Public Competition Announcement for PhD courses – 27th cycle

Public Competition Announcement for PhD courses – 27th cycle
DECREE NO. 15 /2011
THE PRESIDENT OF THE FREE UNIVERSITY OF BOZEN/BOLZANO COUNCIL
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Considering the Statute of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano;
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Considering Law no. 210 of July 3, 1998, and in particular, art. 4, which assigns the institution of PhD courses, the application conditions and the award of the degree based on an appropriate regulation in accordance with the general criteria stipulated by ministerial regulation to universities;
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Considering article 19 of Law no. 240 of December 30, 2010;
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Considering the MIUR (Ministry for Education & Research) circular of 14 March, 2011, reference no. 640;
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Considering Ministerial Decree no. 224 of April 30, 1999, regarding the general criteria to be followed by individual universities in the organization of PhD studies;
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Considering the Prime Minister’s Decree of April 9, 2001 and subsequent amendments on the general criteria for uniform treatment regarding the right to higher education;
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Considering the Regulation concerning PhD Research Programmes of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, approved by the Executive Committee of the University Council under resolution no. 99 of October 22, 2003 and subsequent amendments;
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Considering the “Regulations for research grants referred to in article 22 of Law no. 240/2010 ", approved by the University Council with resolution 126 of May 27, 2011;
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Considering the new "Criteria for the definition and evaluation of PHD programmes at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano", approved by the University Council with resolution no. 123/2011 of 27 May 2011 and subsequent amendments;
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Considering reports 6/2011, 7/2011, 8/2011 and 15/2011 from the Internal Evaluation Committee dated 10 June 2011, on the requirements for the PhD courses proposed;
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Considering the reports from the Academic Senate no. 841/2011, 842/2011, and 848/2011 dated 15 June 2011 on the institution of the “Sustainable Energy and Technologies”, “Management of Mountain Environments”, “General Pedagogy, Social Pedagogy and General Education” and “Computer Science” PhD courses proposed;
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Considering resolutions no. 139, 140, 141 and 142 of the University Council, dates 24 June 2011, concerning the approval of the “Sustainable Energy and Technologies”, “Management of Mountain Environments”, “General Pedagogy, Social Pedagogy and General Education” and “Computer Science” PhD courses;
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Considering resolution no. 240 of 31 October, 2008 of the University Council concerning the exemption from paying enrolment fees for PhD candidates without grants;
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Considering resolution no. 251 of 21 November, 2008 of the University Council concerning the increase in the total amount of grant awarded to PhD students;
DECREES
ART.1 – INSTITUTION
The Free University of Bozen/Bolzano announces a public competition, by examinations and/or qualifications, for admission to the following PhD Research Programmes of the 27th cycle, for the 2011/2012 academic year.
GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION
Duration: 3 years plus max. one further year for completion
Scientific areas:
M-PED/01 General and Social Pedagogy
M-PED/03 General Teaching and Special Pedagogy
SPS/08 Cultural Sociology
SPS/07 General Sociology (social work)
Official course languages: Italian, English and German
A public competition for the allocation of
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10 places is announced of which 5 places will be covered by grants
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Duration: 3 years
Scientific areas:
INF/01 Computer science (50%)
ING-INF/05 Information Processing Systems (50%)
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Official course language: English
A public competition for the allocation of
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10 places is announced of which 5* will be covered by grants and
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6 additional places** will be reserved for people in receipt of a grant for cooperation in research activities for at least three years in subjects compatible with those on this PhD programme.
*the number of grants can be increased in the event that further funding is available from the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano of at least 50%, as per article 7 of ministerial decree 224/99.
** according to article 6 of the Regulations for Research Grants referred to in article 22 of Law no. 240/2010 of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano
MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS
Duration: 3 years
Scientific areas:
AGR/01 – Economics and Rural estimation (10%)
AGR/03 – General Arboricolture and tree cultivation (10%)
AGR/05 – Forestry and Silviculture (10%)
AGR/08 – Agricultural Hydrology and Forest Hydrology (10%)
AGR/09 – Agricultural Machinery (10%)
AGR/11 – Agricultural and Forestry Entomology (10%)
AGR/13 – Agricultural Chemistry (10%)
AGR/15 – Food Science and Technology (10%)
AGR/16 – Agricultural Microbiology (10%)
BIO/03 – Environmental and applied Botany (10%)
Official course language: English
A public competition for the allocation of
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12 places is announced of which 11 will be covered by grants and
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1 additional place*
*Place reserved for a candidate who is receiving a scholarship according to art. 18 of the Regulations for PhD Research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES
Duration: 3 years
Scientific areas:
AGR/09 – Agricultural Machinery (8%)
FIS/01 – Experimental physics– (8%)
ICAR/12 – Architecture – (5%)
ING-IND/11 – Environmental physics – (19%)
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ING-IND/13 – Applied mechanics – (8%)
ING-IND/16 – Manufacturing systems and technologies – (14%)
ING-IND/17– Industrial machinery – (8%)
ING-IND/22 – Materials Science and Technology – (8%)
ING-IND/35 – Engineering management – (8%)
MAT/05 – Analysis – (7%)
MAT/07 – Mathematical physics – (7%)
Official course language: English
A public competition for the allocation of
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7 places is announced of which 4 will be covered by grants and
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1 additional place*
*Place reserved for a candidate who is receiving a scholarship according to art. 18 of the Regulations for PhD research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
ART. 2 – PHD COURSE PROGRAMMES
GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION
This PhD Research Programme lasts three years and the official languages are German and Italian; some courses and/or seminars could also be held in English. Over the three years, PhD students will actively attend the teaching and scientific activities as listed in the D.M. of 30 April 1999, no. 224, and the subsequent Ministerial Circulars and reports from the CUN. PhD students will also complete a piece of original research, supervised by two or more supervisors and by the PhD Course Committee.
Each candidate will have to dedicate themselves full time to the programme, which aims to develop the scientific subjects and the main research areas of the programme. As from the second year, each candidate is expected to shadow their supervisors and/or other members of the academic staff in teaching and research activities together with their own research programme.
There is a wide range of training options; some require compulsory attendance while others are optional. The teaching includes a cycle of introductory lectures, practical sessions and seminars that aim to develop and illustrate the programme’s subjects and research areas and to focus on the most recent findings in the education and social work sector.
The programme places a high value on research methodology in the education and social work sector, supported by qualitative and quantitative analysis, and with software support (MaxQda, Taltac, SPSS, Opinio, Atlas.it etc..). Tutors ensure the correct application of methods of experimental research with a qualitative and / or quantitative approach. 4
The cycles of compulsory and optional classes, workshops and seminars are decided by the PhD Course Committee at the beginning of the cycle.
