Regulations

PHD IN LIFE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND DRUG SCIENCES

Activities and Internal Regulations of the PhD Program

The PhD Program in PHD IN LIFE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND DRUG SCIENCES fully adheres to the Regulations for PhD Programs of the University of Cagliari (link), which govern the overall organization, rights and duties of PhD Students, as well as the general procedures for admission, attendance, evaluation, and awarding of the degree.

In addition to these general rules, the Program is also governed by its own Internal Regulations, reported below, which provide further details on the organization, educational structure, and operational guidelines. These internal rules are designed to ensure the effective planning of training and research activities, in line with the scientific goals of the PhD Program.

Educational Requirements and Training Guidelines for PhD Students

PhD Students must obtain the total 180 FC (Formative Credits) divided over the three years and must achieve a level of knowledge of the English language equal to C1.

The distribution of credits is to be agreed upon with the respective Supervisors and must follow the attached credit framework, which identifies both mandatory and optional training activities.

The FC missing upon completion of the required obligations (45 FC 1st year; 43 FC 2nd year, 39 FC 3rd year) must be completed with the other items shown in the table as optional. Minor variations in the transferable skills courses offered by the University may occur and should be balanced with additional optional activities.

The 18 FC relating to passing the mandatory courses is indicatively proposed with a subdivision of 10 FC in the first year and 8 FC in the second year. In agreement with the Supervisor and with the annual scheduling of lessons, the student can however also provide a different division over the three years.

The achievement of level C1 level of English allows the recognition of 4 FC that can be acquired in any of the three years of the course even if in the attached table it is indicated in the third year.

PhD Students are required to spend at least 6 months abroad as part of their training, as indicated in the Rules and Regulations on PhD Programmes of the University. Additional time abroad may be planned and can entitle students to earn extra optional credits.

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the PhD program, it is not feasible to offer a common set of specific courses for all PhD Students. For this reason, each PhD student’s training path is tailored to their individual research needs and scientific background, ensuring a personalized and effective learning experience.

Hence, during the initial months of the PhD program, the Student will undergo specific training coordinated by the PhD Supervisor. This training will typically include:

Introduction to the research project and its scientific context;
Laboratory management procedures and good laboratory practices (GLP);
Training on the use and maintenance of scientific instruments and core facilities;
Safety procedures and compliance with institutional and ethical guidelines. this point is intended to complement the mandatory laboratory safety course included in the PhD program, by providing further specific insight into practical procedures (e.g. Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) course and Animal Experimentation Course – FELASA).

After the specific training, the Supervisor will assess the Student’s acquired knowledge through a written test and an oral evaluation.

To further support the experimental phase of the project, the Student may receive supplementary training within other laboratories of the Department, depending on the technical needs of the research.

This specific training, together with the mandatory transferable skills courses (https://corsi.unica.it/sciviamfa/teaching/courses/) constitutes the core of the PhD training and all are subject to evaluation. Additional activities contributing to the doctoral path are also considered and the corresponding Formative Credits (FC) are reported in the tables below. The seminar schedule is available on the dedicated section of the website at the following link: https://corsi.unica.it/sciviamfa/category/seminars/.

Within the first 6 months of the start of the doctorate, PhD Student must present, concurrently signed by their respective tutors, the PhD Project Proposal: a concise plan of scientific and educational activities.

At the end of the first and second year, doctoral Students must present, countersigned by their respective Supervisor, a concise report on the past activities, a concise forecast report on the activities for the following year and the report of the FC acquired. While the third year all the activities are summarized and reported in a PhD Student’s final report. Forms are available in this website at the page forms.

Seminars: Once a year, all PhD students are required to present the results of their research to PhD Board members and fellow students within their curriculum. Participation in this seminar, both as a presenter and as an attendee, is mandatory for all presentations within one’s own curriculum, regardless of the year of the presenters. Attendance at the final seminars from other curricula is optional.

The change of year is formalized with the payment of a small fee by 20th of November.

