PhD in Health, Safety And Green Systems

The PhD programme has a strongly transdisciplinary character, aiming at meeting the growing demand from the social, productive and institutional context for researchers, decision makers and policy makers capable of systematizing the various scientific and professional domains in the field of Health, Safety and Green Systems. The PhD programme trains specialists in relation to specific thematic areas related to complex problems, aggregating - with a strongly integrated approach - disciplines and methodologies related to different scientific fields. In particular, with reference to concepts like urban health, health-focused green systems, promotion of physical activity, rehabilitation, better health and active living in urban environments, the PhD programme is clearly focused on sustainability issues, addressing various of the UN SDGs.

The central disciplines of the Phd are: medical and health profession sciences, botanical-pharmaceutical sciences, chemical extraction sciences, toxicology, phytocosmetical and nutritional sciences, agricultural sciences, architectural and civil and environmental engineering sciences, in their different articulations (food production and processing, production, management and design issues related to green systems and urban and territorial systems), and in their mutual relations. The PhD course thus consists of different complementary areas, developed cross-cutting the thematic clusters related to health, safety, and green systems: prevention and promotion of health and safety in the areas of living, working, caring, recreation and sociality; recycling of vegetable matrices for developing new products for the drug, phytocosmetics and food supplements industry; quality control of food supplements based on medicinal herbs or other raw materials; toxicity and safety of no-food supplements and environment; production, design and sustainable management of green areas; resilient cities; biodiversity and ecosystem services; spatial planning.

NRPP Call Admission Board
Appointed by RD 1103/2022 Prot. n. 0162873 of 17/07/2022

Call for Application Admission Board
Appointed by RD 830/2022 Prot. n. 0127511 of 30/05/2022

With reference to the professional activities classified by the Italian ISTAT, for the PhD students of this course there are work opportunities in the intellectual, scientific and highly specialized professions (Large Group 2), for which a high level of knowledge is required to analyze and represent complex situations and problems, define possible solutions and make relevant decisions, promoting and conducting scientific research. Other work opportunities can be within the legislators, entrepreneurs and senior management (Large Group 1). These professions require a level of knowledge necessary to define and implement strategies for political, institutional and economics direction and regulation; as well as the definition and formulation of government policies, laws and norms; planning, direction, coordination and evaluation of policies and objectives; orientation of general activities in companies or organizations, either in public and private sector. The employment sectors and types of employment include very diversified sectors: companies, public institutions, sector and professional associations, schools, public and private research bodies, technology transfer and innovation sector entities. In particular, the PhD program aims to respond to the growing demand from the social, productive, institutional (political, administrative and management) context, also at the international level and in developing countries, of researchers and policy makers able to systematize the aforementioned scientific and professional fields, since these professional figures do not exist at present time. Their analysis capacity and their transdisciplinary vision will allow to guide complex studies and decision-making processes, directing specific insights and bringing to a result synthesis, with important consequences in terms of reduction of direct and indirect costs in health and territorial governance, and therefore giving space for economic growth.

PhD students can carry out research at all levels (in the field, in the laboratory, in productive and territorial levels) required by the chosen topic for PhD thesis. Research and training projects will be based on integrated multidisciplinary contributions that bring together the methods, approaches, languages and knowledge of the medical, chemical, botanical, food, toxicological, agricultural and architectural areas, and those at the interface at the base of the "health - safety - green systems" nexus. In particular, PhD students will be included in specific interdisciplinary research projects, result of a collaboration between the different scientific areas involved, also through specific agreements already in place regarding the topics of the PhD programme, activated in collaboration with different bodies. These collaborative activities aim to promote specialization in individual specific areas, and at the same time to develop such in-depth studies within a research design suitable to allow a high level of integration for enhancing transdisciplinary relationships and overcoming sectoral visions. The course will involve training and research skills and laboratory structures of the various departments involved, as well as the University laboratory resources located in the Imola district of the University of Bologna (Imola district greenhouses; bio-toxicology, microscopy, microbiology, pharmaceutical, chemical-analytical laboratories of the Lolli complex), and also of other laboratory resources that may become available through agreements with local bodies and organizations that are already collaborating with the University of Bologna for training courses, research and experiments. For a profitable management of the study issues and research lines, each student will be assigned to two or more supervisors belonging to different disciplinary fields.

