The PhD in Engineering maintains a structured and continuous interaction with bodies/institutions both of an academic-institutional nature (i.e. subjects that contribute to the governance and organization of the training course) and of a socio-economic and research system nature (such as companies, bodies, institutions and bodies operating in the territory and in the reference sectors). The continuous interaction is aimed at ensuring that (i) the research topics are consistent with the real needs and with the technological trajectories of the reference context, (ii) the training course is constantly updated with respect to the skills required, and (iii) the methods of collaboration – also in terms of co-financing of scholarships and industrial doctorates – are clear, traceable and formally documented.
The interaction does not end in individual episodic meetings, but is articulated in an integrated system of consultation and listening that includes preparatory channels for co-planning (preliminary interlocution), stable presidia for discussion (Steering Committee) and formalized moments (meetings with published minutes), so as to ensure both operational effectiveness and full traceability.
1) Preparatory dialogue for the definition of themes and agreements (pre-preliminary phase)
In the phase that precedes the drafting and signing of agreements with companies and institutions, a preliminary dialogue is activated aimed at building a mature design system consistent with the objectives of the Doctorate. This phase allows you to:
- identify concrete and verifiable technical-scientific needs;
- define clear, relevant and sustainable research topics over the three-year period;
- outline activities, responsibilities and figures involved (academic tutors and contact persons of the partner organisation), including any activities at the institution/company;
- clarify the main operational and administrative aspects (timing, co-financing methods, any confidentiality constraints and management of intellectual property), reducing ambiguities before formalization.
The outcome of this phase is the construction of proposals sufficiently defined to be translated into conventional acts, subsequently formalized and made available according to criteria of transparency and traceability, with evidence of the partners involved and the related documentation.
2) Steering Committee as a stable garrison of confrontation with the territory
To guarantee a non-episodic dialogue with the socio-economic system and with the actors of research, the Doctorate makes use of a Steering Committee as a stable structure for consultation and comparison. The Committee includes qualified representatives of institutions and companies operating in sectors consistent with the areas of the Doctorate, in addition to the coordination component of the Course.
The Steering Committee is an ongoing reference for:
- collect information on emerging skills and required professional profiles;
- promote coherence between training planning and scientific/technological trends;
- promote qualified external contributions (seminars, testimonials, case studies) and collaboration opportunities (projects, internships, industrial/co-funded doctorates);
- to consolidate the link between doctoral research and the needs of the territory, promoting the impact and transferability of the results.
3) Formalised meetings with stakeholders and traceability through minutes
Alongside the preparatory phase and the stable supervision of the Steering Committee, the Doctoral Board organizes formalized meetings with stakeholders of an academic-institutional nature and of the socio-economic and research system, aimed at collecting suggestions and proposals for the optimization and implementation of the Course. Minutes are drawn up for each meeting, indicating the participants, topics covered and main outcomes, according to a logic of full traceability.
By way of recent documentary evidence (and fully relevant to the ANVUR visit scheduled for May), the last three minutes referring to meetings dedicated to the main areas of the PhD are available:
- Civil Engineering area (02/02/2026): emergence of needs on the procurement of qualified resources, enhancement of international experiences and openings, and enhancement of external training contributions through specialized seminars;
- Information Engineering area (03/02/2026): discussion with companies in the sector and indications on the enhancement of key skills, with availability for training support in the doctoral course and clarifications on collaboration and co-financing methods;
- Industrial Engineering area (05/02/2026): participation of industrial and institutional stakeholders with discussion on training and research needs, external contributions to the course and interest in co-financing initiatives, with attention to strengthening the University-business relationship.
Closure of the consultation cycle: taking charge and use of contributions
The system described (preparatory interlocution → Steering Committee → meetings formalized with minutes) ensures that the consultations are not merely descriptive, but oriented towards continuous improvement. The contributions collected are in fact taken over by the Doctoral Board for:
- orient and refine the educational offer, also through the activation of seminars and specialized teaching contributions provided by qualified subjects of the socio-economic and research system;
- consolidate and expand operational collaborations and industrial/co-financed doctorate courses, with subsequent formalization through agreements and related document traceability.