Credits value of activities

International journal publication	FC 6, 10 if first or last name
National journal publication	FC 3, 4 if first or last name
Chapter of book from international editor	FC 5, 10 if first or last name
Chapter of book from national editor	FC 2, 3 if first or last name
International congress participation	FC 2/day
National congress participation	FC 1/day
Poster presentation to an international congress	FC 3 first name, 2 other position (+ 2 for participation)
Poster presentation to a national congress	FC 2 first name, 1 other position (+ 1 for participation)
PhD Student Oral presentation to an international congress	FC 5 (+ 2 for participation)
PhD Student Oral presentation to a national congress	FC 3 (+ 1 for participation)
National workshop or stage	FC 2 / day
International workshop or stage	FC 3 / day
Abroad stay	FC 5 / 30 days
Other Uni stay (in Italy)	FC 3 / 30 days

Mandatory activity	Description	1^st year	2^nd year	3^rd year
Courses	Participation in mandatory courses – Credits are indicated in PhD course web page.	10*	8*	0
Seminar	Passive participation: presentation of the final dissertation of colleagues (5 FC for each meeting and at least 2 every year, if more add in the optional)	10	10	10
Seminar	Passive participation: attending colleagues’ presentations (at least 1 every year, the meeting where you are presenting, if you attend more add in optional)	5	5	5
Test (intermediate)	Specific tutor meeting	5	5	5
Test (intermediate)	Presentation of annual research results to professors’ board	15	15	0
Test (final)	Presentation of annual research and thesis contents to PhD board	0	0	15
English	Obtaining a C1 level certificate	0	0	4**
Other	Participation in congresses/workshops/stages (see first table)	0	0	5
	Total of mandatory credits***	45	43	39

Optional activity	Description
Courses	Optional courses on doctoral topics	Max 10	Max 10	0
Other	Participation to -presentations of research activity of colleagues (5 FC) -Participation to more than 1 final discussion (5 FC each) (these are in addition to the mandatory ones)	Max10	Max 10	Max 10
Research activity	Participation in congress/workshops/stages– copy of registration must be sent to the PhD coordinator	At will	At will	At will
Research activity	Publications	At will	At will	At will
Research/Training activity/Seminar	-Training activity for research techniques or instruments use FC 1/ day -Participation to seminars/webinars on doctoral topics = 0.5 Credits/hour of seminar with final test –0.33 Credits hour without final test ****	Max 10	Max 10	Max 10
Tutoring	Tutoring activity at teaching courses /orienting activity dedicated to secondary schools 5hour=1 credits	It is recommended not to exceed 8	It is recommended not to exceed 8	It is recommended not to exceed 8
Abroad stay	additional periods beyond the mandatory 6 months, up to a maximum of 18 months (5 FC/month)	At will	At will	At will
	Total of optional credits (at least)	15	17	21
The separation (10 + 8) of mandatory courses credits between the first and the second year is an example: the total of 18 credits can be distributed between the two years at will, in accordance with the tutor. But also for some reasons it can be completed during the third year The English certificate could be obtained in any of the years of the PhD but it is mandatory to obtain it before the end of the PhD. If you have already the certificate recently obtained, you can add the credits the first year. The student is exempted from obtaining the credits from a mandatory activity only if he/she is abroad for research/training during the period in which the activity is planned. The “report of annual research results to professors’ board” remains mandatory in any case and the presentation can be organized in online platform. for seminar or webinar with or without test, the coordinator should receive a copy of registration and the “SEMINAR ATTENDANCE FORM filled with seminar information and, when possible, with seminar organiser’s signature. All activities must be discussed with and approved by the PhD Supervisor.**

In addition to its primary roles in teaching and research, the University of Cagliari places a strong emphasis on the Third Mission: the active transfer and sharing of knowledge with society. This mission encompasses public engagement, cultural dissemination, technology transfer, and collaboration with local communities and industries.

PhD students are strongly encouraged to participate actively in Third Mission activities. Engaging in public outreach, science communication, workshops, exhibitions such as:

– Leading interactive workshops and demonstrations (e.g., SHARPER, Science Festival).

– University organized Open-days

– Guiding thematic visits in museums and university collections (e.g. Monumenti aperti).

-Moderating and presenting at public talks and cultural events for the general public.

-Participating in special initiatives or pre-events in collaboration with local partners.

Participation in this activity is optional and will be recognized as a national workshop or internship (2 FC per day). While, any talks delivered by the PhD student during the event will be credited as an oral presentation at a national conference (3 FC, plus 1 FC for participation).

Please note: At the beginning of each academic year, the PhD Coordinator will organize a dedicated meeting during which the rules, procedures, and details of the PhD program will be thoroughly explained. Attendance is strongly recommended, as the information provided is essential for the proper progression through the doctoral program.