Completion of PhD
Procedure for the Completion of the PhD Program
The procedure for the completion of the PhD program can be summarized in the following stages:
- Appointment of thesis reviewers (by the 10th day of the month preceding the end of the PhD program)
- Submission of the thesis to the Coordinator (by the 5th day of the month preceding the end of the PhD program)
- Transmission of the thesis to the reviewers by the Coordinator (by the 10th day of the month preceding the end of the PhD program)
- Submission of the thesis evaluation by external reviewers (by the 10th day of the month in which the PhD program ends)
- Submission of the application for admission to the final examination (by the 20th day of the month in which the PhD program ends)
- Preparation of the final report and admission to the final examination (during the last useful meeting of the Board before the end of the PhD program)
- Appointment of the final examination committee (simultaneously with admission to the final examination or during a subsequent meeting of the Academic Board)
- Final examination (after completion of the PhD program)
Relevant Extracts from the Regulations
Thesis Evaluation Procedure (Art. 20)
Paragraph 2
The thesis, together with the report on the activities carried out during the PhD program and any publications, shall be examined by at least two reviewers who do not belong to the institution awarding the doctoral degree and who possess high qualifications. The reviewers may belong to foreign or international institutions. At least one reviewer must be a university professor. The reviewers are appointed by the Academic Board within six months prior to the conclusion of the PhD program. The names of the reviewers may be proposed by the supervisor (tutor) and co-supervisors (co-tutors) of the PhD candidate concerned.
Paragraph 3
By the 10th day of the month preceding the end of the PhD activities, the Coordinator shall send the theses to the reviewers. By the 10th day of the month in which the PhD activities conclude, the reviewers shall provide a written analytical evaluation of the thesis and propose (to the PhD Academic Board) either the admission of the candidate to the public defense or a postponement for a period not exceeding six months, should significant revisions or additions be deemed necessary.
After the six-month period, the thesis shall in any case be admitted to the public defense, accompanied by a new written opinion from the same reviewers, based on any corrections or additions made. The postponement of up to six months shall not entail any financial burden for the administration, nor any extension of the scholarship, which shall in any case terminate upon completion of the PhD cycle, nor any other benefits provided under university regulations.
Submission of the Application for Admission to the Final Examination
Paragraph 4
All PhD candidates enrolled in the final year of the program must submit a formal application to the Rector for admission to the final examination no later than the 20th day of the month in which the final-year activities end, under penalty of exclusion from the examination itself.
The procedure for submitting the application for admission to the final examination must be carried out exclusively online through the University’s information system.
Appointment of the Final Examination Committee (Art. 22)
Paragraph 2
The final examination committee is appointed by the Rector upon proposal of the Academic Board, while ensuring, where possible, gender balance. The committee shall consist of at least three members selected by the Academic Board, of whom:
- at least two-thirds must not belong to the administrative institution of the PhD program;
- no more than one-third may belong to the institutions involved in the activation of the relevant PhD program;
- at least two-thirds must come from academic institutions.
In addition to the regular members, three substitute members shall be appointed in compliance with the percentages and requirements specified above.
No more than two experts, including foreign experts, selected from public or private research institutions or companies affiliated with the University for the funding of additional thematic scholarships, may be added to the committee. Such experts may express their opinion only regarding the final examination of candidates whose scholarships were funded by the institution to which the expert belongs.
Reviewers, supervisors, and co-supervisors may not normally be appointed as members of the final PhD examination committee.
Final Examination
Art. 22, Paragraph 4
Two annual sessions are established for the final examination:
- the first session shall normally take place between December and February;
- the second session shall normally take place between June and July,
except in duly justified cases requested by the Coordinator and approved by the Rector.
Art. 23, Paragraph 1
Once the examination committees have been appointed, the candidates shall be informed so that they may send a copy of the thesis (together with the reviewers’ evaluations and the report on the PhD activities) to each committee member.
