city, for instance, in the Opera theatre. It is an open ceremony, so parents, relatives, and friends are admitted, but in a limited number for each neo-doctor because of the room’s capacity. However, other rooms are videoconference-connected with the Aula Magna. Supervisors also take part in this ceremony. At the beginning of the ceremony, announced by a speaker, the procession of neo-doctors of various doctoral schools, who wear gowns, enter the Aula Magna accompanied by applause. Then, all the audience and neo-doctors stand up as the speaker announces the entry into the Aula of the chairs of the doctoral schools. They wear gowns and cups.

The pro-rector for scientific research gives a short talk with a laudatio for the neo-doctors. The president of the alumni association also gives a short talk to appraise the work done during the PhD and to invite neo-doctors to join the association and network of alumni to keep relationships and interests developed at the university. Then, each neo-doctor is called by name and receives his or her diploma and a small present. Official pictures of neo-doctors holding the diploma are taken.

In Florence, all neo-doctors are awarded at the same event, with the public authorities present and involved.