The teaching programme requires students to have been assigned two or more supervisors by the PhD Course Committee chosen from the tenured academic staff at the Faculty at least two months before the end of the first year so that they can agree on a personal research topic.
Compulsory attendance of the introductory lectures, practical sessions and seminars is required as well of any internships or educational workshops that the programme includes.
Other activities that require compulsory attendance, apart from those listed in the study programme, are optional internships done in research groups at other universities and/or public or private Research Centres (which have the pre-requisites of having a high cultural, scientific and personnel standing as well as acceptable facilities). Also optional participation at conferences and research at libraries and archives require compulsory attendance. On the basis of a learning agreement, PhD students can attend lectures, practical sessions, seminars and internships at other universities and universities with which the PhD programme can establish an agreement during the three years.
The supervision of the research project, the main focus of the PhD, is organised through monthly meetings with the main supervisor. In these meetings the student is required to submit a paper on the work undertaken. The meetings with the second supervisor should be held at least twice a year. Seminars will also be bi-monthly to monitor and develop the skills of the students. Students will illustrate and discuss publicly the progress on their research. This practice represents an opportunity to make presentations at meetings and conferences.
PhD students are also required to attend training events in Italy and abroad.
During the three years, PhD students have to spend a compulsory period abroad, which should last no longer than 6 months.
RESEARCH AREAS AND SUPERVISORS
The PhD programme is divided into three distinct programmes: General Pedagogy, General Education and Social Pedagogy and Social Work.
The three programme share a core training on the epistemology of research and on qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
The main research themes of the General Pedagogy programme are:
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Educational policies and school organization
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Lifelong, lifewide, lifedeep learning: training processes and trajectories and the development of individuals and groups
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Integrated training system: analysis, models and methods
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Group theories and methodologies and collaborative approaches
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Environments and contexts of communication and training
(supervisors: Augschöll Annemarie, Baur Siegfried, Belardi Nando, Cavrini Giulia, Colombi Alessandro, Dozza Liliana, Elsen Susanne, Ellerani Piergiuseppe, Farneti Alessandra, Giacomuzzi Salvatore, Herwartz-Emden Leonie, Kofler Doris, Lorenz Walter, Lupoli Nicola, Parricchi Monica, Profanter Annemarie, Riccioni Ilaria, Wallnöfer Gerwald, Wiater Werner)
The main research themes of the General Education programme are:
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Design, methods and evaluation of educational practices and education systems, including technologies for teaching
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Cooperative learning methodologies
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Research and practices of the teaching profession
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Technologies for education: advanced research and teaching practices
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Education and special needs: the state of the art and advanced research
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Subject teaching
(supervisors: Augschöll Annemarie, Cavrini Giulia, Colombi Alessandro, Comploi Franz, Dozza Liliana, Ellerani Piergiuseppe, Farneti Alessandra, Giacomuzzi Salvatore, Ianes Dario, Macchia Vanessa, Parricchi Monica, Wallnöfer Gerwald, Wiater Werner)
The main research themes of the Social Pedagogy and Social Work programme are:
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Social policies and professional practices
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Methodologies and practices in education and social action - research practices
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Research and professional practice (evidence-oriented practice)
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Educational Research and Social Change
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Evaluation and quality of professional practice
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Social inequalities needs and intervention
(supervisors: Cavrini Giulia, Dozza Liliana, Ellerani Piergiuseppe, Elsen Susanne, Fargion Silvia, Farneti Alessandra, Ianes Dario, Lorenz Walter, Riccioni Ilaria, Serina Ivan)
COMPUTER SCIENCE
The PhD programme lasts three years and can be extended for a further year (this is a non-compulsory year but can be used to write the thesis). It is a full-time course. The official language of the programme is English.
The aim of the PhD programme is to allow students to acquire the ability to undertake research independently in the area of computer science. This also involves the ability to communicate ideas clearly and efficiently orally and written and the ability to work in groups.
In order to conclude the programme successfully, the PhD student has to undertake a piece of research independently and this research must contribute and add significantly to current knowledge in the area of computer science.
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Due to the time limits of this programme, PhD students must concentrate on their research work. In order to achieve this, they are supported with the following:
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the programme is divided into four stages which end at the 6th, 12th, 24th and 36th month.
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the PhD Course Committee nominates one of its own members as a supervisor for each PhD student. There can also be a co-supervisor nominated for extra support. If the PhD student is enrolled for an international PhD programme with a double qualification, a second supervisor can be named.
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the PhD student writes a Research and Study Plan together with his/her supervisor(s). This defines the objectives of the research and the stages needed to complete it. Among these stages is the study of subjects which are necessary for the student's research work. Periodically the PhD student must update the Research and Study Plan considering the progress made and the developments in the research area.
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each stage finishes with an evaluation period where the PhD student presents his/her work to the PhD Course Committee, which evaluates the student’s progress. Each time this occurs, the PhD Course Committee receives an updated Research and Study Plan.
A more detailed description of these four phases, the nomination of a supervisor and the Research and Study Plan follow.
Stages
Stage 1 is the first six months. During this period PhD students decide, with the help of their supervisor, a research area, a specific topic and one or more methodological approaches to undertake the research. PhD students start by developing a solid understanding of the research areas by attending classes and studying the recommended literature. Supervisors then insert PhD students into the Faculty’s research activities that deal with the topic in question.
Stage 2 is the second half of the first year. PhD students continue to study the research area in question and begin their own research.
Stage 3 is the second year. PhD students begin a solid analysis of the research area.
Stage 4 is the third year. PhD student complete their research and write their thesis.
RESEARCH AREAS AND SUPERVISORS
Research at the Faculty of Computer Science covers three different research areas, whose study areas and topics will be developed by research groups on a long term basis.
The research areas, together with a selection of research topics, are:
1.
Databases and information systems:
1.
Management and analysis of large databases
2.
Temporal data models and databases
3.
Data evolution and data integration
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4.
Approximation techniques for large databases
5.
Information search and advisory systems
6.
Recommender Systems
7.
Entity Search and Opinion Mining
2.
Knowledge representation and databases:
1.
Logics for knowledge representation
2.
Intelligent access to databases
3.
Controlled Natural Language
4.
Temporal aspects in data and knowledge
5.
Advanced database technologies
6.
Interoperation, verification and composition of business services and processes
3.
Software Engineering:
1.
Agile methods, lean management, and open source
2.
Measurement and study of software quality, reliability, evolution, and reuse
3.
Distributed architecture for computation, web services, and mobile systems
4.
IT business alignment
5.
Component-based development and re-use of software
6.
