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Call for applications: PhD Programs 2011

In this section you will find all of the necessary information related to the Ph.D. Programs and the application procedure.

Please read this page very carefully
before filling out the application form
(available only online).

To facilitate the process, an example of the online application form (printer-friendly version) is also available.

Please note that the official description of the call (bando) is only available in Italian (download PDF).
All necessary information for foreign students is available on this page.

Doctoral Programs

Competitions for admission are open in the following Ph.D. Programs at IMT:

Computer Science and Engineering	The doctoral program in Computer Science and Engineering at IMT provides researchers and professionals with a wide base of knowledge concerning the foundations of informatics and its application to a variety of systems and disciplines, focusing on aspects of particular importance in the present context. The new version of informatics is changing the perspective of other disciplines and several aspects of everyday life, and is the target of very active research in the international scene. Theories developed within computer science have been, and still are, remarkably relevant not only for developing devices and tools that are commonly used in society today, but also for facing new theoretical problems from a variety of perspectives. In particular, the study of models, algorithms and verification methods of distributed systems with shared resources, with particular attention to the problems of security, concurrency, real time, open-endedness and distributed decisions, has fostered the development of the informatics of the new wide area networks. Doctoral students in Computer Science and Engineering at IMT acquire extensive knowledge of the fundamentals and applications of architectures and languages for global and grid computing, web systems and services, in particular for business applications, embedded systems, web data mining, wired and wireless networks, and mobile systems. In addition to offering a broad scope for basic research, these domains define a professional area where all the needs of computer applications on wide area networks can find their fulfillment. Graduates of the Ph.D. program in Computer Science and Engineering at IMT are highly qualified to work in universities and research centers or to take on professional roles and high-profile tasks and responsibilities in both the private and public sectors.
Economics, Markets, Institutions	The Ph.D. program in Economics, Markets and Institutions is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge of issues in political economy, applied public economics, the functioning of industries and markets, the impact of macroeconomics on productivity and growth, the empirical analysis of complex economic phenomena. A unique feature of the Ph.D. program is the integration of theoretical, technical, and practical expertise, aimed at educating highly qualified professionals skilled at analyzing complex economic systems, patterns of industrial dynamics and, moreover, at designing, and implementing economic policy. Methodologies and models are generated and tested through a systematic investigation of the real world, with a distinctive focus on concrete observation of markets and their actors. At the end of the doctoral program, comprising both taught courses and a strong research/laboratory component, graduates are able to identify commonalities as well as the unique characteristics of economies, markets, and industries. Comprehensive scholarships and funding are available for the Ph.D. program in Economics, Markets and Institutions.
Management and Development of Cultural Heritage Ph.D. in collaboration with Politecnico di Torino	Using a multidisciplinary approach, the doctoral program in Management and Development of Cultural Heritage at IMT formalizes the specific know-how needed by researchers and professionals operating at the highest levels of management of culture. The Ph.D. program focuses on the following disciplines: History and Art History; Economics and Management of Immaterial Goods; Legislation of Cultural Heritage; and Technology. Doctoral students will also be taught elements of physics and chemistry, strictly related to the field of conservation and analysis of materials. The Ph.D. program integrates theoretical, technical and practical approaches in order to educate both highly qualified professionals operating in the concrete field of cultural policy and researchers who will be active in the field of cultural heritage. Comprehensive scholarships and funding are available for the Ph.D. program in Management and Development of Cultural Heritage.
Political Systems and Institutional Change	The doctoral program in Political Systems and Institutional Change at IMT is a multidisciplinary course that uses a comparative perspective to analyze the historical, political, sociological, legal and economic features of institutions. Special attention is devoted to processes of institutional change. The Ph.D. program aims at forming political analysts able to: plan and manage collaborative and integrated processes at the international level; analyze and assess policies and institutional settings at supranational, national and regional levels; and to confront the specific problems of countries in transition towards democracy and a market economy. Comprehensive scholarships and funding are available for the Ph.D. program in Political Systems and Institutional Change.

Duration: 3 years

Language: Courses and seminars are held in English. Foreign Ph.D. students are required to attend an Italian Language and Culture Course.

Classes begin in March 2011.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is October 28, 2010 at 18:00 (Italian time).

Scholarships and Facilities:

Available Student Positions	Each Ph.D. Program will accept a maximum of 12 students.
Tuition Exemptions	Ph.D. students are exempt from tuition and fees.
Annual Scholarships *	Annual scholarship amount is +/- 13.638,00 Euros gross, corresponding to +/- 2.270,00 Euros gross paid every two months. Scholarships are awarded for three years and are confirmed yearly. Scholarships are subject to tax breaks.
Research Money (only for students without scholarship)	Ph.D. students without scholarship have a budget of € 3000 at their disposal. This Research Money can be used for expenses closely related to research activity and off-campus study or research activity, registration for conferences, expenses for the presentation of research activity results or the presentation of research papers.
Lodging**	Ph.D. students may be awarded free accommodation (shared double rooms with bathroom) in Lucca (not available during research/study periods abroad). Eligible students are ranked applicants who have on August 3, 2010 a permanent address farther than 30 km driving distance from IMT Lucca.
Board	Ph.D. students are provided with free meals (lunch and dinner) 7 days a week, except during the closing period of the School (no more than 25 days a year).
Other Facilities	Ph.D. students: Have access to the library facilities. Are covered by insurance against accidents and injuries which may occur while they are carrying out their Ph.D. activities. Will have access to expert IT support for: technical support and software for study / research activities. Have access to other various facilities. Will have access to these facilities and from the start of courses until the completion of the Ph.D. program. Foreign Ph.D. Students will have access to Italian language courses.

