The PhD Course has a strongly interdisciplinary profile, with the aim of integrating the engineering, agro-forestry and environmental knowledge that are specific to the different scientific areas that today define the forms of sustainable land management. The goal is to explore new frontiers, both of basic and applied research, which give impetus to the knowledge for the management of environmental and territorial complexity, promoting technological innovation in coherence with the New Green Deal that will characterize the policies of the next future.
The PhD Course supports a transversal approach to combine development and environmental protection, preserve natural resources and optimize their use, guarantee resilience and adaptation to climate and environmental change.
PhD PROGRAMME IN SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT in convention with POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF BARI:
CUN Scientific Areas: 07 – Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, 08b – Civil Engineering, 02 – Physical sciences, 04 – Earth Sciences, 05 – Biological Sciences, 08b – Architecture, 09 – Industrial and information engineering.
Scientific Subject Codes: AGR/01, AGR/03, AGR/04, AGR/05, AGR/08, AGR/09, AGR/10, AGR/11, FIS/01, FIS/07, BIO/03, GEO/05, ICAR/01, ICAR/02, ICAR/03, ICAR/06, ICAR/07, ICAR/20, ING-IND/16, ING-IND/22, ING-IND/35 e ING-INF/07.
Coordinator: Prof. Francesco Gentile
Administrative office: Dipartimento di Scienze del suolo, della pianta e degli alimenti (Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences)
PEC: disspa@pec.uniba.it
Affiliated headquarters: Polytechnic University of Bari
Duration: 3 years
Total number of positions with fellowships n. 4:
Project: AGRITECH – National Center for Agricultural Technologies, ID code CN00000022, CUP H93C22000440007
Call for proposal: PNRR initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4 “Strengthening research structures and creating R&D” national champions “on some Key enabling technologies” DD MUR N. 3138 of 16/12/2021 funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, topic CN2 “Agricultural Technologies”
Title of Scholarship: Enabling Technologies and sustainable strategies for the smart management of agricultural system and their environmental impact
Research activity description: The research activity will focus on improving the quality of the degraded agro-environmental ecosystems. Different Nature-based solutions (NBSs) able to improve and restore ecosystem functions will be modeled on some specific areas (e.g., polluted and/or subject to erosive and soil instability phenomena). Specifically, integrated intervention strategies will be hypothesized and modeled at the farm level both for natural and agricultural areas (e.g., buffer strips, soil-bioengineering techniques, renaturalization interventions). The final aim of the activity will be to provide an agro-forestry environment management methodology (study-monitoring-modelling interventions of protection and restoration) applicable to degraded agro-environmental areas.
Project: AGRITECH – National Center for Agricultural Technologies, ID code CN00000022, CUP H93C22000440007
Call for proposal: PNRR initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4 “Strengthening research structures and creating R&D” national champions “on some Key enabling technologies” DD MUR N. 3138 of 16/12/2021 funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, topic CN2 “Agricultural Technologies”
Title of Scholarship: Integrated models for the development of marginal areas to promote multifunctional production systems enhancing agroecological and socio-economic sustainability
Research activity description: Activities include the enhancement of forest resources in marginal areas with particular interest in mountain a reas. The PhD student will consider one or more study areas, characterizing them from a physical, biotic, social and economic point of view. Specific attention will be paid to forest features with regard to forest types. Both the products that can be supplied (eg biomass) and the ecosystem services (eg landscape, biodiversity, human health) will be analyzed. Research must understand the influence that climate change can exert on these areas and forest resources, trying to focus adaptation strategies in order to preserve their biodiversity and the ability to create sustainable forestry chains.
Project: Strengthening of the Italian Research Infrastructure for Metrology and Open Access Data in support to the Agrifood (METROFOOD-IT), ID code IR0000033, CUP I83C22001040006
Call for proposal: PNRR Initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 3.1, “Fund for the construction of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures” DD MUR No. 3264 of 28/12/2021 funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU
Title of Scholarship: ICT and data analysis for food safety
Research activity description: The activity consists of managing, sharing, and integrating knowledge and data on metrological tools for food analysis, focusing on food composition, nutritional content, contaminant levels, and markers. Given the large amount of data to be processed and to achieve real-time evaluation, methods based on explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) will be used for data analysis. This will reduce uncertainty in food classification, improve structural and chemical characterization, and meet the time requirements of processing large data sets. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a set of methods for assessing the quality of foods and their suitability for human nutrition.
