Quality Assurance – PhD Programme

The quality assurance cycle for doctoral education requires PhD Coordinators and Doctoral Boards to define scientific objectives that are compatible with the strategy of the University and its Departments, and to include them in the programme design and accreditation documents. These objectives guide the annual planning of teaching and research activities.

At the end of each year, outcomes are monitored through surveys of doctoral students, questionnaires on the activities carried out, and Almalaurea surveys of former doctoral students. These data inform the assessments conducted by the QA Groups and Doctoral Boards, contributing to the annual PhD programme report and to future strategic reviews.

The Quality Assurance Board supervises the uniform application of QA procedures, organises and verifies documentation, promotes data collection for monitoring purposes, and encourages activities aimed at improving the QA cycle.

Stages of the process and actors involved

1. Planning: University senior management, Department senior management, the Departmental Research Committee and Teaching Committee, the PhD Coordinator, and the Doctoral Board.

2. Implementation: the PhD Coordinator, the PhD QA Group, and the Doctoral Board. Support at this stage is provided by the University Office for the Planning and Management of Postgraduate Educational Provision, the Departmental Teaching Offices, and the Departmental Research Offices.

3. Monitoring: the University Quality Assurance Board, the PhD Coordinator, the PhD QA Group, and the Doctoral Board. Support at this stage is provided by the University Office for the Planning and Management of Postgraduate Educational Provision, the Departmental Teaching Offices, and the Departmental Research Offices.

4. Evaluation and replanning: University senior management, Department senior management, the Departmental Research Committee and Teaching Committee, the PhD Coordinator, and the Doctoral Board.