The University of Milan announces a competition by selection on the basis of academic qualifications for the admission of non EU citizens to the following Research Doctorate/Ph.D. degree course:

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EARTH, ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

The aim of the School is to maintain an adequate third didactic level connected to an advanced training system, so as to able to respond efficiently and competently to the complex topics of interdisciplinary research related to the life of mankind and of organisms, how they relate to the territory and the environment, interpreting their history as the Earth has evolved, natural cycles and interactions between the lithosphere, the biosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere.

The School’s aims are:

• to bring together structures that share common ground in terms of didactic areas and research in a School that valorises interdisciplinarity and shared scientific methodologies;
• to establish specific didactic courses and at the same time to develop a suitable system of training, credits and appraisal of the curricular activity;
• to develop a nucleus of courses held in English and establish research curricula capable of providing the basis for internationalising the School and encouraging enrolment in its courses on the part of graduates from other Italian and foreign universities;
• to promote interdisciplinarity and the exchange of scientific and didactic experiences between lecturers and postgraduate students from different disciplinary backgrounds, for the purpose of creating a culturally stimulating environment and diversifying and improving the education offered;
• to establish study and research curricula shared with foreign PhD courses, including issuing an Italian and foreign qualification (co-tutorage);
• to promote and develop programmes to place postgraduate students in international research groups, thus increasing the effectiveness of the study and research periods to be spent abroad to complete their training and contributing to placing them in international research circuits.

The system of training credits is applied in the School’s training activities. All postgraduate students must acquire at least 45 credits in the three years provided by taking part in the educational and training activities that will be determined by the Faculty Committee for each PhD course, after consulting the chief lecturer, and co-ordinated by the School’s Managing Board.

The activity of academic and training research constitutes the School’s most important commitment and will be conducted by the postgraduate students under the guidance of a tutor.

Requirements
Applications for selection are invited from non EU citizens who do not come within the purview of Italian Legislative Decree N° 286, dated 25 July 1998, as amended by Law N° 189, dated 30 July 2002 and hold a foreign degree. The candidates’ degrees will be recognised as equivalent to the Italian “Laurea magistrale” (exclusively for the purposes of this competition) by the competent Academic Board.

The University can at any time exclude candidates lacking the admission requirements.

Application deadline
The application should be submitted using the attached form available on the University web site http://www.unimi.it/ricerca/dottorati/19244.htm and must arrive, together with the qualifications listed below, by 15 September 2011 using one of the following methods:
- by fax to: +39-02-50313731
- by e-mail to: ufficio.dottorati@unimi.it
- by post to:
Magnifico Rettore
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Festa del Perdono, 7
I - 20122 Milano ITALY

Applications and qualifications arriving after the deadline (15 September 2011) will not be considered.

Candidates will apply for a single Research Doctorate/Ph.D. Degree Course; should a Graduate School involve different Research Doctorate/Ph.D. degree courses, applicants will opt for only one among those indicated.

The application form must be completed in all its parts.

The following documents must be attached to the application form:

• a certificate related to the most recent academic degree, translated into Italian or English;
• a curriculum studiorum stating examinations taken and grades gained with a brief description of their contents; the curriculum should be accompanied by a report on any research carried out by the candidate;
• a list of publications (if any);
• a letter of recommendation by the teachers or tutors who supervised the candidate on his/her studies at Home University;
• any further candidate’s qualifications that should be taken into account, including the study and research programmes he/she intends to carry out in Milan.

All documents must be in Italian or English, or accompanied by a translation into Italian or English.

Admission and enrollment
Admission to a Research Doctorate/Ph.D. Degree Course is decided by the Academic Board. The Academic Board’s decision will be made known through a list of admitted candidates available on the University web site http://www.unimi.it/ricerca/dottorati/19244.htm by 12 October 2011.

No personal communication relating to the results of the competition will be given.

Winners should enrol, under penalty of exclusion, by 31 October 2011 by presenting the following documents to the address given in article 4:
a) the enrollment form, available on the web site at the address: http://www.unimi.it/ricerca/dottorati/19244.htm
b) photocopy of an identity document
c) a passport-size photograph
d) qualification translated by an official translator and certified by an Italian diplomatic office (Embassy or Consulate) in the country where the qualification was obtained
e) “declaration of local value” issued by the same diplomatic office.

Studentship assignment
Successful applicants, whose annual income does not exceed € 15,000.00 (occasional self-employed work incomes are excluded), are entitled to get a scholarship amounting to € 13,638.47 (gross total) per year. If an applicant selected to receive a studentship fails to enrol, the studentship will be assigned to the selected applicant following in the list.

For more information, please visit official website: www.unimi.it.

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Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.