* Note for scholarship recipients:

In the event of a withdrawal or missed Enrollment of an applicant in possession of a scholarship granted before the beginning of the Ph.D. course, the first eligible applicant without scholarship – according to the general ranking – will be granted the scholarship.
In case of withdrawal of a Ph.D. student in possession of a scholarship during the Ph.D. course:
- The first eligible applicant without scholarship according to the general ranking will be granted the residual part of the scholarship;
- The Ph.D. student granted the original scholarship will be required to reimburse the amount paid for the period during which the Ph.D. student did not attend courses and/or take part in the activities defined by the Scientific Board.
Restrictions:
- Ph.D. students that have already been awarded a scholarship for an Italian Ph.D. Program cannot receive another scholarship in the event of Enrollment in a new Italian Ph.D. Program;
- Scholarships cannot be combined with other scholarships awarded for any purpose, except for those obtained to support research activity during the study abroad period;
- Scholarships may be withdrawn in case of exclusion from the School and at the end of each year if Ph.D. student performance is not deemed satisfactory by the Scientific Board.
- In case of authorized late Enrollment, the scholarship starts from the Enrollment day (and ends at the official end of the PhD Program.

** Note about lodging

In the event of prolonged and unjustified absence from the provided accommodations, the School is entitled to revoke the lodging right
Beginning from the 2nd year, the School has the right to substitute the accommodation for a grant.

Requirements

Applications are open to applicants who meet the herein mentioned requirements, without regard to religion, nationality, age, or gender.

Very good level of English language is compulsory.

Italian Degree	Foreign Degree	Graduating Applicants*
- "Laurea Magistrale" (or "Specialistica"), according to DM n° 509, of November 3, 1999 - Four- or five-year degree according to the previous rules of the Italian higher education system	Foreign degrees are considered and their eligibility is assessed by the Selection Committee. The minimum duration of university studies is equivalent to four years full time. If admitted, foreign degree holders are required to hand in a "Dichiarazione di valore". This document is not* required to apply (see documents for Enrollment).	Applicants obtaining their degree by no later than December 17, 2010 may apply (Italian or foreign degree according to the previous descriptions)

* Dichiarazione di Valore:

The "Dichiarazione di Valore" is the translation and legal certification by a qualified Italian diplomatic or consular representative in the country where the degree/qualification has been issued, reporting the list of all the exams sat and the grades received by the applicant, according to the relevant legislation.

Please note that it could take a long time to obtain the “Dichiarazione di Valore”, we suggest contacting the Italian diplomatic representative in the country where the degree has been issued starting from when you submit your application.

* Graduating applicants:

Graduating applicants will be accepted "under reserve" and must send the degree certificate or a declaration under their own responsibility including a full list of exams with obtained marks by e-mail to phdapplications@imtlucca.it, no later than the first working day after the announced deadline for graduating applicants.

Application

Applicants must fill out the online application form and attach the required documents within the deadline.

Required information and procedures are described here below:

How to submit:

1. To apply, applicants must first register their personal data.
Applicants will then receive a validation e-mail containing their password and the basic instructions for the submission procedure.

2. Application Procedure
The first time applicants access their account, they will be requested to choose the Ph.D. Program(s) for which they intend to apply. For those applying to more than one Ph.D. Program, basic personal information will not change between individual PhD applications. Applicants will be free to switch from one application to another as they wish.

Applicants are not allowed to submit more than one application to the same Ph.D. Program or to register twice with different e-mail addresses and/or different names.

Before their final submission, applicants have the possibility to modify and save their inserted information whenever they wish.

In order to submit the application form, applicants must insert all the mandatory data marked with an asterisk (*).

3. Submission
We strongly recommend applicants to review the inserted information and uploaded attachments before submitting the application. No changes are allowed to submitted data after the deadline. Erroneous data and/or attachments will be evaluated as they are submitted.

Please note that applicants are responsible for ensuring that their completed application arrives on time. We strongly suggest applicants to submit their application well in advance of the deadline in order to avoid last-minute congestion in the online application procedure.

Data and documents entered into the application form are under the complete responsibility of the applicant. In the event of false declaration(s), the applicant will not be allowed to enrol in any Ph.D. Program at IMT.

For any problems, please contact phdapplications@imtlucca.it.

Selection

The Selection Committee for each Ph.D. Program is appointed by the Director of the School on recommendation of the Scientific Board.