Cooperative systems and interoperability
7.
IT tools for social and interactive teaching and learning methodologies
These areas are the fulcrum of research in international PhDs with double qualifications. With respect to bi and multilateral agreements, these programmes can also extend to the areas and specialisations covered by the partner universities.
PhD work involves the investigation of research questions that arise during the work undertaken by the three different research groups.
The following list shows possible PhD theses of the current PhD cycle and their supervisors:
Thesis
Supervisor
Mobile Software Engineering
Succi Giancarlo
Software Engineering for Cloud Computing
Abrahamsson Pekka
Software measurement of open source systems
Russo Barbara
Internet based Software Engineering
Sillitti Alberto
Extreme Apprenticeship and new methodologies in Computer Science Education
Di Cerbo Francesco
Open sourced Software Engineering
Petrinja Etjel
Performance Evaluation in Software Engineering
Rossi Bruno
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Advanced query processing in spatial network databases
Gamper Johann
Supporting Time in database management systems
Gamper Johann
Medical data warehousing and data mining
Gamper Johann
Extending Database Systems with Similarity Operators
Augsten Nikolaus
Entity-Centric Indexing and Searching
Kacimi El Hassani Mouna
Sequential decision making in personalized information search
Zini Floriano
Supporting group decisions and negotiations in eCommerce
Zini Floriano
Integrated Access to Geographical Data
Nutt Werner
Business Process Analysis for Data Quality Guarantees
Nutt Werner
Management of Business Processes and Data
Calvanese Diego
Graph-structured Data Management
Calvanese Diego
knowledge representation in game-based technology-enhanced learning
Gennari Rosella
Semantic interoperability in distributed environments
Pirrò Giuseppe
Query processing in Ontology-based systems
Rodriguez Mariano
Knowledge discovery in bioinformatics: biological networks analysis
Fionda Valeria
Query Temporal Databases Under Temporal Constraints
Artale Alessandro
Efficient algorithms to reason over temporal data models
Artale Alessandro
Reasoning on Temporal Data Models
Ryzikhov Vladislav
In addition, PhD students, in accordance with their PhD supervisor, may propose their own research ideas as long as they are connected with the research conducted within the three main areas.
MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS
This is a full-time course. The final thesis must be completed in English and must have a complete abstract in German and Italian. PhD students should therefore benefit from the special multilingual opportunities that the University offers, which include various events in Italian, 9
German or other languages (seminars, optional courses, social events, etc). The PhD programme comprises lectures and research activities that can be completed at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano and at universities abroad. The time spent abroad can be at one of the foreign universities with which this University has a cotutelle de thèse agreement or at other universities or research centres.
The PhD programme is based on the following milestones:
•
students develop and organise their research plan in the first six months of the course together with their supervisor or co-supervisors. At the latest after six months, students must defend their research plan in front of the PhD Course Committee.
•
students have to prepare, within 12 months of starting the programme, a public seminar in which they discuss the state-of-the-art of their research topic;
•
students have to take part in at least one international conference where they are expected to deliver a paper or present a poster;
•
students must spend at least three months abroad conducting research;
•
students must attend specific compulsory courses, focused on improving their English language, the analysis of literature and writing scientific articles and on advanced statistics as well as other courses or summer school courses approved by the PhD Course Committee, and pass the relevant exam.
•
students must attend certain courses on a compulsory basis. In order to be admitted to the final exam, students must have written a scientific text where they figure as the main author and have sent it for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal.
Stages of the PhD:
The research activities are spread over five stages that end after 2, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. At the end of each stage, students have to meet the PhD Course Committee to present their project and results. The PhD Course Committee evaluates students’ work and provides suggestions when necessary.
First stage (first 2 months): the PhD Course Committee meets the students and tells them who their supervisor is. Students then meet the supervisor to decide on their research topic regarding the areas listed in this advertisement. Students also work on a study plan that is then to be approved by the PhD Course Committee.
Second stage (2nd -6th month): students, after an exhaustive review of the literature concerning their subject area, must prepare their research programme that has to be approved by the PhD Course Committee. Students will follow courses that are relevant to their individual study plan.
Third stage (6th -12th month): students start their research as fieldwork and/or in the lab and can also attend courses and summer schools. Students prepare their public seminar that will take place at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano in which they discuss the state-of-the-art of their research topic. They will also present to the PhD Course Committee their research programme that they want to conduct abroad in the following year and propose a co-supervisor at the foreign university or research centre for approval.
Fourth stage (12th -24th month): students continue their research and finish any courses that they have been following. At this stage it is likely that some of this time will be spent abroad. In this stage or in the next students are also expected to take part in an international conference to
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present their results and they will begin to prepare the manuscript(s) for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Fifth stage (24th-36th month): students finish their research and any experiences abroad; they finish writing the manuscript(s) that are to be published and finish their thesis.
In exceptional circumstances, as long as there are clear reasons, students can ask for an extension of up to one year.
RESEARCH AREAS AND SUPERVISORS
Research at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FaST) is characterised by a broad range of interdisciplinary subjects that concern the natural environment (e.g. forests, grassland, rivers and streams, mountain environments) and environments created or influenced by humans (e.g. urban areas, vineyards and fruit orchards, fields and meadows and cultivated land) and their relative development and processes. The Faculty of Science and Technology’s main area of interest is mountain environments. In this context, the research areas are developed around the concept of sustainable food systems and the mountain environment and are principally the following three main areas:
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Agricultural and forestry production
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Food technology
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Environmental resources
Agricultural and forestry production - This area of research is aimed at understanding the mechanisms of agricultural and forestry systems in order to steer management towards a sustainable use of environmental, social and economic resources. In this context, the studies are characterised by extremely heterogeneous approaches and topics, which makes detailed analysis and combined analysis crucial. In this sense, the common denominator in sustainable management is the possible interaction between very different types of research, ranging from the biochemistry of the soil/plant ratio to the ecology of the landscape and cost-benefit analysis. Another distinguishing element of this area is the socio-economic analysis of production systems and the life cycle of agro-forestry products. Finally, the development of advanced technologies and tools that provide descriptions of innovative features of mountain agriculture without affecting the specificity of production is a further element that strongly characterises research in this area.
Food technology - This research addresses the definition of innovative methods for assessing and monitoring the quality and typicality of the foods that characterise mountain territories. The development and setting up of innovative methodologies for the evaluation of the chemical, physical and sensory properties of food as well as the design of sensors and biosensors for monitoring food products and processes are the main features of this area. In addition, the use of modern technologies, including nanotechnology, to improve the food industry’s products and processes give research a strong innovative character.
