Quality Assurance

The University Self-Assessment, Evaluation, and Accreditation model (AVA 3) provides for an Initial Periodic Accreditation System for PhD programmes, aimed at guaranteeing the quality of training courses to acquire skills and to carry out highly qualified research activities in public or private bodies.

For further information, please consult the page dedicated to the Assurance of Doctoral Programmes.

In the a.y. 2022-2023, UniTO has also launched the MORE.Phd (Motivation, Research, Experience.PhD) survey that, including the questions elaborated by ANVUR (Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes), collects the opinions of first and second year's PhD Candidates. The results may be found at this page.

In linea con il modello AVA3, l'Ateneo ha introdotto dall'a.a. 2022-2023 il questionario  , per la rilevazione dell'Opinione Dottorandi del primo e del secondo anno

As part of the Quality Assurance System, the Doctoral School guarantees the quality of the PhD programmes through the implementation of the internal evaluation according to the Guidelines.

In carrying out these activities, the Doctoral School avails itself of the assistance of the Quality Assurance Group, which monitors the training activities and the evaluation of the programmes belonging to the various areas and, through discussion and exchange of opinions, suggests the adoption of good practices designed to improve the quality and performance of PhD programmes. What emerges during the Group meetings is communicated to the Doctoral School Board.

The Quality Assurance Group of the Doctoral School is made up as follows:

1. Teachers: Eleonora Bonifacio (PhD School Director), Maria Teresa Capucchio (Life and Health Sciences area - SdV), Silvia Perotto (Natural Sciences area - SdN), Francesco Quatraro (Social and Economic Sciences area - SSE ), Massimo Vallerani (Arts and Humanities area - SU).
2. PhD members: Claudio Brasso (SdV), Federica Cavazzuti (SU), Francesca Maiorano (SSE), Annalisa Greco (SU), Alessio Suriano (SdN)

Technical/Administrative (T/A) support to the Group's activities is guaranteed by Peter John Mazzoglio.

The Guidelines dedicated to the QA System introduced in the a.y. 2023/2024 provide for the gradual establishment of a special joint PhD Commission (CP_PhD) dedicated to quality assurance, with monitoring, review and initial evaluation functions. In the transitional period, the functions of the CP_PhD are performed by the Quality Assurance Group.

The quality of the PhD programmes is also guaranteed by the presence of informal Working Groups (WG), mostly set up in January 2022, with members hired on a voluntary basis, which develop specific topics. The activities of the WGs are periodically communicated to the Doctoral School Board.

The following WGs are currently active:

1. Interactions with Businesses. This WG aims to disseminate information on the potential of the PhD programme as a connecting tool between the academic world and stakeholders. WG members are: Laura Lea Sacerdote (contact person), Maria Teresa Capucchio, Bartolomeo Civalleri, Enzo Medico, Matteo Migheli, Paolo Olivero, Maria Calabretta (T/A).
   
   
2. Complementary teaching. This WG proposes to the Doctoral School Board the activation of courses and seminars on transversal topics in line with the "Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training" of the European Commission. WG members are Pasquale Pagliaro (contact person), Stefano Bresciani, Valentina Brunella, Roberta Cavalli, Cristina Giacoma, Marco Tamietto, Chiara Inaudi (T/A).
   
   
3. Post-docs. This WG promotes the entry of Post-docs into the world of work through seminar proposals, training events, meetings with companies and alumni, dissemination of information. WG members are: Stefano de Martino (contact person), Andrea Calvo, Viviana Patti, Lucia Salto (T/A).
   
   
4. UNITA. This WG was formed in November 2022 and follows the activities of the doctoral network of the UNITA Alliance by promoting the dissemination of information, the implementation of transnational activities, thesis cotutelles. WG members are: Eleonora Bonifacio (contact person), Maria Teresa Capucchio, Paola Cifarelli, Bartolomeo Civalleri, Veronica Orazi, Chiara Inaudi (T/A).