The PhD training programme includes participation in specific courses and seminars on the PhD themes provided by both members of the Academic Board and other teachers, also external to Unibo, and by internationally renowned professors, external experts and highly qualified professionals of institutions and companies. The plan also provides the acquisition of credits to be chosen from study courses, courses common to more PhD programmes, and training activities on soft skills on subjects consistent with the educational objectives of the PhD. Planning of the courses will also benefit of synergies with already activated courses, with particular attention to crosscutting themes like: bibliographic services for research, statistical tools, academic writing, IPR and European funds. In order to foster collaboration between different disciplinary knowledge, each PhD student will be assigned, according to his/her background and specific research interests, to two or more supervisors belonging to the different subject areas, as well as to possible Italian or foreign co-supervisors, who will work together in order to support and stimulate an interdisciplinary approach throughout the student's path. Annual checks of the progress of research by PhD students are foreseen. During the year, there will also be joint meetings for the presentation of the activities conducted by the PhD students to foster the discussion and exchange between the various PhD students and professors/researchers from an interdisciplinary point of view. The supervisors and the Academic Board will ensure that the training plan of each PhD student is suitable to combine the study of specific issues of one or more specific scientific domains, with an integrated interdisciplinary vision. PhD students with scholarships are required to spend a period abroad in qualified research facilities, with the aim of encouraging the exchange and the inclusion of young researchers in the international scientific community.

The PhD Research programme in HEALTH, SAFETY AND GREEN SYSTEMS promotes internationalization with agreements, currently in progress or programmed, with foreign research institutions, aimed at offering, for example, double degree title or cotutelle, through a minimum 3-months period of stay abroad and active participation in international research projects. Several foreign universities have expressed their willingness to stipulate framework co-tutelle agreements aimed not only at the joint supervision of PhD students, but also at the release of a double degree. A framework co-tutelle agreement has already been signed with the University of Copenaghen (Faculty of Science), and a Dual Doctoral Degree Program has been signed with the National Chiao Tung University Hsinchu, Taiwan. Moreover, other foreign institutions have finalized the signing of letters of intent (Agricultural University of Athens, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy; University of Lincoln, School of Chemistry), and other bilateral agreements are being finalized. The PhD also actively aims to increase the applications by foreign students, through active and informative support to interested foreign persons, a connection with other countries' university training institutions, collaboration with funding institutions for foreign students, as well as integrating courses/seminars provided by highly qualified foreign teachers and experts on these topics into the training of PhD students.

The research products of the PhD students will be evaluated using the criteria adopted by the University of Bologna and, in particular, with reference to articles (publications) in journals indexed in ISI and/or Scopus, and/or in band A journals, book chapters, national and international conferences proceedings, patents. In order to stimulate the scientific productivity of PhD students, training sessions and minimum qualitative-quantitative standards for the production of scientific articles are foreseen during the course: in order to be admitted to the final dissertation, it is mandatory that PhD students have at least one scientific article accepted or published in an indexed ISI and/or Scopus and/or band A journal. This article should be consistent with the research activities carried out during the three-year period of attendance to the PhD program. The admission of PhD students to the second and third year of the course will be decided by the Academic Board, in close collaboration with the PhD students' supervisors. The criteria for admission to the following year include: - attendance and positive evaluation for the didactic activities foreseen by the PhD course (see section RESEARCH TRAINING ACTIVITIES) - obtained skills in the context of the scientific investigation addressed - acquisition of a rigorous scientific methodological approach and autonomy in conducting experimental activities.