Environmental resources – The evaluation of the effects of management and climate change on natural ecosystems and humankind is at the core of this subject area that can see many variations in research. Biodiversity, water quality, protection from natural disasters, the mitigation 11
of climate change through the maintenance or enhancement of carbon stocks are just some of the resources or environmental features that characterise the research area. The use and development of advanced technologies for monitoring and the functional study of ecosystems, including through innovative approaches, such as those involving the use of stable isotopes, are some of the features of this area.
List of possible thesis areas and their supervisors:
Projects funded by external organisations:
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Analyzing the physical drivers of high elevation ecosystem changes after glacier retreat: hydrology, geomorphology, and modeling (Stefan Zerbe, Lorenzo Brusetti, Francesco Comiti).
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Ecology and biodiversity of microbial communities of high-mountain soils after glacier retreat (Stefan Zerbe, Lorenzo Brusetti).
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Vegetation and landscape changes, biodiversity of flora and fauna, and biomass production within newly emerged habitats after glacier retreat (Stefan Zerbe).
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Appraisal and management of biomass sources from terrestrial ecosystems in South Tyrol (Stefan Zerbe, Francesco Comiti, Carlo Andreotti).
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Valorisation of typical agro-products through new methods of characterization and quality control(Matteo Scampicchio, borsafondogiovani, MIUR)
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Biomass for energy purposes (Fabrizio Mazzetto, Giustino Tonon, Marco Baratieri - Borsa fondo giovani, MIUR).
Other projects:
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Mineral nutrition of trees (Massimo Tagliavini, Stefano Cesco, Giustino Tonon, Tanja Mimmo)
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Soil-Plant Interactions, root and rhizosphere processes (Stefano Cesco, Tanja Mimmo)
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Carbon, water and energy balance in apple orchards (Massimo Tagliavini, Fabrizio Mazzetto, Francesca Scandellari).
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Developing a premium brand concept for South Tyrolean apples – preconditions, feasibility, execution and commercial viability (Christian Fischer, Carlo Andreotti)
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Ecology and dynamics of forest ecosystems in response to climate changes (Giustino Tonon).
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Remote sensing monitoring of forest ecosystems (Giustino Tonon, Fabrizio Mazzetto,Francesco Comiti).
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Hydrology, sediment transport and flood hazard in mountain basins (Francesco Comiti, Giustino Tonon).
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Development of nutraceutical ingredients and functional food (Matteo Scampicchio).
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Quality control in processing and storage of food (Matteo Scampicchio).
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Chemical ecology of plant-insect interactions (Sergio Angeli, Carlo Andreotti).
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES
This is a full-time course. The final thesis must be completed in English and must have a complete abstract in German and Italian. PhD students should therefore benefit from the special 12
multilingual opportunities that the University offers, which include various events in Italian, German or other languages (seminars, optional courses, social events, etc). The PhD programme comprises lectures and research activities that can be completed at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano and at universities abroad. The time spent abroad can be at one of the foreign universities with which this University has a cotutelle de thèse agreement or at other universities or research centres.
The PhD programme is based on the following milestones:
•
students develop and organise their research plan in the first six months of the course together with their supervisor or co-supervisors. At the latest after six months, students must defend their research plan in front of the PhD Course Committee.
•
students have to prepare, within 12 months of starting the programme, a public seminar in which they discuss the state-of-the-art of their research topic;
•
students have to take part in at least one international conference where they are expected to deliver a paper or present a poster;
•
students must spend at least a month abroad conducting research;
•
students must attend specific compulsory courses, focused on improving their English language, the analysis of literature and writing scientific articles and on advanced statistics as well as other courses or summer school courses approved by the PhD Course Committee, and pass the relevant exam.
•
In order to be admitted to the final exam, students must have written a scientific text where they figure as the main author and have sent it for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal.
Stages of the PhD:
The research activities are spread over five stages that end after 2, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. At the end of each stage, students have to meet the PhD Course Committee to present their project and results. The PhD Course Committee evaluates students’ work and provides suggestions when necessary.
•
First stage (first 2 months): the PhD Course Committee meets the students and tells them who their supervisor is. Students then meet the supervisor to decide on their research topic regarding the areas listed in this advertisement. Students also work on a study plan that is then to be approved by the PhD Course Committee.
•
Second stage (2nd -6th month): students, after an exhaustive review of the literature concerning their subject area, must prepare their research programme that has to be approved by the PhD Course Committee. Students will follow courses that are relevant to their individual study plan.
•
Third stage (6th -12th month): students start their research as fieldwork and/or in the lab and can also attend courses and summer schools. Students prepare their public seminar that will take place at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano in which they discuss the state-of-the-art of their research topic. They will also present to the PhD Course Committee their research programme that they want to conduct abroad in the following year and propose a co-supervisor at the foreign university or research centre for approval.
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•
Fourth stage (12th -24th month): students continue their research and finish any courses that they have been following. At this stage it is likely that some of this time will be spent abroad. In this stage or in the next students are also expected to take part in an international conference to present their results and they will begin to prepare the manuscript(s) for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
•
Fifth stage (24th-36th month): students finish their research and any experiences abroad; they finish writing the manuscript(s) that are to be published and finish their thesis.
In exceptional circumstances, as long as there are clear reasons, students can ask for an extension of up to one year.
RESEARCH AREAS AND SUPERVISORS
Research at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FaST) is characterised by a broad range of interdisciplinary subjects that principally concern three main areas: Product and Industrial Process Innovation, Energy and Sustainable Construction, and Sustainable Management of Agro-food and Mountain Environments. Research activities are conducted with special attention to the peculiarities and sensitivities of the local context, characterised by the need for the harmonisation and sustainable development of the local area in relation to natural and manmade environments and of the production activities located in the area. The peculiarities of the local area are likely to include elements of a more general interest, therefore having implications for research outside the area, and there is ample room for generalisation and transferability of the results to both alpine and other geographical regions.
In this context can be found the specific research programmes concerned with the macro areas of the PhD in Sustainable Energy and Technology, which are developed in the context and with the support of cross-expertise in Mathematics and Physics.
These programmes can be summarised as follows:
1.
Sustainable energy and buildings
a.
Building Physics
b.
Renewable energy technologies
c.
Environmental design
2.
Sustainability in industrial products and processes
a.
Mechanical design and manufacturing
b.
New Materials development
c.
Logistics and process management
1.
Sustainable energy and buildings
a.
Building Physics
This issue concerns the evaluation of energy performance of building components and the entire building system and the analysis and optimisation of air conditioning and heating systems, both from a theoretical and experimental point of view.
