Call for the funding of 3 PhD scholarships at the University of Padua

This call for 3 PhD scholarships funding is intended to strengthen existing research collaborations or facilitate new collaborations between the universities of the Arqus network in order to establish sustainable long-term research relationships.

In collaboration with the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo, the University of Padua aims to support 3 three-year doctoral scholarships in co-supervision (cotutelle de thèse) with one of the partner institutions of the Arqus Alliance.

Deadline for the submission of applications: 5 March 2025 at 1 PM (CET)

Financial coverage:

The University of Padua assigns, for each scholarship, a co-financing quota of a total gross amount of a maximum of 70,000 € to cover all the expenses foreseen for PhD scholarships as per Ministerial Decree 226/2021 including a 6-month increase in the scholarship amount for periods spent abroad. Any increase in the scholarship for periods exceeding 6 months, the fourth year for four-year PhD Programmes and the related research budget will be paid by the supervisor or the PhD Programme.

Presentation of proposals:

Professors and researchers can submit proposals to their PhD Programme. Each PhD Programme, by resolution of the Executive Board or the Academic Board, will identify one single project which must be submitted, along with a letter of intent signed by a professor from the Arqus partner institution, to phd@unipd.it by 5 March 2025.

• Each PhD Programme can present only one project proposal.
• The proposal must be submitted within the opening and closing deadlines of the call; proposals submitted after this deadline will not be taken into consideration.
• The proposal must be drawn up in English, duly compiled in all its sections and accompanied by the required documentation. 
• The application must contain information relating to the administrative office and the partner institution, the project proposal and the letter of intent signed by the potential co-supervisor of the partner institution.

Assessment criteria:

The evaluation of applications will be carried out according to the following criteria:

• Scientific quality of the thesis project (clarity of objectives, innovation, methodology,
• multidisciplinarity)
• Quality and complementarity of the research groups and added value of the cotutelle
• Sustainability and possible future initiatives
• Correlation with one of the priority thematic lines identified within the Arqus Alliance: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation; Climate Change and Green Deal; or European Heritage and Identity.

Selection of proposals:

The final evaluation is the responsibility of the Committee for the allocation of doctoral resources integrated by the Vice-Rector for International Relations, which will choose the projects to be financed on the basis of the evaluation criteria identified previously. The outcome of the selection will be approved by Rectoral Decree and notified to the Coordinators of the PhD Programmes.

The selection of the PhD students receiving the scholarships based on this call will take place through the standard selection procedure with publication of the call for admission approximately expected in April.

Following the enrollment of the selected candidate in the PhD Programme and the start of the courses, scheduled for 1 November 2025, the heads of the universities involved will have to sign a co-supervision (cotutelle) agreement.

PhD students awarded the scholarships financed through this call must compulsorily spend at least 6 months (even non-continuously) at the partner university and comply with the provisions that will be included in the co-supervision (cotutelle) agreement. It is recommended to read the University Guidelines for the activation of co-supervision (cotutelle) agreements available at https://www.unipd.it/en/cotutelle
For questions, please contact phd@unipd.it