214 PhD Scholarships at The University of Florence in all research fields in Italy

PH.D. PROGRAMMES: Headquartered at the University of Florence CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: XXXVIII CYCLE: D.R. rep. no. 692 record no. 130807 of 20 June 2022: DEADLINE: 20 July 2022: 12:00 noon (Italian time) 2022/2023 ACADEMIC YEAR

Research fields:

Agricultural and veterinary sciences – Mathematical and computer sciences – Chemical sciences – Physical sciences – Earth sciences – Medical sciences – Civil engineering and Architecture – Industrial and information engineering – Antiquity, philological-literary and historical-artistic sciences – Historical sciences , philosophical, pedagogical and psychological – Legal sciences – Economic and statistical sciences

1. This call governs the procedures for access to the XXXVIII cycle PhD courses, having administrative headquarters at the University of Florence.
2. Pursuant to M.D. No. 226/2021, doctoral courses may be activated upon accreditation or verification that accreditation requirements are maintained by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR). Therefore, winners will only be able to register following the successful outcome of this verification.
3. The duration of the doctoral course is three years, with a planned start date of November 1, 2022.
4. Submission of the application for admission, according to the procedures in Article 4, implies the applicants’ acceptance of the rules contained in this call.
5. All communications to applicants regarding this call will be sent by e-mail. The e-mail address given by the candidate in the application will be used for this purpose.
6. The use, in this notice, of the masculine gender has no discriminatory character but, understood as gender-neutral, responds only to needs of more immediate communication.

NUMBER OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE

1. The available positions and scholarships, research topics, including set research topics, any reserved positions, positions without scholarship, and the procedures for the admission tests are indicated in the individual doctoral course fact sheets in Annex 3, an integral part of this call.
2. Winners of set-topic scholarships are required to conduct doctoral work on a specific research topic indicated in the course outline.
3. For doctoral programs that do not make positions available without a scholarship, successful candidates will not be able to enroll in the doctoral program by forfeiting the scholarship award.
4. The number of places offered for competition, shown in the aforementioned Annex 3, may be increased if additional scholarships become available.

Art. 3 – ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Those who hold one of the following degrees at the deadline of the call may apply for the competition, without age or citizenship limits:
   • master’s degree obtained in accordance with Ministerial Decree 270/2004;
   • master’s degree obtained in accordance with Ministerial Decree 509/1999;
   • degree obtained under the educational systems prior to Ministerial Decree 509/1999, the legal course of which has a duration of at least four years;
   • second-level academic degree awarded by institutions that are part of the AFAM (High Artistic and Musical Education) sector;
   • academic degree from foreign universities equivalent to the Italian degree required for access.
2. Those who will earn one of the above degrees by the start date of the course are also eligible to apply. In that case the candidate is admitted with reserve and it is their duty to send a self-certification of the achievement of the academic qualification to the PhD Office (dottorato@unifi.it) within 10 days of the award date. Failure to submit the above self-certification by the specified deadline will result in exclusion from the competition.

Art. 4 – RESERVED POSITIONS

1. Applicants who have obtained the degree required for admission to the doctoral program from foreign universities, or scholarship holders from foreign states or specific international mobility programs, may be eligible for a reservation of places for certain doctoral programs listed in Annex 3. In such a case, differentiated manner of conducting the admission procedure may be established and a separate ranking shall be provided. Unallocated reserved seats may be made available for the general ranking.
2. Applicants who are employees of institutions that have an agreement with the University of Florence within the scope of the courses listed in Annex 3, should select the reserved place option when filling out the application and, if they pass the competition, are then placed on the dedicated ranking list.
3. Candidates competing for reserved positions may not compete for other positions.

Art. 5 – APPLICATION

1. Those wishing to apply for a PhD position at the University of Florence must submit an application, using only the online procedure at http://sol.unifi.it/domdott/login.jsp. starting on June 20, 2022 and by the peremptory deadline of July 20 at 12:00 noon (Italian time).
2. How to apply:
   1. log on to the site http://sol.unifi.it/domdott/login.jsp;
   1. register by entering the required data;
   1. select the doctoral degree chosen (see Annex 3) and the relevant curriculum, if applicable;
   1. proceed to complete the online application as indicated in the various screens;
   1. attach under penalty of exclusion:
      1. copy of an identity document;
      1. statement in lieu of certification, for degrees obtained in Italy (bachelor’s and master’s degree or combined-cycle degree), with list of exams taken and the corresponding grade, title of the thesis and grade, using the form provided by the Administration and found in each course fact sheet;

copy of the degree held and transcript of records with marks for degrees awarded abroad;