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The goal is to raise awareness within the area of the energy performance of buildings and to support and improve the sustainability of energy use in buildings, from the planning to the operational phase.
b.
Renewable energy technologies
This issue concerns the theoretical and experimental characterisation of the exploitation of renewable energy sources with particular attention on the processes of energy conversion of biomass. The purpose of the activity is to design and evaluate the technical-economic feasibility of different applications, on a per installation basis, and the evaluation of scenarios for a sustainable use of biomass in the Alpine region at the local level.
c.
Environmental design
This issue concerns the planning and design of the space around buildings and ecosystems on a regional scale, from small details of buildings to large-scale urban planning, from the history of the built-up environment to the design process.
The objective is to improve the sustainability of the human environment from the planning stage.
2.
Sustainability in industrial products and processes
a.
Mechanical design and manufacturing
This research area concerns the pursuit of sustainability, in particular by:
− the design of industrial products through more sustainable use of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique. The purpose of this research is to establish specific goals for the product and its life cycle and to define the concepts of eco-design.
− Customer Value Engineering: identification of the main drivers of market success for products and services in business-to-business considering aspects of sustainability. − the design and testing of new technology solutions in industry and agriculture, and specifically application in mountain and hilly areas.
− the design of new production processes and optimisation of existing ones in order to reduce manufacturing waste, energy consumption and emissions. The research will be focused on technology solutions for the manufacturing of "near net shape" components. − Product Reliability Analysis: this connects the specific reliability and performance of the product in a context of sustainable product development. The research will focus on the analysis of system security, on the prediction and modeling of reliability and on the analysis of maintenance.
b.
New Materials development
This issue concerns the pursuit of sustainability, particularly in the study of solid materials (metals, polymers, ceramic and composites) with the aim of engineering new materials and the optimization of existing ones with superior properties allowing the creation of new systems and of new devices for more sustainable applications.
c.
Logistics and process management
This issue applies in particular to the development of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and simulation models aimed at industrial processes applied in particular to pursue sustainability. Logistics (internal and external) and process management can 15
contribute significantly to the overall sustainability of production activities in relation to the specific local context.
List of possible thesis areas and their supervisors:
Projects funded by external organisations:
1)
Sustainable use of biomass in South Tyrol: resources and energy conversion technologies
Supervisor: prof. Andrea Gasparella (co-supervisor Marco Baratieri: funded fellowship)
Other projects:
2)
Development of automation systems for industrial plants as a tool for achieving more flexible and sustainable production processes.
Supervisors: prof. Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica (co-supervisor: Vidoni Renato, RTD)
3)
Reliability analysis and quality control in industrial systems: the capacity of a device or system to perform as designed.
Supervisors: Prof. Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica (co-supervisor: Vidoni Renato, RTD)
4)
Design more sustainable industrial products using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique.
Supervisor: Prof. Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica
5)
Application of the principles of Axiomatic Design Theory to the efficient re-design of planning and production processes in construction
Supervisor: Prof. Dominik Matt
6)
Design and manufacturing of automotive components by sustainable processing of aluminium alloys
Supervisors: Dominik Matt, Pasquale Russo Spena.
7)
Telemetric technology applications for monitoring and control of energy efficiency of agricultural machines
Supervisor: Prof. Fabrizio Mazzetto
8)
Energy performance of the building envelope: theoretical and experimental analysis of the dynamic behaviour of opaque components
Supervisor: prof. Andrea Gasparella
9)
Energy refurbishment of existing buildings: diagnosis, evaluation, theoretical and experimental analysis.
Supervisor: prof. Andrea Gasparella and/or prof. Romagnoni Piercarlo
ART. 3 – ADMISSION
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Admission to the public competition of the aforementioned PhD Research Programmes (see article 1) is open to all, regardless of sex, age and citizenship, who possess a Master’s degree (according to Ministerial Decree no. 509 of 3.11.1999), a “laurea magistrale” (according to Ministerial Decree no. 270 of 2004), an Italian undergraduate degree from the old system or a foreign degree equivalent to the degrees mentioned above.
Applicants who have a foreign degree which has not already been officially recognised as being equivalent to an Italian degree must request recognition in their application for the present competition. In such cases the necessary documents should be enclosed with the application in order to enable the PhD Course Committee to write a declaration of value of such degree, valid only for the purpose of admission to the public competition the candidate wishes to apply for. In particular, the following documents have to be attached to the application:
•
the degree certificate (EU citizens can attach a self-certification according to Presidential Decree no. 445 of December 28, 2000)
•
a translation in English, Italian or German of the degree certificate with exams and scores obtained, signed under their own responsibility so as to allow the PhD Course Committee to assess its appropriateness.
Successful applicants who have a foreign degree have to present their degree certificate (original or authenticated copy) with the examinations passed and the scores obtained, translated into Italian (the translation is not necessary if the degree was awarded in a German-speaking country) and authenticated by an Italian consulate, embassy or diplomatic representative in the country of the university that issued the degree together with the respective declaration of value (“Dichiarazione di valore”) no later than the deadline for enrolment for the PhD Research Programme. The declaration of value is issued by the Italian consulate or embassy abroad and confirms that the qualification obtained by the candidate would grant him/her entry to a similar university course in the country in which the qualifications were achieved. The declaration must be applied for as soon as possible since it can often require long processing times.
If a candidate has a university degree recognised in Italy, candidates only have to present the recognition decree.
Admission is also open to those who will finish their degree by the enrolment date. In such cases admission will be “conditional” and the candidate will have to present the relative degree certificate or self-certification by the enrolment date, otherwise the candidate will not be admitted.
