Established in the 39th cycle, the PhD in Engineering derives from the transformation of the Doctorate in Industrial and Information Engineering (38th cycle), in turn an evolution of the Doctorate in Engineering and Chemistry of Materials and Constructions (up to the 37th cycle). This evolution reflects the progressive inclusion of professors from different academic fields, with the aim of providing broader and more solid skills in the various sectors of engineering, while ensuring increasing interdisciplinarity both in training activities and in research support.
The PhD in Engineering completes the Master's Degree courses, offering PhD students the opportunity to achieve high-level scientific qualifications through advanced research and higher education training. The program prepares scholars to hold high-profile research roles at universities, public bodies or private entities, facilitating access to careers in public administration and highly innovative professional paths.
The educational project includes industrial and chemical engineering, computer and electronic engineering, as well as civil engineering and architecture. Through a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, the program is oriented towards innovation and the development of technologies, products and processes, with particular attention to the challenges posed by the Industry 4.0 paradigm and the digital transition. Doctoral Degree Programme
Department of Engineering | Dipartimento di Ingegneria
Vision and articulation of the training course
The Ph.D. in Engineering aims to provide PhD students with the opportunity to acquire high-level skills and scientific qualifications, through research training and higher education activities, in order to be able to carry out highly qualified research activities at universities, public bodies or private entities, also for the purpose of accessing careers in public administrations and integrating high-level professional paths innovativeness. The training project includes the sectors of engineering and industrial chemistry, computer and electronic engineering and civil engineering and architecture through a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach aimed at innovation and the development of technologies, products and processes with particular emphasis on the challenges posed by the Industry 4.0 paradigm and more generally by the digital transition.
The training project is divided into 3 curricula that embrace the three main areas of engineering: Industrial, Information, and Civil and Architecture.
With reference to the Industrial Engineering sector , training activities are provided in the following areas:
· advanced materials and technologies for the industrial, environmental and energy sectors; development of advanced devices and processes with high knowledge intensity, with better performance and new potential; design and development of converging technologies in the field of energy saving and environmental control; advanced mathematical and experimental methods applied to production systems and
processes; support technologies to support the development of advanced and intelligent materials, integrated components and systems, information technologies applied to industry.
In the field of Information Engineering, training activities are provided in the field of:
· numerical modeling and development of numerical models of components, functional devices or structures; modeling for control and prediction applied to engineering sciences; development of computer systems for the IoT (Internet of things), Edge processing algorithms and Fog Computing for the IoT.
In the field of Civil Engineering and Architecture, training activities are provided in the context of:
· innovative models and approaches in the assessment of risk and seismic and climatic resilience of civil and industrial structures and infrastructures; digitalisation and introduction of ITS systems for the development of sustainable mobility systems and advanced logistics; numerical and stochastic approaches to the study and control of the territory and hydro-morphodynamic processes; sustainability and resilience of urban systems and the introduction of proactive approaches for the redevelopment, recovery and protection of the natural and built environment, for the purpose of sustainable efficiency of the public and private building stock.
To complete the training activity, training activities in the field of research management and knowledge of European and international research systems, as well as business development, will be organized, in agreement with the other doctorates of the University, also with the participation of highly qualified external professors, and/or making use of the skills present within the University. PhD students will also be involved in research projects by sharing methodologies, objectives, results and methods of access to national and international funding (PRIN; FIRB; HORIZON, PON).
The doctoral course promotes training activities on the exploitation of research results and intellectual property, also with the participation of external professors (courses and/or seminars). PhD students will be stimulated to exploit the results of their research in the form of presentations in seminars, workshops, national and international congresses and publications in international journals.
Elements of coherence with the University's strategic planning
The PhD course is structured and articulated to offer maximum consistency with the University's strategic guidelines summarized in the University Strategic Plan 2024-2026 (approved on 23 February 2024) with specific attention to the P1 principle Enhancing tradition and promoting innovation in knowledge and in particular with the line of intervention:
R5 Strengthen the national and international dimension of doctorates with the involvement of external actors.
Line characterized by the actions, adopted by the Doctorate mentioned here:
Action 13: Support new doctoral paths, including interdisciplinary ones, through participation in National Doctorates (DIN) and Industrial Doctorates (DI); 14: Increase training activities (also through the formal inclusion of activities to be carried out abroad or in hybrid mode) and orientation, for a better prospect of employability of PhDs; Action 15: Enhance the educational offer of doctoral courses along the lines of competitiveness and innovation, to increase their attractiveness also at an international level.
The indicator referred to in the strategic plan is also adopted by the Doctorate as Indicator 5.1 Percentage increase in the number of doctoral scholarships funded by the University in the cycle of reference indicators
R3 Strengthening the quality of research and promoting interdisciplinarity
Action 7: Promote multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects involving groups whose potential may be unexpressed (also through a mapping of University research and the creation of networks between research centers) and related indicator:
Indicator R3.1 Increase in the share of research products with co-authors from different SSDs.