The University of Parma is a State University. As such, it is self-governing and has administrative, organisational, and accountancy autonomy, while providing tailored services for students, The International Research Office handles the administrative, financial, and organisational burdens related to international research projects.

12 PhD with Full Scholarships in Food Science : DURATION 3 years, STARTING DATE OF THE PHD PROGRAM 01/11/2022

RESEARCH TOPICS (The candidate MUST mandatorily indicate one research topic in the form ANNEX A and submit a RESEARCH PROJECT in the relevant field)

• Development of new approaches to elucidate the metabolism of nutritionally relevant bioactive compounds

• Study and characterization of innovative ingredients recovered from plant material, to be applied in novel food, through advanced chromatographic techniques and high resolution mass spectrometry

• Antimicrobial resistance throughout the food chain

• Microorganisms engineering for the production of metabolites of interest and transformation of molecules during fermentation processes

• Criteria to select and use lactic acid bacteria to increase the sustainability, technological, nutritional, and functional properties of products and by-products throughout the agri-food chain.

• Design and development of meat and dairy analogues using vegetable proteins from upcycled sources

• Enzyme assisted extraction and modification of lignocellulosic biomasses for the production of functional oligosaccharides and other nutraceutical compounds

• Switching Mediterranean consumers to Mediterranean sustainable healthy dietary patterns

• Databases and analytical methods for nutritionally relevant plant bioactives and the food-microbiome-host interplay

• Fertilizers from agri-food wastes for the intensification of sustainability in agriculture

• Digital solutions for on-farm crop quality assessment

• Innovative bioprocesses and extraction techniques of bioactive compounds from agricultural biomasses

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

The PhD candidates will acquire advanced theoretical and practical expertise to provide innovative approaches and methodologies in the agro-food sector, under a multidisciplinary perpective.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Regardless of age and citizenship, applicants holding at least one of the following academic qualifications can apply for admission:

− Laurea specialistica or Laurea magistrale (second cycle master’s degree)

− Laurea Vecchio Ordinamento (degree obtained under the previous Italian regulations);

− Second cycle Master’s degree obtained abroad, equivalent to the above mentioned Italian degrees and recognized as suitable for the admission to doctoral program

Undergraduates can also apply for admission to the selection, with the obligation to obtain the degree within the deadline set for enrollment, that is by 24.10.2022

POSITIONS PUT OUT TO COMPETITION 12 With Scholarship 12 Position with Scholarship

N° Funding entity Research Topic

3 Scholarship funded by University of Parma (Ministerial funds)

• HUMAN NUTRITION

• FOOD CHEMISTRY

• FOOD INSPECTION

1 Scholarship co-funded by Fondazione Cariparma • FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

Position with Scholarship LINKED TO SPECIFIC TOPICS (art. 11 of the Competition notice)

During the Oral Exam, applicants may express and/or confirm their interest of being assigned a scholarship linked to a specific research topic. The Examination Board will evaluate their eligibility based on specific competences, experience and specific aptitudes of the applicants.

N° Funding entity BOUND RESEARCH TOPIC

Scholarship funded by Food and Drug Department (funds Project “PRIMASWITCHtoHEALTHY”)

• Switching Mediterranean consumers to Mediterranean sustainable healthy dietary patterns Scholarship funded by Food and Drug Department

(funds Project “FARE CARE-DIET”)

• Databases and analytical methods for nutritionally relevant plant bioactives and the food-microbiome-host interplay

Scholarship partly financed with UNIVERSITY funds and co-financed by Food and Drug Department

• Design and development of meat and dairy analogues using vegetable proteins from upcycled sources

1 Scholarship funded by Food and Drug Department

• Enzyme assisted extraction and modification of lignocellulosic biomasses for the production of functional oligosaccharides and other nutraceutical compounds

Scholarship financed with funds under the PNRR– Mission 4 component 1 (Ministerial Decree 351/2022 art. 7 “PNRR Research”)

• Criteria to select and use lactic acid bacteria to increase the sustainability, technological, nutritional, and functional properties of products and by-products throughout the agri-food chain

Scholarship financed under the PNRR – Mission 4 component 2 – Investment 1.4 National Center for Agricultural Technologies AGRITECH

• Fertilizers from agri-food wastes for the intensification of sustainability in agriculture

Scholarship financed under the PNRR – Mission 4 component 2 – Investment 1.4 National Center for Agricultural Technologies AGRITECH

• Digital solutions for on-farm crop quality assessment Scholarship financed under the PNRR – Mission 4 component 2 – Investment 1.4 National Center for Agricultural Technologies AGRITECH

• Innovative bioprocesses and extraction techniques of bioactive compounds from agricultural biomasses

ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Assessment of QUALIFICATIONS: up to 30 points (a minimum score of 18 points shall be required to be admitted to the Oral Exam) ORAL EXAM: up to 90 points, Minimum score for ELIGIBILITY: 70/120, Foreign Language Language the fluency of which shall be assessed during the Oral Exam: ENGLISH.

The evaluation of the knowledge of this language will be oral and will consist in reading and translating of a scientific test.

For foreign candidates, basic knowledge of ITALIAN LANGUAGE will also be assessed.