• attach the additional documents required for each individual doctoral course in Annex 3, using the declaration in lieu of affidavit to attest conformity to the original;
  • make payment of the non-refundable contribution of €30.00 to partially cover the cost of admission to the competition. Payment must be made, under penalty of exclusion, by the deadline of the notice, according to the instructions explained on page https://www.unifi.it/pagopa.
• Reimbursement of the fee is not allowed under any circumstances. The candidate will be considered duly enrolled and thus admitted to the competition only after making payment of the fee.
• Documentation must be complete with all elements necessary for evaluation; documents with incomplete or illegible text will not be considered.
• For courses in which the interview is conducted in person, the candidate residing abroad may opt to conduct the interview by videoconference. The option is allowed only at the time of application.
• The application for admission can be submitted for each doctoral course listed in Annex

3. If the candidate intends to compete for several doctoral courses, he/she must submit separate applications and pay the appropriate fee for each.

• In the case of doctoral courses with separate rankings, the candidate may apply indifferently for the ordinary ranking only, for one or more separate rankings, or for both by submitting a single application.
• Applicants with disabilities or learning difficulties must attach specialized documentation attesting to the disability to the application and specify any aid needed.
• For doctoral courses that require the submission of one or more letters of reference, the candidate may enter the e-mail address of a professor/scholar to whom instructions for completing the appropriate online form will be sent.
• The online application, once “closed,” is not editable, nor can it be supplemented with additional documentation, except as may be requested by the Administration.
• It is in the interest of applicants to complete the application, including payment of the admission fee, well in advance of the deadline. Applications whose online procedure is closed by 12:00 noon on July 20, 2022 and payments made by 11.59 p.m. of the same day will be considered valid. The above deadlines are peremptory, it is responsibility of the candidate to verify the successful completion of the procedure.

Art. 6 – ACADEMIC TITLE EARNED ABROAD

1. Applicants with foreign academic degrees (equivalent to master’s degree), may apply for admission by attaching the qualifications obtained, accompanied by translation into Italian or English. Such candidates are admitted to the competition with reservation and will be excluded from the competition, or, if they pass it, from the doctoral program in which they are enrolled if it turns out, upon verification, that the degree does not comply with the requirements of this notice and does not, therefore, permit enrolment in the doctoral program.
2. The academic degree awarded abroad must be comparable in duration, level and subject area to an Italian second-level academic degree. The suitability of the foreign degree is ascertained by the Doctoral Admission Board in compliance with the relevant regulations in force in Italy and in the country where the degree was awarded, as well as with international Treaties or Agreements on the recognition of degrees for the pursuit of studies.
3. By the beginning of the courses, however, the translated degrees, legalized in Italian and accompanied by a “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” (declaration of value) issued by the competent Italian Representations of the country in which the degree was obtained, must be delivered to the Doctoral Office, together with the application form, alternatively the ‘Certificate of comparability of the foreign university degree  issued by the ENIC-NARIC center in Italy (CIMEA) containing all the information necessary for the evaluation of the degree. For the academic qualification obtained in a country of the European Union the diploma supplement is sufficient
4. For the purpose of entry into Italy, citizens of non-EU states residing abroad must register on the Universitaly portal and apply for an entry visa at the appropriate Italian Embassy or Consulate.

Art. 7 – SUPERNUMERARY ADMISSION

1. If in possession of a degree evaluated as suitable for admission to the doctoral program by Academic Board (“collegio dei docenti del dottorato”), nationals of non-European Union states holding scholarships awarded by the Italian government or national and international institutions and holders of research scholarships funded by the European Union or other European or international scientific institution may be admitted in supernumerary numbers, subject to submission of the application to the competition. The Phd Academic Board decides on admission.
2. Also eligible for supernumerary admission are those who, having already been selected under European Union research programs or other international cooperation programs, although they have not applied for admission to the competition within the terms set out in the call for applications, submit an application for enrolment in the doctoral program. Enrolment is, however, subject to verification of the qualifications possessed and the prior approval of the Phd Academic Board, which, in the case of candidates possessing a degree obtained abroad, decides on the suitability of the degree.

1. Admission to the doctoral courses is obtained after passing a competition involving evaluation of qualifications and research project and subsequent interview in person or via videoconference, using the most common apps for such purpose. The forms in Annex 3 show, for each of the Courses, the manner in which the test will be conducted, either in person or by videoconference, and any useful information for admission purposes.
2. The Admission Board makes a pre-selection based on the qualifications and project submitted by the candidate. Candidates who pass the pre-selection by obtaining the minimum score indicated in the form of each course are admitted to the interview.
3. The interview may be conducted in one of the foreign languages that may be indicated in correspondence with the doctoral course and may include verification of proficiency in one or more foreign languages and in Italian for foreign nationals.

