PhD in
The PhD programme aims to train a new generation of researchers capable of embracing the opportunities offered by the convergence of design, art, social sciences, humanities and technologies, integrating complex knowledge to address multiple global challenges from a post-disciplinary perspective
The three-year programme brings together professors from different faculties of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Design and Art, Engineering and Education) and nationally and internationally renowned professors to propose a research model based on dialogue and collaboration across disciplines.
The programme provides a space for speculative, critical and pragmatic reflection on problems, potential solutions and new conceptual perspectives inspired by design culture and artistic production. It integrates complex design, scientific and social knowledge and requires the establishment of collaborative relationships with human, non-human and more than human actors through intercultural methods, learning from others, embracing cultural relativism and experimenting with new research tools and practices.
The PhD addresses multiple global challenges by inviting PhD candidates to investigate environmental, social, political and cultural issues through inter/transdisciplinary research and the development of alternative, experimental, critical and exploratory models to generate new knowledge, promote eco-social transformation, social and environmental justice, sustainability, diversity, question the potentials and limitations of technological developments and implementations through the intercultural approach of design and art.
Design and art practices can respond to the rapid advances in artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, data-driven technologies, and human-computer interaction through a shared reflection on social models and cultural practices in the light of ethical, inclusive, culturally sensitive and sustainable principles.
We offer online information sessions in the coming months during which the programme will be presented and where interested students can address their questions to professors. The Info Sessions take place on the following days:
Duration of the programme: 3 years
Courses will be taught in English
Places available: 4 with scholarship + 1 without scholarship
Campus: Bozen-Bolzano
PhD candidates are required to:
In the first year, in addition to acquiring knowledge of human-centered, design- and art-driven research methods, students will be involved in seminar activities to understand academic research, including ethical, gender and privacy issues, as well as bibliometric and non-bibliometric evaluation systems. An essential aspect of the training activity will be the acquisition of technical-operational skills through laboratory and field research, in a practical and hands-on learning approach, in addition to basic theoretical knowledge.
From the second year, students will spend a period abroad (minimum 3 months up to a maximum of 12 months) at another university and/or research laboratory, company, cultural institution, and will participate and help to co-organise the transdisciplinary research workshop. They are also expected to develop third mission activities.
The third year is dedicated to finalising the research project, design and artistic activities, prototypes in the case of practical and technological projects, or the theoretical-critical framework in the case of more speculative projects, as well as writing the thesis and completing dissemination activities.
At the end of each year, the students must present their activities, projects and results to the Scientific Committee, which examines and evaluates the individual work, makes recommendations and approves progression to the following year.
PhD students have access to the university’s infrastructure and facilities to develop their experimental research projects, including:
PhD Programme Coordinator: Prof. Letizia Bollini (photo)
Student Representative in the Lecturer's Committee: ---
Living in South Tyrol, Housing, Scholarships and more
Application procedure, Visa, Residence permit and more
You can find key information to apply and gain admission to this PhD Programme. Detailed information are available below in the general and specific calls (PDF).
In order to gain admission to the PhD programme, you will have to demonstrate competence in the languages of the PhD programme.
Publication of the call: 27/03/2025
Application deadline: by 29/04/2025 (by noon local time)
Admission interviews (online): by 30/05/2025 (via MS Teams)
Publication of ranking lists: by 16/06/2025
Applicants with scholarship: by 01/07/2025
Applicants without scholarship: from 02/07/2025 to 17/07/2025
Enrolment: Starting from 02/07/2025 until 31/10/2025 (by noon local time)
Total Positions: 5
Positions with scholarships: 4
Positions without scholarships: 1
The thematic and research lines of the programme converge on Design and Art, Information Engineering, Social Sciences and Education and are oriented towards, but not limited to, the following areas: interaction design, trans-media and multimodal communication with intelligent technologies, intelligent technologies, society and education, education to art and cultural heritage through digital technologies, life-centered design for cultural, digital, landscape and intangible heritage, phygital design and interaction, smart material design and smart fabrication, interaction design and smart materials.
PhD candidates are encouraged to explore these research topics and the profiles of the Board of professors when submitting project proposals.
In order to apply to this programme you need one of the following qualifications:
If you have not yet achieved one of the above mentioned titles within the enrolment deadline, you will be admitted conditionally to the selection procedure and you must produce the degree certificate within the enrolment’s deadline. If not, your application is considered null and void.
Prerequisites for admission to the doctoral programmes are an appropriate educational and/or cultural background and/or experience in the research. Qualifications in the field of interest of the PhD programme are preferred.
The Commission reserves the right to decide and to assess whether or not previous qualifications are suitable for admission purposes.
As the program is offered in English, candidates must possess adequate English skills (corresponding at least to the upper intermediate level, B2), which will be assessed during the interview.
Applications to the selection procedure can be submitted from the date of the announcement of the public competition.
Each application is subject to a payment for administrative expenses (50 €). This registration fee cannot be reimbursed under any circumstances.
In order to apply, you need to follow these steps:
Completing the application online is the only way to submit the application. Applications will not be considered if:
It is necessary to upload the required documentation for each PhD programme chosen in the portal. A traffic light system indicates complete/incomplete documentation (missing documents will be marked in red).
Only documents uploaded by the deadline will be evaluated. It is advisable to apply online well in advance and to check the portal regularly to take note of any notes concerning missing and/or incorrect documents.
After the deadline, it will no longer be possible to complete/correct incomplete applications.
The University is not liable if the portal is overcharged, due to the net or to the software itself.
To apply to the PhD programme, candidates must include the documentation listed below. Incomplete applications will be excluded from the competition.
Attention: text exceeding the maximum allowed length (if clearly indicated for a document) will not be taken into account! Please respect the format/length indicated.
Diploma supplement or the Master degree diploma together with the transcript of records of all passed exams (=certificate with exams list of Master degree):
If the certificates or diplomas were awarded by Italian public bodies, the relevant self-certification forms must be completed in the portal.
If the certificates or diplomas were awarded by foreign bodies, the certificates or diplomas must be uploaded to the portal.
The proposal should include:
The illustrated research proposal does not necessarily represent the research to be developed during the PhD; in the event of admission, the PhD research project that will actually be carried out will subsequently be defined and approved by the Board of professors, after the start of the PhD activities as provided for in the unibz Regulation on PhDs. Candidates can add annexes to the text document to accompany the proposal with other presentation media, such as images, visualizations, links to external resources.
The admission procedure is as follows:
The final ranking list will be published here.
To confirm your study place, you need to log in to the application portal and pay the following fees (€ 250 in total) using one of the payment methods indicated on the portal by the specified deadline.
If you fail to meet this deadline, you will automatically lose your place. Once you have confirmed your place by paying the instalment, there is no refund of tuition fees unless you are a non-EU applicant living abroad and you have not received the necessary documents from the Italian authorities in your country.
There are no other fees to be paid.
CALL GENERAL PART (PDF): EN – IT – DE
CALL SPECIFIC PART (PDF): EN – IT – DE
For further questions contact us by phone at +39 0471 012800 or send us an e-mail: phd@unibz.it