MISSION 6 – PhD programs
The PhD mission is a crucial mission for any PNRR action, whose terminology within the European Union, not surprisingly, explicitly refers to the Next Generation EU. The PhD mission orients young graduates to pursue a career based on innovation in the topics considered by the Partnership, in this case in the broad sense of Telecommunications, including all disciplines related to telecommunications and which are typical of Information Engineering and beyond. In this sense, the “products” of the PhD missions are destined to last for the entire working life of the young graduated who will be recruited. It is reasonable to assume that, in the light of recent available data, without this type of Partnership very few of the young graduated would have chosen or would have had the opportunity to choose a path oriented to telecommunications.
The PhD mission is presently divided into 4 fundamental actions: Recruitment, Cohesion in Research, Shared Training, Destination Perspectives.
Recruitment
This is the characteristic action of the initial phase. The best possible recruitment is the best premise for the selection of the future class of subjects dedicated to innovation in the future of Telecommunications. To improve the class of doctoral students, it was decided not to immediately ban all the expected positions forecasted in RESTART. This is also because many positions had been banned in cycle XXXVIII both in ordinary recruitment and in recruitment linked to other PNRR measures such as those provided for in year 2022 by DDMM 351 and 352. Since the PhD positions are all three-year lasting, this postponing of the PhD recruitment required a strong co-financing support by the Universities; this support is linked to the 10 months that for starts on November 1, 2023 of the XXXIX cycle, exceed the end date for the completion of RESTART. The recruitment action is so far highly incomplete and especially in the south to be carefully verified with the results of the selections planned for the XXXIX cycle. This action must take into account the new enrollment chance provided by the 2023 DDMM 117 and 118. The joint use of PE and DM 117 is presented in the DM 117, but seems not viable for the PE. These points are presently under study in some CRUI round tables that are regularly participated by the PhD Mission responsible in RESTART.
Cohesion in Research
This action was launched by framing all PhD students in the structural and focused research projects envisaged by RESTART. The action proceeds regularly with doctoral students already enrolled.
Shared training
This action is being implemented. It will have complete development after the selection of the XXXIX cycle when the team of PhD students will be complete. This action is arranged via two interventions on compact Doctoral Schools, that last from 2 to 5 days.
- The first intervention concerns the support to Doctoral Schools with a long tradition in the field of Telecommunications and related subjects. In the support, actions are planned for the dissemination of information to doctoral students and actions to organize their participation.
- The second intervention concerns the organization of completely innovative doctoral schools. The titles of RESTART’s Structural Projects are adopted as starting titles for the Schools. The organization of the Schools is entrusted to the Spoke that hosts the original Structural Project.
Subsequently, schools will also be organized or supported that deal with the themes of transversal skills, also benefiting from the results that emerged from the analysis of training needs that the Training mission has started.
DashBoard: DoctorAl ScHools BOARD
DashCam: DoctorAl ScHools Cumulative ArrangeMent tool
Destination perspectives
This is the action that will mainly characterize the terminal phase of the program. In this phase, a clear path must emerge for each PhD student that directs him to a research or innovation perspective especially in the direction of firms, including the possibility of being part of start-ups or spinoffs. This action will have to be conducted with particular attention to the south. The clear perspective of placement in the company is a fundamental element for the success of the M4C2 mission and requires a particular commitment of the firm component in RESTART.