1. Candidates for doctoral courses that provide for the conduct of the interview by videoconference, or residents abroad who wish to take advantage of this option, must ensure the availability of a webcam to enable the Admission Board to identify and view them during the interview. The Board will send the link for conducting the interview.
2. On the day and time set for the interview, the candidate must appear at the location indicated in the course reference sheet, or, in the case of conducting the test remotely, be contactable at the contact provided. The candidate is required to identify himself or herself before the interview begins by showing a valid ID.
3. Failure to show up, failure to connect, unavailability of the candidate on the appointed day or time, or failure to show valid identification, are grounds for exclusion from the selection process.
4. In case technical connection problems occur during the conduct of the interview by videoconference, if the problem affects one or more board members, the test shall be postponed ex officio to another date; if the problem affects the candidate, the Admission Board may justifiably postpone the test to another date, in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination and equal treatment of candidates.

1. Boards for admission to doctoral programs are appointed by the Rector, upon the proposal of the relevant Board of Teaching Staff, pursuant to the University Regulations on Doctoral Programs.
2. The composition of the admission board is available on the University website at the following address https://www.unifi.it/p12202.html.
3. The Boards conduct a preliminary session, also by electronic means, to evaluate the qualifications submitted by the candidates by assigning them a score that allows their admission, or not, to the interview.
4. At the end of the interview, the Boards draw up the ranking list (or rankings, if separate rankings are provided for) and transmit the minutes of the meetings to the Rector who shall, by her own decree, approve the acts.

1. The dates of the admission interview are indicated in the course fact sheets in Annex 3 for each doctoral program.
2. The list of candidates admitted to the interview will be published, on https://www.unifi.it/p12202.html, at least five days before the date of the test itself. Such publication shall be for all purposes of notification of convocation.
3. The merit list, formulated on the basis of the total score reported by each candidate, will be published at https://www.unifi.it/p12202.html.

1. Those who are usefully placed in the ranking lists are admitted to doctoral programs; for

the allocation of places without a scholarship with equal merit, the youngest age is the preference criterion.

• In case of dropout of eligible candidates by the start date of the course, the candidate according to the order of ranking will be offered the position.
• If usefully placed in rankings of more than one course, the candidate must opt for only one doctoral course. The option must be exercised even if the candidate is a winner of more than one ranking within the same course.
• Winners will receive directions on how and by what deadline, to be understood as peremptory, to accept or relinquish the position. The directions, as specified in Article 1(5), will be sent to the e-mail address provided in the application for the competition.
• The criteria for awarding the different types of grants, including those with specific subject matter and dedicated funding, are determined by the Academic Board, according to the requirements and circumstances of the winners.
• In the case of a scholarship funded by a public or private entity, the Academic Board will take into account the expressed purpose of the funding for the conduct of research, as established by the agreement act.

1. Those who have accepted the position must submit the following documents by the deadline and in the manner communicated:
   1. application form
   1. copy of an identity document.

They must, in addition, proceed to the payment of the regional fee and stamp duty, according to the instructions published on the university website (https://www.unifi.it/p11733.html) and otherwise provided by the Doctoral Office.

• In the application candidates must also state:
  • citizenship;
  • residence (and domicile if different);
  • date when the academic qualification for access to the course was obtained;
  • statement that they are not simultaneously enrolled in another doctoral program,
  • statement wether they have already obtained a doctoral degree or its equivalent;
  • statement that they have not already benefited, even partially, from a doctoral scholarship;
  • declaration not to cumulate the scholarship itself with other scholarships in any capacity conferred, except those granted by national or foreign institutions useful for integrating, with stays abroad, the doctoral candidate’s research activity.
• In case of joint attendance of the medical specialization course and the PhD course, pursuant to the provisions of Art. 17 of the University regulations on doctoral studies, enrollment in the specialization course must be declared in the application.
• Article 12 paragraph 5 of Ministerial Decree 226/2021 and other applicable provisions apply to civil servants admitted to doctoral programs.

1. Doctoral students are required to pay the stamp DUTY (16 euros) and the regional tax for the right to study, the amount of which, unless otherwise determined by the Region of Tuscany, is set at 140.00 euros.
2. The following type of candidates are not required to pay the regional fee for the right to university study:
   1. the winners and eligible candidates in the ranking list to obtain the scholarship of the Regional Board for the Right to University Study
   1. students with recognized disabilities (Art. 3, Paragraph 1 of Law No. 104 of February 5, 1992) or a disability of 66 percent or more;
   1. students who are children of incapacity pension holders (Article 30 of Law No. 118 of March 30, 1971).
3. Admission to the years following the first year and the final examination is subject to verification that the regional fee has been paid.

1. Scholarships are awarded as specified in Article 12.
2. In case of a tie, the assessment of the most disadvantaged economic situation pursuant to D.P.C.M. Dec. 5, 2013, No. 159, based on the Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator Statement (ISEE valid on the date of submission) dedicated to Ph.D. students (“ISEE dottorato di ricerca”).
3. The scholarship is disbursed in monthly instalments in arrears; if the doctoral student declines to continue the course, he or she loses the right to receive the scholarship from the date of the relinquishment.
4. The annual amount of the scholarship is €16,243.00 (before social security charges

payable by the recipient).