For admission to the PhD course in GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION, good knowledge of Italian, German and English is required. This will be assessed during the oral part of the entrance exam. Candidates will also have had to have achieved a mark of at least 105/110 in one of the following degrees:
From the old Italian system
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−
Abilitazione alla vigilanza nelle scuole elementari (Qualification for supervision in nursery schools)
−
Comunicazione internazionale (International communication)
−
Philosophy
−
Lettere (Humanities)
−
Lingua e cultura italiana (Italian language and culture)
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Lingue culture ed istituzioni dei paesi del mediterraneo (Languages and cultures of Mediterranean countries)
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Lingue e civiltà oriental (Oriental languages and cultures)
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Lingue e culture dell’Europa orientale (Eastern European languages and cultures)
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Lingue e culture europee (European languages and cultures)
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Lingue e letterature oriental (Oriental languages and literature)
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Lingue e letterature straniere (Foreign languages and literature)
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Lingue e letterature straniere (europee) (European languages and literature)
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Lingue e letterature straniere moderne (Modern Foreign languages and literature)
−
Materie letterarie (Literature)
−
Musicologia (Music)
−
Pedagogia (Pedagogy)
−
Psicologia (Psychology)
−
Scienze dell’educazione (Education)
−
Scienze della comunicazione (Communication Science)
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Scienze della comunicazione (teledidattica) (Communication Science - online)
−
Scienze della cultura (Culture)
−
Scienze della formazione primaria (Primary Education)
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Scienze della formazione primaria (teledidattica) (Primary Education - online)
−
Scienze e tecniche dell’interculturalità (Intercultural Studies)
−
Servizio sociale (Social Work)
−
Sociologia (Sociology)
−
Statistica (Statistics)
−
Studi comparatistici (Comparative Studies)
Under the new law, the master’s degrees in:
-
1/S, 13/S, 17/S, 18/S, 40/S, 41/S, 42/S, 43/S, 48/S, 49/S, 51/S, 56/S, 57/S, 58/S, 59/S, 60/S, 63/S, 65/S, 67/S, 72/S, 73/S, 76/S, 87/S, 88/S, 89/S, 90/S, 92/S, 96/S, 99/S, 100/S, 101/S;
-
LM01, LM19, LM36, LM37, LM38, LM39, LM43, LM50, LM51, LM52, LM55, LM57, LM59, LM64, LM65, LM78, LM85, LM88, LM92, LM93.
To apply for the PhD programme in COMPUTER SCIENCE candidates must have knowledge of English and a good knowledge of the fundamental techniques and methods used in science and technology, which can be attested by a master’s degree (or an Italian degree from the old system) in Computer Science, Information or Electronic Engineering or similar. This can also be attested by a master’s degree (or an Italian degree from the old system) in other subjects with 18
experience working in the sector, or with a foreign qualification that has been deemed equivalent by the PhD Course Committee for the sole purposes of applying for this PhD programme.
Candidates must have a master’s degree or an equivalent qualification (degree from the old Italian system, foreign equivalent) with a mark of at least 90/110.
Candidates will receive a conditional place in the selection procedure in the event that the documentation issued by the Italian representatives abroad are not delivered by the deadlines as per this announcement.
To apply for the PhD programme in MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS candidates must have a knowledge of English. This knowledge will be evaluated by a selection committee during the admission interview.
All degrees from the old Italian system and all postgraduate degrees from the new system allow candidates to access the PhD programme as long as the candidates have the pre-requisites below. For candidates who have done their studies abroad, they must have had at least five years of university education and be in possession of the pre-requisites.
The pre-requisites to be admitted to the PhD programmes are connected to having acquired an adequate learning and/or cultural and/or working background in the area of agricultural science, biology, environmental science, or life sciences or earth science.
All Master’s degrees related to the subjects studied on the PhD programme from national or international universities are accepted. Non-EU nationals who have obtained their qualifications abroad are eligible for admission to the procedure under article 18 of the Regulations for PhD research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
For admission purposes, the final mark obtained in the master’s degree (or equivalent) must be greater than or equal to 90/110. For equivalent degrees obtained abroad, the mark will be transformed.
To apply for the PhD programme in SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES candidates must have a knowledge of English. This knowledge will be evaluated by a selection committee during the admission interview.
All degrees from the old Italian system and all postgraduate degrees from the new system allow candidates to access the PhD programme as long as the candidates have the pre-requisites below. For candidates who have done their studies abroad, they must have had at least five years of university education and be in possession of the pre-requisites.
For admission, candidates must have an appropriate educational and / or working background in engineering, architecture, physics, chemistry, economics, computer science and environmental science with particular reference to energy in buildings and civil and industrial installations, renewable energy, the technology of materials, manufacturing process technology and logistics.
All Master’s degrees related to the subjects studied on the PhD programme from national or international universities are accepted. Non-EU nationals who have obtained their qualifications abroad are eligible for admission to the procedure under article 18 of the Regulations for PhD research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
For admission purposes, the final mark obtained in the master’s degree (or equivalent) must be 19
greater than or equal to 90/110. For equivalent degrees obtained abroad, the mark will be transformed.
ART. 4 – APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE PUBLIC COMPETITION
Applications should be made on paper following the template that can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.unibz.it/en/public/research/phd/prospectivePhdstudents.html. All required documentation must also be attached to the application form.
Applications must be submitted
for the PhD course in GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION: to the secretariat of the Faculty of Education of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano
•
by hand from Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 12.00 office 2.02, Vicolo S. Croce 7, 39042 Bressanone (BZ)
•
by post to the following address: Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Faculty of Education, Viale Ratisbona 16, 39042 Brixen-Bressanone (BZ); attn: Ms Paola Bassanello.
Deadline for applications is: 14 October, 2011.
for the PhD course in COMPUTER SCIENCE: to the secretariat of the Faculty of Computer Science of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano
•
by hand from 9.00 to 12.00 and 14.30 to 16.30, Office 1.03, Piazza Domenicani 3, 39100 Bolzano
•
by post to the following address: Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Faculty of Computer Science, Piazza Domenicani 3, 39100 Bolzano; attn Ms Viviana Foscarin
Deadline for applications is: 14 October, 2011.
for the PhD course in MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS: to the secretariat of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano
•
by hand from Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 16.00, Office 3.12, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano
•
by post to the following address: Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Faculty of Science and Technology, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano; attn Ms Stefania Falconi,
Deadline for applications is: 14 October, 2011.
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for the PhD course in SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES: to the secretariat of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano
•
by hand from Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 16.00, Office 3.12, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano
•
by post to the following address: Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Faculty of Science and Technology, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano; attn Ms Stefania Falconi,
Deadline for applications is: 14 October, 2011.
The receipt date will be the “arrived by” date stamp used by the Faculty Secretariat. The date of the postmark will not be considered.
ART. 5 – SELECTION PROCEDURE
GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION
Admission to the course is based on a comparative assessment by examination, consisting of a written exam (on research topics indicated in article 2 of this advertisement) and an oral exam, which will be used to discuss the written exam and is aimed at assessing the preparation and aptitude of the candidate for scientific research.
Those candidates who have successfully passed the written exam will be admitted to the oral exam. A pass in the written test will be a mark of not less than 40/60. Candidates can choose to sit the written test in either Italian, German or English.
The oral exam will take place in three languages and those who obtain 40/60 or more in the oral exam will be deemed successful.
When the entrance examinations are over, the Evaluation Committee will draw up a rank list including the comparative assessment.
The Evaluation Committee will select candidates until all available places have been filled. If a successful candidate withdraws, the next candidate on the rank list will be offered the place.
