PhD programmes with organisations and companies

Public and private research organisations and companies carrying out qualified research and development activities may activate an accredited PhD programme in agreement or in consortium with our University, which then awards a PhD qualification (DM 226/2021, art. 3).

For affiliated or consortium entities, these programmes include:

• participation in the Academic Board;
• the provision of financial resources and operational/scientific facilities to ensure the PhD's sustainability.

Organisations and companies may fund one or more scholarships for PhD programmes offered by this university.

• Participating in the definition of the research topic
• Opportunity to participate in the selection process, assessing the suitability of candidates with respect to the specific research topic funded
• Possibility of appointing a joint supervisor to follow the PhD student's activities and participate in meetings of the Academic Board
• Possibility of also carrying out activities at the company's premises
• Developing human potential in specific industries, with the possibility of employment at the end of the PhD
• Tax benefits

Organisations and companies must:

• identify the characteristics of the PhD programme to be activated;
• request from the Accreditation, Agreements and Funding Office of the PhD Unit the letter of intent template, which must be filled in and returned by certified email. The letter of intent represents a formal commitment for the subsequent signing of the agreement;
• sign an agreement with the University in order to define the scope of the research, the type of funding (sharing or waiving intellectual property rights), the amount, and the method of payment.

Public and private research organisations and companies can fund one or more scholarship for PhD programmes activated by this University, defining the research area of interest and participating in the selection of PhD students.

Download the presentation of funded PhD programmes and 2025 deadlines (in Italian) [.pdf 1070 KB]

Organisations and companies may fund one or more scholarships for PhD programmes offered by this university.

• Opportunity to participate in the selection process, assessing the suitability of candidates with respect to the specific research topic funded
• Possibility of appointing a joint supervisor to follow the PhD student's activities and participate in meetings of the Academic Board
• Possibility of also carrying out activities at the company's premises
• Developing human potential in specific industries, with the possibility of employment at the end of the PhD
• Tax benefits

Organisations and companies must:

• identify the PhD programme of interest among those activated by this University (link to search engine);
• request from the Accreditation, Agreements and Funding Office of the PhD Unit the letter of intent template, which must be filled in and returned by certified email. The letter of intent represents a formal commitment for the subsequent signing of the agreement;
• sign an agreement with the University in order to define the scope of the research, the type of funding (sharing or waiving intellectual property rights), the amount, and the method of payment.

2025 deadlines (41st cycle)

The call for applications to be published at the end of May will include 3 submission rounds: 

• Companies that submit their letters of intent by 15 April will have their positions published as early as the call opens, 30 May 2025.
• Companies that submit their letters of intent by 9 May will have their positions published in the first update to the call, 9 June 2025.
• Companies that submit their letters of intent by 6 June will have their positions published in the second update to the call, 16 June 2025.

The agreement between the company or institution and the university must be signed by the call deadline, 30 June 2025.

The PhD programme will begin on 1 November 2025.

Download the presentation of funded PhD programmes and 2025 deadlines (in Italian) [.pdf 1070 KB]

Under the PNRR, the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) has allocated 696 scholarships to the University of Bologna for the 38th, 39th, and 40th cohorts for:

• PhDs focused on digital and environmental transitions, public administration, cultural heritage, and PNRR research; 
• Innovative PhDs in collaboration with companies.

PhD scholarships funded by the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation in Bologna.
Find out more

In the 37th cycle, the University of launched a call for applications for additional positions in the fields of “innovation” and “green”. The financial were provided by the FSE REACT-EU fund (2014-2020 PON Research and Innovation programme).

Find out more

An Advanced Apprenticeship PhD offers organisations and companies of all sizes an opportunity to carry out research and employ highly-qualified young persons, designing a training path consistent with the needs of the firm, while also benefiting from the related tax advantages.

Organisations and companies that have at least one operating site located in the Emilia-Romagna region can enter into “apprenticeship contracts leading to the awarding of a PhD” with PhD students under the age of 30 already enrolled at university or who are eligible for admission to the PhD programme;

The apprenticeship contract must guarantee:

• the alternation of study and work periods and completion of the programme;
• an individual training plan consisting of the research project defined jointly by the university and the employer. The plan provides for a minimum of 120 hours of training per year: 48 hours of corporate training and 72 hours of university training.

Emoluments paid to apprentices by the company.

• Multi-annual scientific collaboration in order to develop research in areas of mutual interest
• Opportunities to participate in recruitment selection procedures
• Joint definition of the training programme
• Wage category of the apprentice of up to two levels below that of a qualified worker and/or payment of a salary equal to a percentage of that envisaged for a qualified workers
• Exemption from paying a salary for external training hours (and consequently from paying social security contributions)
• Tax benefits

Organisations and companies must:

• identify the PhD programme of interest among those activated by this University;
• request from the Accreditation, Agreements and Funding Office of the PhD Unit the letter of intent template, which must be filled in and returned by certified email. The letter of intent represents a formal commitment for the subsequent signing of the memorandum of understanding with the university and for the conclusion of the Advanced Apprenticeship contract with a candidate eligible for the PhD selection process. If the letter is sent in good time for the selection, a person from the company may participate in the selection procedures as an expert member, in order to assess the suitability of the candidates.

Once the selection is complete, organisations and companies must:

• sign the memorandum of understanding with the university in order to identify the tasks and responsibilities of the University and the Employer, defining the duration, content and organisation of the learning programme, as well as regulating intellectual property;
• recruit the successful candidate after matriculation in the PhD programme. The employment relationship must be guaranteed until the end of the PhD student's academic career.

Organisations and companies may fund one or more scholarships for PhD programmes offered by this University through a donation.

Organisations and companies may fund one or more scholarships.

• Development of a specific research theme and human potential
• Tax benefits