APPLICANTS ADMITTED TO THE ORAL EXAM CAN TAKE IT EITHER IN PRESENCE

OR REMOTELY IN AUDIO AND VIDEO TELECONFERENCE

(Applicants who intend to take the Oral Exam remotely must submit a formal request, using the form attached to the competition notice)

THE INTERVIEW MAY BE HELD ALSO IN ENGLISH

LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED AND THEIR ASSESSMENT

MANDATORY DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE ON-LINE APPLICATION

ANNEX A (art. 5 of the Competition notice)

Identification Document Scanned Copy of a valid identity document with photo (i.e. identity card, passport)

Curriculum Vitae et studiorum No specific CV format is required (see art. 4 of the Competition notice)

Abstract of degree thesis

Abstract of the second cycle master’s degree thesis. Undergraduate applicants must submit

the draft of the thesis approved by their supervisor (abstract/draft of the thesis: 10.000

characters including spaces)

Qualifications

Certificates and academic transcript of records for both Bachelor’ and Master’ degrees containing the following details for each degree held: (art. 4 of the Competition notice): University that granted the degree – Type of degree (first cycle/second cycle/single cycle) Name of the degree program – Date of graduation – Final mark – List of exams and corresponding scores (academic transcript of records) – Translation into Italian or English (only for degrees issued in languages other than Italian or English).

Research Project

The research project shall consist of a maximum of 2 pages, be written in Italian or in English, focused on an original research topic (unpublished, developed personally by the candidate. It should be noted that the Examination Board can use tools useful for verifying the originality of the submitted Project) concerning one of the specific topic indicated in this notice and it shall be structured as follows: introduction of the problem in the scientific context, significance of the problem, expected results, argumentation. The research project does not represent a constraint with respect to the following choice of the doctoral thesis, that shall be defined together with the supervisor and approved by the Academic Board.

FURTHER QUALIFICATIONS THAT MAY BE ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION, IF IN POSSESSION OF THE APPLICANT

(only qualifications attested by a document drawn up in Italian or in English)

Statement of Research interest

Short text – maximum 1 page – in Italian or in English, aimed at explaining the candidate’s reasons to attend the PhD program and at describing her/his specific research interests Scientific Publications

Articles and/or reviews in scientific journals with peer reviewing, scientific book chapters with national or international circulation.

The explicit indication of the candidate’s contribution to the works presented for evaluation is a necessary requirement.

Reference Letters

Maximum no. 1 letter written by experts in the research areas working in public or private

research institutions. It must be sent directly by the signatory to the e-mail address: foodsciencephd@unipr.it

The submission by the candidate himself will not be accepted.

Other Academic qualifications

First or second level Master’s degree obtained in Italy and/or specialization degree in

subjects consistent with the research topics of this PhD program

Other experiences (training, work, research, teaching, etc.)

− Language proficiency certificates

− Periods of study abroad, outside the country of origin (e.g. Erasmus programme or other similar mobility programmes)

− Other qualifications attesting the suitability of the applicants (scholarships, awards, etc.)

EVALUATION CRITERIA

QUALIFICATION EVALUTATION CRITERIA POINTS

Curriculum Vitae et studiorum

Including academic career and postgraduate experience, accompanied by a statutory declaration in lieu of the certification of the exams passed with the relevant marks, as well as the final graduation mark.

The marks of the exams and the graduation mark and the consistency of the Master’s Degree thesis with the doctoral program research topics will be the most relevant element of the evaluation. Up to 22 points

Statement of Research Interest Originality and motivation to research Up to 2 points

Scientific publications: International peer-reviewed papers: up to 2 points

National peer-reviewed papers: up to 1 point

Book chapters: up to 1 point

Up to 3 points: Reference Letters

Attestation of motivation and aptitude for the research Up to 2 points

Other Academic qualifications in subjects related to the research areas of the PhD course Up to 1 point

Other experiences

Aptitude to research activity and congruence with the research topics and the obctives of the PhD course Up to 2 points

The Research Project will be evaluated during the Oral Exam: ORAL EXAM EVALUATION CRITERIA POINTS

The ORAL EXAM includes the presentation of the research project and is intend to assess the suitability of the applicant to pursue scientific research as well as the general knowledge of issues connected to the PhD course

o English reading and speaking and for foreign candidates also Italian language: up to 10 points

o research project presentation: max 50 points

o general knowledge of issues connected to the PhD course: max 30 points

Up to 90 points

SCHEDULE OF THE ADMISSION EXAMS

ORAL EXAM

DATE 19 September 2022 (with possible extension in the following days)

TIME 09:00 AM (Italian Time)

PLACE

Food and Drug Department

Parco Area delle Scienze, 27/A – Campus

43124 PARMA – ITALY

OTHER INFORMATION

For foreign candidates it is possible to carry out the admission examination exclusively in

English, after checking the basic knowledge of ITALIAN LANGUAGE. For Italian candidates it

will be possible to take the admission examination in Italian or in English at the candidate’s choice.

COORDINATOR:

Prof.ssa Chiara DALL’ASTA

Food and Drug Department

email: chiara.dallasta@unipr.it

How to apply:

apply for the competition: Online applicationGUIDE TO APPLICATION
** if you are a new student, AT FIRST register on the esse3 platform (see GUIDE), if you already have credentials, proceed with registering for the competition.

download the NOTICE OF COMPETITION for the’Admission to the XXXVIII Cycle Doctoral Program


DEADLINE: no later than 1 p.m. (local time) on September 2, 2022

Forms:

Other

!!! ATTENTION !! the online application process will be available from 12 noon (local time) on 28 July 2022.

Composition JUDGING COMMISSIONS – appointed by Rectoral Decree No. 1298/2022 – Prot. No. 204552 of 01/08/2022

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