The ranklists will be published on the official notice board and on the website of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
Grants will be awarded after the comparative assessment of merit and following the rank lists; if candidates are ranked equally, the financial situation of the candidates will be evaluated as per DPCM 30/04/97. Grants cannot be awarded if candidates are already in receipt of a grant unless 21
awarded by national or foreign institutions for exchanges abroad. How the grants will be awarded will be decided by the University Council.
The exams will take place on the following days:
•
Written exam – Wednesday 26 October, 2011
•
Oral exam – Thursday 27 October, 2011
The time and venue of the entrance exams will be posted on the website: http://www.unibz.it/en/public/research/phd/prospectivePhdstudents.html
COMPUTER SCIENCE
There is no entrance exam.
The selection procedure consists of:
•
Evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications
•
Knowledge of the English language
The Evaluation committee will evaluate the candidates admitted to international study programmes if necessary in a special session but according to the general admission criteria of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. Students selected in this way do not have to take part in the local selection of students.
The selection is based on the evaluation of each candidate’s profile as specified in their CV stating: (a) exams passed and other exams taken, (b) any publications, (c) work experience and any research carried out, (d) knowledge of the English language. As far as English language knowledge is concerned, the applicant may certify (i) courses followed at high school, university or private institutes with relative marks, (ii) periods spent abroad in English-speaking countries with details of activities carried out there, (iii) further proof of knowledge, such as having attended secondary school in English.
Up to three letters of reference may be enclosed with the application form from work or research supervisors detailing work carried out and the quality of the same.
The Evaluation Committee will choose applicants for the PhD Research Programme according to a comparative assessment of:
•
first verifying that the candidate has a Master's Degree or equivalent qualification with a minimum mark of 90/110 issued by accredited institutions
•
then checking the applicant’s knowledge of the English language and finally
•
awarding specific marks to each of the documents enclosed by the candidate to support his/her application. 22
A maximum of 50 points will be awarded for the class and/or average marks of a Master’s degree (Laurea specialistica), an Italian degree of the old system or equivalent qualification, up to a maximum of 10 points for each publication, up to a maximum of 5 points for each work or research experience, up to a maximum of 30 points for the general evaluation of the applicant’s CV.
Points awarded will then be totalled. The final mark of each candidate will be equal to the totalled marks or, if this exceeds 100 points, equal to 100.
Those candidates considered suitable after assessment will have been awarded a minimum mark of 60/100.
The rank list of the successful candidates for admission with or without a grant, and for the candidates on the waiting list who will be able to enrol if a successful candidate gives up his/her place, will be drawn up following the total marks obtained in the assessment. If two or more candidates have the same score, the older candidate will have priority. Should candidates be the same age, a lot will be drawn to decide on the allocation of places.
The Evaluation Committee will select candidates until all available places have been filled.
The ranklists will be published on the official notice board and on the website of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS
The PhD programme is open to Italian, EU and non-EU nationals. The grants referred to as "additional places" are reserved for candidates who are receiving scholarships as per art. 18 of "Regulations for PhD Research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano". Candidates must comply with the pre-requisites in article 3.
Admission to the programme is based on the assessment of candidates through: their CV and academic qualifications, their cover letter and an interview. Their level of English will be assessed during the interview.
For those candidates with the pre-requisites only, the Evaluation Committee will first evaluate the CV, cover letter, and the candidate's qualifications, including publications and will then draw up a list of candidates admitted to the next stage of the selection process. This will consist of an interview in which their knowledge of English will also be assessed. The interview can make use of media such as video-conferencing, telephone and the like. The Committee will select the best candidates on the basis of a comparative assessment.
The following points will be awarded:
-
up to a maximum of 5 points for the degree (or equivalent) mark;
-
up to 15 points for: the candidate’s CV, cover letter and qualifications, including publications;
-
up to 10 points for the interview.
The final score is the sum of the previous scores. The maximum score is 30. The lowest score to be admitted to the ranklists is 15/30. The final score is used for the ranking of applicants and to establish access to the PhD programme and who will receive grants. For grant awards only the list
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of the candidates called for interview will be used and there will be a second list of candidates for the additional places. For grants funded by external parties separate ranklists will be drawn up. These rankings will still consist of the candidates placed in the first 11 places in the general ranklist who possess a scientific curriculum which is particularly relevant to the specific subject area.
The interviews will take place on the following days:
Thursday 27 and Friday 28 October, 2011.
If two or more candidates have the same score, a lot will be drawn to decide on the allocation of places. The ranklists will be published on the official notice board and on the website of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES
The PhD programme is open to Italian, EU and non-EU nationals. The grants referred to as "additional places" are reserved for candidates who are receiving scholarships as per art. 18 of "Regulations for PhD Rresearch at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano". Candidates must comply with the pre-requisites in article 3.
Admission to the programme is based on the assessment of candidates through: their CV and academic qualifications, their cover letter and an interview. Their level of English will be assessed during the interview.
For those candidates with the pre-requisites only, the Evaluation Committee will first evaluate the CV, cover letter, and the candidate's qualifications, including publications and will then draw up a list of candidates admitted to the next stage of the selection process. This will consist of an interview in which their knowledge of English will also be assessed. The interview can make use of media such as video-conferencing, telephone and the like. The Committee will select the best candidates on the basis of a comparative assessment.
The following points will be awarded:
-
up to a maximum of 5 points for the degree (or equivalent) mark;
-
up to 15 points for: the candidate’s CV, cover letter and qualifications, including publications;
-
up to 10 points for the interview.
The final score is the sum of the previous scores. The maximum score is 30. The lowest score to be admitted to the ranklists is 15/30. The final score is used for the ranking of applicants and to establish access to the PhD programme and who will receive grants. For grant awards only the list of the candidates called for interview will be used and there will be a second list of candidates for the additional places. For grants funded by external parties separate ranklists will be drawn up. These rankings will still consist of the candidates placed in the first 11 places in the general ranklist who possess a scientific curriculum which is particularly relevant to the specific subject area.
The interviews will take place on the following days: 24
Thursday 27 and Friday 28 October, 2011.
If two or more candidates have the same score, a lot will be drawn to decide on the allocation of places. The ranklists will be published on the official notice board and on the website of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
ART. 6 – EVALUATION COMMITTEE
The President of the University Council, upon the advice of the PhD Course Committee and the Academic Senate, appoints the Evaluation Committee.
Each committee consists of three members chosen from tenured professors and university researchers who are experts in the scientific areas of the PhD Research Programme. The Committee may also include two experts from public and private national and international corporations or research institutes.
The President of the Evaluation Committee will be the most senior Full Professor; in the event of equal ranking, the oldest professor. In the absence of Full Professors, the President will be the most senior Associate Professor; in the event of equal ranking, the oldest professor. For every member of the Evaluation Committee, the PhD Course Committee will appoint a reserve member.