The Selection Committee will decide score assignment criteria and minimum eligibility scores before the selection process.

The initial selection phase will be carried out with a thorough assessment of all the presented documentation. Once short listed, applicants will be required to participate in a comprehensive interview in English in order to assess their aptitude for research.

For the interview, resident abroad applicants can stay in IMT's guest quarters. They may also ask to hold the interview in their country of residence (c/o Italian Embassies or Universities) via conference call.

Notification of admitted candidates for interviews as well as a schedule indicating date, time and precise venue shall be provided as soon as possible on the School's Official Notice Board and on this web site.

Please note: before the interview foreign degree holders are required to prove that they have started the "Dichiarazione di valore" request procedure with the Italian diplomatic representative in the country where the degree has been issued

Admission

General ranking list and evaluation results will be published on the School's Official Notice Board and on this website.

The list will provide the names of the applicants who have been admitted to the Ph.D. Program as well as the names of eligible applicants that may be admitted in the event that one or more admitted students withdraw. Applicants are therefore invited to consult the website frequently. In the event of withdrawal or exclusion within 60 days from the beginning of the Ph.D. course, the first eligible applicant according to the general ranking will be eligible to enrol. In the event of withdrawal or exclusion within the first four months, the Scientific Board can fill the vacant position(s) with the first eligible applicant(s) according to the general ranking.

Enrollment

Admitted applicants who wish to enroll, have to download the Enrollment Form from IMT website, fill it in, and hand it in or send it to IMT (Piazza San Ponziano 6 – 55100 Lucca – Italy) within 10 days from the notification of the results on the School's Official Notice Board and on this website.

Compulsory documents to be attached to the Enrollment form are:

a signed copy of the passport or identity card;
a University Degree certificate including a full list of exams with marks or self-certification*;
Foreign degree holders have to hand in the "Dichiarazione di Valore". In cases in which the applicants needs more time to hand in the “Dichiarazione di Valore” due to bureaucratic issues, they have to prove to have handed in the request to the qualified Italian diplomatic or consular representative.

* N.B. about self-certification:

Italian citizens and EU citizens with an Italian or a foreign degree are entitled to send a self certification (in English) instead of the original certificate and its translation (according to art. 46 and 47 of D.P.R. 445/00).
Non-EU Citizens lawfully living in Italy are entitled to send a self certification ONLY if the degree was awarded in Italy.

In the event of withdrawal or exclusion, eligible applicants, who are entitled to take the position, must send the Enrollment form within 10 days from the publication of the vacancy announcement on the IMT website.

Admitted applicants who do not send the Enrollment form within the deadline will be excluded.

Please note that Enrollment is effective ONLY starting from your arrival at IMT (no later than the first day of the Program!). Unauthorized absences cause the voiding of the Enrollment procedure.

In the event that any of the documents downloaded during the application procedure do not correspond to the ones handed in at the moment of the Enrollment – due to deliberate false declaration – the admitted applicant will be excluded.

Additional Documentation and Entry Visa:

All information concerning foreign degrees and Entry Visas are available on the dedicated Facilities page.

IIMT offers assistance concerning entry visa procedures. For further information, also check the website of the Italian Embassies and Consulates.

Ph.D. Student Duties

Students who have enrolled must attend the doctoral courses and carry out scheduled research and study activities at IMT or in another institution as authorized by the Coordinator or by the Scientific Board.

In order to access the second and the third year of the Program, Ph.D. students have to pass all examinations and get a positive evaluation by the Scientific Board.

All students have to produce periodical reports.

The Director and the Scientific Board may exclude students from IMT, with the consequent loss of right to the scholarship, in the following circumstances:

Unjustified and repeated and/or extended absences (from courses, seminars, IMT events), unauthorized off campus periods;
Professional engagements or work activities not authorized by the Board;
False statements or similar behaviour;
Ethically improper behaviour in the academic field, for example the non-respect of intellectual property rights, incomplete reference quotation, plagiarism;
Severe intemperate behaviour or deliberate damage to School’s equipment or premises.

Foreign Ph.D. Students are required to attend an Italian Language and Culture Course.

The School guarantees the non-discrimination between genders and the application of measures that support the conciliation between work and family, following the Ph.D. Programs Regulation of IMT and the legislation in force.

International Relations and Student Mobility

IMT promotes the internationalization of its Ph.D. Programs through research coordinated with and conducted in foreign countries as well as through the international composition of faculty.

Moreover, the School encourages students to spend study and research periods abroad.

During research and study periods – authorized by the Scientific Board – of at least one month c/o a foreign institution, annual scholarships will be increased by at least 50%.

Treatment of Personal Data

The School will use personal data submitted by applicants only for the application and selection procedures and for institutional aims according to Dlg 196/03 (Italian Privacy Code).

Taking part in the selection process implies the agreement with the publication of this data and of that related to selection results on the School's website and in Official Board documents.

Each applicant has the rights established by art.7 of Dlg 196/03 (Italian Privacy Code).

Data treatment is the responsibility of the Director of IMT.

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