• The amount of the scholarship is increased by 50% for conducting research activities abroad for a total period not exceeding twelve months. This period may be extended up to eighteen months for doctoral students in co-protection with foreign entities or for doctoral courses activated under a convention or consortium.
• It is, in addition, assured to the doctoral student a budget, appropriate to the type of doctoral course and in any case not less than ten percent of the amount of the scholarship itself.
• Scholarships funded by external entities are awarded to doctoral students subject to the successful allocation to the University of the respective financial resources and agreements between the University and the funding entities.
• In cases of renunciation of the continuation of the course or the use of the scholarship, the scholarship will be allocated, for the remaining portion, to the doctoral student holding a position without a scholarship, according to the merit ranking.
• If the renouncer is a scholarship holder receiving dedicated funding, the transfer of the residual scholarship to the next doctoral student in the ranking without a scholarship shall be applied only upon the assent of the Academic Board, subject, however, to the provisions of any agreement.

1. Those who have already benefited, even partially, from a scholarship for attending a doctoral program may not use it a second time.
2. The University may not be able to disburse the scholarship to students from restricted (“embargoed”) countries until a residence permit is obtained.
3. The bonus and budget referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6 above are also granted to doctoral students without a scholarship.

1. Those enrolled in doctoral programs are obliged to attend courses full time and perform study and research activities on a continuous basis.. In particular, each Ph.D. student is required to undertake a stay abroad, the duration of which is indicated in the individual course outlines, and to acquire, over the course of the three-year period, at least 6 credits by attending customized in-depth courses related to so-called “cross-skills.”
2. The board of teaching staff may authorize the performance of paid activities that enable the doctoral student to acquire skills concerning their doctoral field, after assessing the compatibility of such activities with their doctoral career, teaching and research activities of the doctoral course.
3. In the case of justified impediments that do not allow effective attendance (illness, maternity and childbirth or other serious and documented reasons), the doctoral student may request suspension of course attendance, resulting in the interruption of the grant and extension of the training period. The suspension will be decided by the Academic Board.
4. For any further aspects related to the conduct of the doctoral program, please refer to the relevant university regulations.

1. The title of Ph.D. is obtained by passing the final examination referred to in Art. 27 of the University Regulations on Doctoral Degree.
2. Doctoral students are required to enter their doctoral thesis, in an electronic version, in the appropriate online repository of the University.

1. Intellectual and industrial property rights to any achievements of the Ph.D. student are governed in accordance with current legislation (Copyright Law – Legislative Decree 633/1941 – and Industrial Property Code – LegislativeDecree 30/2005), to the Regulations for the management of industrial and intellectual property rights with reference to research activities carried out by university personnel and, if necessary, according to what is established in individual agreements with universities, companies or entities involved.
2. Applicants who are awarded scholarships funded by entities outside the University acknowledge and accept the provisions regarding intellectual and industrial property contained in the agreement between the University and the funding entity. The doctoral

• Doctoral students are required to sign appropriate confidentiality undertakings in relation to information, data and documents of a confidential nature of which they may become aware in the course of their work at and/or on behalf of the University.
• The Ph.D. student is, in any case, guaranteed the opportunity to carry out the normal publication activities envisaged by the course, which must be scheduled in a manner compatible with the protection of any results.

1. Personal data related to this proceeding are collected and processed for institutional purposes of the University in accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of EU Regulation 2016/679 – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
2. Candidates are entitled to the rights provided by the same Regulations.

1. The announcement is published by notice in the Official State Gazette – Competitions and Exams Special Series
2. It is also published on the Ministry’s website and the European Euraxess website.

1. For all purposes of this notice, the competent Organizational Unit is identified as the Area Servizi alla Didattica – Process Unit “Educational Offer and Quality of Study Programs” – Doctoral Program, Piazza San Marco 4, 50121 Florence.
2. Information and clarifications on application submission can be addressed to e-mail dottorato@unifi.it or by phone at the following numbers 055 2757 668 – 671 – 678 – 681

– 309 Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Official Responsible for the Procedure: Sabrina Pazzagli

1. Competition documents are public, to which access is permitted in the manner established by Law No. 241 of August 7, 1990.
2. For anything not expressly provided for in this announcement, please refer to the University regulations on doctoral studies and to the statutory, regulatory and ministerial provisions cited in Annex 1 “Legal prerequisites.”
3. The University reserves the right to exclude at any time candidates who participate in the tests provided for in this call for failure to comply with the provisions given therein or the deadlines specified therein, or for failure to meet the requirements.