Project: GRINS – Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable – SPOKE 7 “Territorial Sustainability”, ID Code PE0000018, CUP H93C22000650001
Call for proposal: PNRR Initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.3 – Partnerships extended to universities, research centers, companies and research project funding, DD MUR N. 341 of 03/15/2022 funded by the European Union – NextGeneration EU, theme PE9 – Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories
Title Scholarship: Use of multi-source remote data for the spatial analysis of sustainability and territorial resilience indicators
Research activity description: Research activities will be aimed at the development of advanced cloud-based methods for the analysis of large amounts of remote multi-source data coming from optical and radar satellite sensors and from airborne platforms (e.g., LiDAR) for semi-automatic extraction of biophysical parameters at landscape-scale (e.g., NDVI, albedo, canopy cover, above-ground volume/biomass, air pollution, land surface temperature, soil sealing) to support the assessment of sustainability and territorial resilience indicators. Research activities will also include the selection of pilot studies within the internal and peripheral areas of the territory on which further analyses will be carried out for the identification of the main factors that limit the achievement of sustainability and for the definition of territorial policies aimed at improvement of social, economic and environmental resilience.
Admission procedure:
The exam procedures will be carried out in accordance with art. 6 lett. C.
The selection will be based on the evaluation of qualifications and an oral test. The knowledge of a foreign language (English) will be evaluated during the oral test. The oral exam will take place face-to-face for Italian candidates, electronically on the Teams platform for foreign candidates.
Upon submitting the application, the candidate must attach a synthetic research project, which can be written in Italian or English, of a maximum length of 2500 words. The research project, which must be relevant to the reported topics, will be discussed during the oral test. Failure to submit the project in the application is under penalty of exclusion from the procedure.
Methods of examination for foreign candidates:
Foreign candidates can choose to take the oral test in Italian or English.
Admission exam dates and time:
The evaluation of qualifications will take place on December 27, 2022. The oral exam will begin on December 28, 2022 at 9.00 am, with eventual prosecution in the next days until the completion of the evaluation of all candidates. The oral exam calendar and the methods for accessing the Teams platform for foreign candidates will be published on the phd Course website by 27 December 2022 at 10:00 p.m.
The oral exam for Italian candidates will take place at the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Room 15.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates holding one of the following qualifications are eligible regardless of their citizenship and age:
-degree awarded under the system “vecchio ordinamento” in place prior to the one introduced by MinisterialDecree(D.M.) no. 509 of 03 November 1999, amended by Ministerial Decree (D.M.) no. 270 of 22 October 2004;”laurea specialistica” or “laurea magistrale” (second cycle degree);
second-level academic qualification (“titoli accademici di secondo livello”) awarded by Institutions belonging tothe AFAM (“Alta Formazione Artistica e Musicale”) sector;
-master’s degree awarded abroad, recognised as such solely for the purpose of admission to the competition.
A)Admission to the selection for the candidates with an academic degree conferred abroad
Those in possession of a degree from a foreign university which has not yet been declared equivalent to an Italiandegree will have to apply for their equivalence solely for the purposes of admission to the Ph.D. programme forwhich they intend to apply.
In such case, in order to allow for assessment of the qualification, application for participation must be accompanied,by the following documentation:
•(In the case of Italian and EU citizens) Self-certification, according to D.P.R. 445/2000 and subsequentmodifications, of the academic qualification obtained with details of examinations, the relative results and thelegal duration of the programme.
•(Non-EU citizens) A certificate attesting to the academic qualification obtained with details of examinations, therelative results and the legal duration of the programme together with a translation into Italian and/or english.The translation must be signed under the applicant’s own responsibility in order to allow the qualification to berecognized.
The suitability of qualifications obtained abroad will be evaluated by the Judging Commission in accordance with the regulations in force in Italy and in the country where the qualification was obtained and relative treaties and international agreements on the recognition of qualifications for the continuation of studies.
In case of admission to the Ph.D. programme, applicants must submit, within 60 days from the date of registration, the following documentation:
•Curricular qualifications translated into Italian and legalized by the relevant Italian diplomatic or consularrepresentations abroad;
•“Certificate of equivalence of qualification” of the foreign qualification issued by the relevant diplomatic orconsular representations abroad. Alternatively, the Certificate of comparability of the foreign universityqualification issued by the ENIC-NARIC centre in Italy (CIMEA) may be presented, containing all theinformation necessary for the assessment of the qualification.
