PhD Programs Affiliated with the Department

National Ph.D. Program in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The PhD program is designed to scientifically explore the themes of diversity, inequalities, and inclusion in various forms, recognizing their multiple aspects. For diversity to reach its potential, macro elements like regulatory frameworks and international, national, and regional economic policies, as well as micro elements like work practices in both private and public sectors, must provide the necessary conditions.

These conditions should ensure equal opportunities while promoting inclusion, allowing individuals to contribute to the improvement of the broader community. In designing the program, stakeholders from both the production sector and academia were consulted. The research topics and training activities co-designed for the program take into account not only scientific advancements but also the promotion of economic development and the production system in relevant fields, as defined by the curriculum’s tripartite structure.

The Faculty has planned a training and research pathway for PhD candidates aligned with the program's educational goals and the overall strategic planning of the involved universities. The proposed activities for the PhD candidates are consistent with the educational objectives and professional profiles expected upon completion, clearly distinguishing them from undergraduate and master's-level teaching. Specifically, the activities balance highly specialized topics with general themes to address educational gaps and ensure the necessary methodological preparation.

National Ph.D. Program in Digital Transformation
The Digital Transformation PhD program is designed to promote research on processes that hinder or facilitate the adoption of enabling technologies across various contexts and services, with the goal of promoting the common good, digital security, health, quality of life, and well-being among individuals, groups, and organizations.

The program aims to develop high-level research and training pathways to create future researchers—Digital Scientists—who will develop, validate, and scientifically measure the application and adoption of ICT infrastructures in business and public administration, aligned with the European Digital Compass to achieve real digital transition by 2030. The proposed PhD program aligns with all four objectives, particularly contributing to the development of a "qualified digital workforce and highly skilled digital professionals." Future researchers will serve as a bridge between academia and industry, actively participating in scientific development in line with investments and reforms outlined in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, aiming to position Italy at the forefront of digital transition in Europe by 2026. Digital Scientists will be able to drive change with a scientific evaluation of its processes and effects.

The program's goal is to provide key new competencies to successfully influence and lead change, allowing PhD candidates to access cutting-edge research in fields like Data Science, IoT, renewable energy, AI, biomedical engineering, blockchain, digital management, law, geoeconomics, intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital humanities. The PhD aims to train future researchers who can collaborate actively with the business world, seizing the opportunities offered by new technologies that will enable new cognitive, economic, and social paradigms through systematic study and high-level scientific profiles.

National Ph.D. Program in Digital Humanities

The PhD in Digital Humanities offers an advanced research programme at the intersection of the humanities and digital technologies. Through a multidisciplinary approach, it aims to train highly specialised professionals capable of conducting applied research, contributing to technological development, and engaging with new forms of cultural production and organisational methodologies in the creation, dissemination, and management of knowledge and creativity.

The doctoral programme seeks to provide a solid theoretical and practical foundation for understanding, analysing, and applying digital methods and tools within the humanities and social sciences. In response to the challenges posed by the integration of digital tools and environments, the PhD is conceived as a hub of interconnection among disciplines from diverse fields, with the purpose of equipping scholars with the necessary instruments to address the demands of the digital transition that is transforming all areas of knowledge and shaping the emerging knowledge society.

The PhD in Digital Humanities forms part of the broader framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), promoted by the European Commission within the wider Next Generation EU (NGEU) programme. This initiative is specifically aimed at fostering the responsible and sustainable construction of a future for the generations to come.

The educational objectives of the PhD in Digital Humanities include:

• Developing an in-depth understanding of the theories, methods, and practices of Digital Humanities, with particular attention to their historical evolution and current trends in the field.

• Acquiring advanced skills in the use and design of digital tools and technologies for research, analysis, and communication in the humanities.

• Promoting the development and implementation of interactive environments for the creation and dissemination of humanistic, artistic, and cultural content.

• Cultivating critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills necessary to work within interdisciplinary and collaborative environments.

• Providing the conceptual foundations to engage with ethical, social, and cultural debates surrounding the use of digital technologies in the humanities and in society at large.