After the evaluation of the entrance exams, the Evaluation Committee will draw up a rank list, based on the number of points the candidates obtain from the assessment of their qualifications and the written and oral exams.
The exact times and the location of the admission tests/evaluation and the final ranking of candidates will be posted on the official notice board of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano and on the website: http://www.unibz.it/en/public/research/phd/prospectivePhdstudents.html
ART. 7 – ADMISSION TO THE PHD PROGRAMME
Candidates will be admitted to the PhD Research Programme according to their order on the rank list until all available places have been filled.
If a successful candidate withdraws before the beginning of the course, the next candidate on the rank list will be offered the place.
If a successful candidate withdraws or is excluded during the first quarter of the first year of the course, the PhD Course Committee may decide to fill the vacant place with the next candidate on the rank list.
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ART. 8 – ENROLMENT PROCEDURE
Candidates admitted through the rank lists must submit their enrolment form, which can be downloaded from http://www.unibz.it/en/public/research/phd/prospectivePhdstudents.html, with all the necessary documents to the Student Secretariat by Friday 16 December, 2011.
The following must be attached to the enrolment form:
-
receipt of tuition fees (see art. 9),
-
one passport-sized photo,
-
a photocopy of a valid identity card or passport (front and back),
-
only for students who hold qualifications from abroad: the original “declaration of value” of the qualification, with the original or certified copy of the certificate, and an official translation in Italian (a translation is not necessary if qualifications were awarded in German-speaking countries). If the university degree was obtained abroad and recognised in Italy, it is sufficient to attach a copy of the recognition decree.
Non-EU nationals must also attach a certificate of their valid permit to stay in Italy.
If a candidate does not enrol by the deadline, s/he tacitly withdraws from the PhD programme and loses the right to enrol.
Enrolments can be submitted as follows:
by post (the date of the postmark will not be considered):
•
for the PhD course in GENERAL PEDAGOGY, SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AND GENERAL EDUCATION: to the Student Secretariat of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Bressanone campus, Viale Ratisbona, 16, 39042 Brixen-Bressanone.
•
for the PhD course in COMPUTER SCIENCE: to the Student Secretariat of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Bolzano campus, Piazza Università, 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano.
•
for the PhD course in MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS to the Student Secretariat of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Bolzano campus, Piazza Università 1, 39100 Bolzano
•
for the PhD course in SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGIES to the Student Secretariat of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, Bolzano campus, Piazza Università 1, 39100 Bolzano
by hand during opening hours, which can be found by consulting:
http://www.unibz.it/en/students/welcome/default.html
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Candidates who intend to withdraw from the course and not enrol, or waive their right to a grant are requested to inform the University (by email or fax) as soon as possible and in any case before the enrolment deadline.
Email: phd@unibz.it or fax: 0039 0471 012809
ART. 9. TUITION FEES
For the PhD courses – 27th cycle in the 2011/2012 academic year, the following tuition fees should be paid at the time of enrolment and amount to € 147.12, which includes:
•
provincial tax for the right to study in higher education, which for the 2011/2012 academic year amounts to € 132.50
•
duty stamp of € 14.62
A refund of the fees paid cannot be claimed in case of suspension or withdrawal from studies.
ART. 10 GRANTS
Grants are assigned following the rank list drawn up by the Evaluation Committee. If the candidates have equal merit, the student’s financial situation will be evaluated according to current laws. If a candidate decides to forego a grant, the next enrolled candidate on the rank list will be offered the grant.
The total study grant amounts to € 51,000 for the three years of the course.
The study grant is also subject to national insurance contributions (INPS) according to current laws.
The grant is paid in monthly instalments, according to the conditions chosen by the PhD student when completing the enrolment form.
The study grant is awarded for the entire duration of the PhD Research Programme except in case of suspension or withdrawal from studies. Grants will be reconfirmed from one year to the next, unless the PhD Course Committee decides otherwise.
In the event of withdrawal from the course or suspension of a PhD student place with a grant, the remaining grant will be redistributed, according to the order of the rank list (see above, paragraph 1), to the first non-grant-maintained and enrolled PhD student.
Grant holders are not allowed to hold employment at the University.
The amount of the grant may be increased for periods spent abroad. Normally this increase is paid at the end of the time spent abroad. The grant will be increased by 50% in proportion to the
27
period spent abroad and will be applied to any period spent continuously abroad for no less than 15 days and no more than 18 months.
ART. 11 – RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF PHD STUDENTS
PhD students are obliged to attend the PhD courses and to carry out research activities according to the schedules and the regulations laid down by the PhD Course Committee.
Grants financed by external bodies where specific research is required limit the grant holder to carry out only that specific work.
ART. 12 – AWARD OF THE PHD DEGREE
The PhD degree will be awarded to students who pass the final examination, which takes place before an Examination Committee appointed by a Decree of the President of the University Council, upon the advice of the Academic Senate and the PhD Course Committee of the course in which the student is enrolled.
The Examination Committee consists of three members chosen from tenured professors and university researchers who are experts in the scientific areas of the PhD Research Programme. At least two members, who are not members of the PhD Course Committee, must be from other Italian or foreign universities which are not involved in the PhD Research Programme.
A further two experts from public or private national or international research institutes may be called to sit on the committee. The President of the committee will be appointed according to the criteria laid out in article 6.
ART. 13 –DATA PROTECTION ACT
The Administration of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, in accordance with law no. 196/2003 and subsequent amendments, will use the applicants’ personal data only for the selection procedure and for institutional purposes.
In observance of the above mentioned law, participation in the selection requires the applicant to consent tacitly to the publication of his/her personal data and the data concerning the results of the selection procedure on the website of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.
ART. 14 – REFERRAL RULE
For matters not explicitly mentioned in the present competition announcement, art. 4 of law no. 210 of July 3, 1998, the Ministerial Decree no. 224 of April 30, 1999 and art. 19 of Law no. 240 of 30 December 2010, the “Regulations for PhD Research at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano” with subsequent amendments and the “Regulations for research grants referred to in article 22 of Law no. 240/2010” shall apply.
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ART. 15 – ADMINISTRATOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROCEDURE
According to law no 241 of August 7, 1990 and subsequent amendments, the administrator responsible for this procedure is dott. Daniela Pichler, Development Office, Piazzetta Franz Innerhofer 8, I-39100 Bozen/Bolzano – Tel. +39 0471 012800, fax +39 0471 012809, e-mail: phd@unibz.it
Bozen/Bolzano, 7 June 2011
The President
Prof. Konrad Bergmeister