For the purposes of entry into Italy, citizens of non-EU countries resident abroad must register on the Universitaly portal and apply for an entry visa (post-graduate visa type D) to the Italian Embassy or Consulate competent for the territory.
In case of doubts about the qualification validity, the University also reserve the right to request the “Certificate of equivalence of qualification” to those who have obtained a qualification in a European Union country.
B)Admission to the selection for candidates who have not yet received the degree
Candidates who are going to obtain the qualification necessary for entry to the Ph.D. programme may also apply ifthey are to obtain their qualification by and no later than January, 31 2023. Failure to gain the relevant qualificationsby this date will result in exclusion from the call.
These candidates will be admitted sub condicione and no later than January 31, 2023 must send by PECuniversitabari@pec.it the self-certification (or certification in the case of qualifications obtained abroad) with dateand handwritten signature, accompanied by a copy of a valid photo identification document indicating:
-the name of the university issuing the qualification;
-date of completion of the qualification;
-type of qualification (specialist/master/old cycle degree, second level academic degree issued byinstitutions belonging to AFAM);
-final result.
Candidates who, for whatever reason, do not communicate the obtainment of the relevant qualification by the deadlines indicated or who send incomplete, incorrect applications, by different means or to different addresses other than those indicated above will be excluded from the call.
Those who have already benefited, even partially, from a scholarship for attending a doctoral course will also be excluded from participation.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
The scholarships available in accordance with the profiles attached to this call, as well as those potentially added in accordance with Article 1, will be awarded with the Rector Decree in order of the merit ranking lists of each PhD course.
The annual scholarship is of € 16.243,00 subject to INPS social security contributions. The duration of the scholarship is equal to the entire duration of the programme.
The scholarship will be paid in deferred monthly instalments and the maximum total annual gross income limit necessary in order to qualify for a scholarship is set at € 16.000,00 (sixteenthousand/00).
The determination of this income limit includes income from property and assets as well as income of any other nature.
Exceeding the income limit will lead to the loss of the right to the scholarship for the year in which the excess occurs and obliges the repayment of any monthly payments already received.
The scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships or grants, except for those intended to supplement research during stays abroad.
The scholarship cannot be awarded in the case of a suspension of more than thirty days, or exclusion from the programme.
During the programme the doctoral candidate may, for research needs, be authorized by the Coordinator for periods of up to six months, or by the Academic Board (Collegio dei Docenti), for periods of more than six months, to complete a period of study in Italy and/or abroad or to carry out an internship with either public or private bodies.
The amount of the scholarship is increased by 50% in the case of periods spent abroad.
Those entitled to a scholarship must, at the time of application, submit a declaration of expected gross personal income as well as declaring the absence of any eventual incompatibilities as outlined in the present article. Scholarship beneficiaries will be required to set up an INPS contribution profile, enrolling in the “Gestione separata” scheme of that Institute.
Scholarships shall be subject to tax relief provisions in accordance with Art. 4 of Law 13.08.1984 No. 476.
In any case the special provisions in each specific financing agreement for the scholarship, remain valid.
It is understood that, if a scholarship is declared ineligible for funding following verification by the competent ministerial office, the candidate registered in the post corresponding to that scholarship will be declared forfeited.
APPLICATION AND ENTRY TO THE CALL:
The application for participation in the selection must be submitted using only the appropriate procedure made available to ( log in here Apply now or Register on pica and apply online here APPLY NOW) no later than 19 December 2022 at 12.00 (Italian time CET), under penalty of exclusion from the selection.
Access to the procedure takes place on the PICA portal (Integrated University Competition Platform) which can be accessed upon registration or with SPID credentials, as indicated in the Guidelines. Applications received in a different way will be considered unvalid.
The registration fee for the competition is € 50.00; for foreign applicants residing abroad, no payments due. The
entry fee is non-refundable for any reason.
The candidate must pay the fee by clicking on the “Paga con Pago PA” button and choosing as the payment method:
•Credit/debit card: for card payment
•Current account: for direct debiting your account
•Other payment methods: such as PayPal or Satispay
Candidates wishing to participate in more than one call must submit multiple applications each showing the relevantqualifications and necessary attachments along with payment for each individual application made.