Final defence

By the end of the last year of the course, the PhD student is required to submit a report to the PhD Board on the activities carried out during the last year of the Programme; the positive evaluation of the Board on this activity is a necessary condition for admission to the final exam.

To be admitted to the final exam, PhD students must have acquired at least 180 research credits during the three-year period. Credits may be acquired through theoretical training activities and practical training activities. All courses and training activities for PhD students must be agreed in advance with the Supervisor.

The PhD student must acquire at least 15 research credits of theoretical training through teachings within the PhD Programme, corresponding to the three modules offered by EIT Food, namely:

• “An Introduction to Food Systems: Scientific, Technical and Socioeconomic Principles to Facilitate the Creation of Food Value Networks” for 6 research credits,
• “Pathways to Impact” for 1.5 research credits,
• “Seedbed Incubator” for 7.5 research credits.

Additional activities offered by doctoral courses from other universities, summer Schools and courses organized by academies, scientific societies, etc., will be credited upon request to and approval of the PhD board. Presentation of a certificate of attendance or the outcome of a learning assessment, if applicable, is required.
Courses activated as part of 1st and 2nd level degree and master's courses, as well as those aimed at a non-specialist audience, will not be considered for credit purposes.

The annual presentation of the activities carried out, the oral and poster reports at conferences and workshops, the seminars held by the PhD student, the training period abroad, the publication of the research results in scientific journals contribute to the practical training credits as well as the patents, the teaching assistance activity formally attributed by the department council and the research activity leading to the writing of the doctoral thesis. This research activity is certified by the Supervisor by signing the final report. It is the PhD student's responsibility to provide complete, clear and exhaustive documentation of his/her activities.

Following a positive evaluation, the PhD Board acquires the opinions of the Supervisors and appoints at least two evaluators for each doctoral thesis. The evaluators cannot belong to the subjects participating in the Programme and must have highly qualified scientific experience. They may belong to foreign or international institutions.

The doctoral thesis is written in English and is accompanied by a summary, and the report on the activities carried out during the PhD Programme and any publications. It must be sent to the evaluators within the deadline established by the PhD Board.

Within thirty days of receiving the thesis, the evaluators express a written analytical opinion, proposing admission to public discussion or postponing the discussion of the thesis for a period not exceeding six months. After this period, the thesis, accompanied by a new written opinion provided by the evaluators, is in any case admitted to discussion. Admission to the final exam (and the prior presentation of the thesis to external evaluators) is decided by the PhD Board on the basis of the report of the 3rd year of activity (Final Report), countersigned by the Supervisor.

To be admitted to the final exam, the PhD student must have achieved the required number of credits through free and compulsory activities. It is also mandatory to have submitted a paper with the first name in ISI/Scopus journals providing a proof of submission and of data compilation for AlmaLaurea.

The final exam consists in the public defense, also electronically, of the thesis before a Judging Commission, composed of at least 3 full members and 3 substitutes, proposed by the PhD Board respecting, where possible, gender balance and appointed by rectoral decree. The Commission is made up of at least two thirds of subjects not belonging to the administrative seat of the Programme and of academic origin and not more than one third of members belonging to the subjects participating in the Programme. It is possible to appoint a single Commission for multiple candidates. At the end of the defense, the thesis, with a reasoned collegial judgment, is approved or rejected. The Commission, with a unanimous vote, has the right to award honors in the presence of results of particular scientific importance.

The minutes of the Judging Commission must be drawn up as per the facsimile made available by the PhD Office.

The Commission is required to complete its work within 90 days from the date of issue of the rectoral decree of appointment. After this deadline, the Commission that has not completed its work lapses and the Rector appoints a new one, excluding the lapsed members.

The title of Research Doctor (Ph.D.) is issued by the Rector.

After obtaining the qualification, the candidate is required to deposit the thesis in the open access institutional archive which guarantees its conservation and public consultation.

Within thirty days after the discussion, the University will deposit the thesis as per the procedure regulated by the current legislation.