Academic Year 2026-2027 - 42nd Cycle
The newly established PhD programme “Frontier Sciences in Sustainability, Diplomacy and International Cooperation” is designed for those seeking a rigorous path of scientific research, exploring the interaction between different branches of science.
The doctoral programme, based within the Department of International Human and Social Sciences (SUSI), is an ideal continuation of the first and second cycle educational paths. It is structured into two curricula and reflects the main research and teaching areas of the Department.
The integration of sustainability and diplomacy is the innovative aspect of the programme, in line with the vision of the SUSI Department. In its 2022–2024 Strategic Plan, SUSI aims to “develop integrated and complex knowledge that combines aspects of technical and scientific innovation with the fields of human and social sciences, from a perspective of interconnected knowledge, with particular attention to the system of international relations, cooperation, sustainable development, media ecosystems, and communication flows.” In light of this approach, the programme strongly reflects the diverse research, teaching, and third mission dimensions that have characterised the Department since its establishment in January 2021.
The PhD in “Frontier Sciences in Sustainability, Diplomacy and International Cooperation” offers a transdisciplinary training and research pathway on key topics for today’s society. Its main areas of focus include research tracks that cover the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, environmental), in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and with particular attention to diplomacy, international cooperation, and the condition of vulnerability.
The programme promotes a methodology aimed at addressing complexity through the interaction of multiple perspectives, creating a transdisciplinary research environment. The main goal is to foster research and the development of in-depth knowledge, expertise, and skills capable of analysing, addressing, and managing situations characterised by multiple factors, from an international and sustainable perspective, in accordance with the principles of open science.
The programme aligns with many of the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, in particular:
The general educational objectives of the programme are:
- to enhance and strengthen the main research areas of the Department of International Human and Social Sciences and the University
- to encourage the exchange of scientific experiences and theoretical models and methodologies from different disciplinary and professional backgrounds
- to train highly qualified researchers in each of the two curricula, enabling them to use the most advanced tools for scientific research and to operate effectively in both national and international contexts
Upon completion of the doctoral programme, students should be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of the main genres of academic writing and communication related to research, and understand the theoretical approaches and methodologies underpinning the disciplines of both curricula
- employ analytical and empirical research tools specific to their disciplines to address innovative questions from the professional world and to engage in international research networks
- apply knowledge and understanding with regard to the skills needed to submit articles to academic journals (particularly open access and A-rated journals), submit research projects to scientific committees—including for fundraising and pursuing postdoctoral research—and present research results in public settings
The specific objectives of the “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Sustainability” curriculum are to train scholars and professionals, in both the public and private sectors, who are able to work in contexts where complementary approaches and perspectives are essential, given the increasing fluidity across traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The specific objectives of the “Diplomacy and International Cooperation” curriculum are to train professionals capable of operating in complex international contexts, where traditional political dimensions intersect with new frontiers in technology and innovation. Another aim is to train scholars who can address issues in international relations in an innovative manner.
The doctoral programme facilitates access to academic careers in the specific fields of the two curricula, including through participation in research projects with national and international universities, also in collaboration with our University.
This pathway is particularly suitable for scholars interested in non-academic careers as well, including management and representation roles in national, European, and international institutions; positions focused on the development of environmental, economic, and social policies; and roles in the implementation of environmental, cooperation, and sustainable development projects.
It is also designed to provide specific skills which can be applied in various fields of public administration, business, the non-profit sector, and a range of professional activities, such as:
- positions in public and private organisations in the fields of environmental protection, intercultural dialogue, human rights advocacy, and peacekeeping
- professional roles within national and international public institutions, including diplomatic careers and positions in development cooperation organisations, as well as ministries/institutions/agencies operating internationally
- firms with an international focus operating outside Europe
- professional activities related to environmental consultancy and reporting, sustainability reporting, designing and disseminating best practices for the ecological transition
Curricula
The “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Sustainability” curriculum was established as part of the project “Fenice – Internationalization and Promotion of the Territory: Educational Pathways in Tourism, Food and Wine, Sustainability, and Digital Cultures,” funded under the call from the Agency for Territorial Cohesion for the selection of projects to be financed in the regions of Lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria, and Marche affected by the seismic events of 2016.
The curriculum’s activities were carried out during cycles XL and XLI at the Norcia teaching center; as the Fenice project comes to a close, from cycle XLII onwards the program will take place in Perugia.
The curriculum’s innovative approach is to establish a synergy and dialogue between the humanities and social sciences and the hard sciences, in line with the most advanced educational models of leading Italian and international universities.
The curriculum offers two main lines of education and research, which are in constant dialogue with one another:
- the field of environmental sustainability, from a technical and engineering perspective
- the sphere of social and economic sustainability and its narration and communication, from the perspective of international social sciences
The curriculum’s preferred research areas are:
- the study of migration phenomena
- the study of environmental pollution and climate change
- the study of the energy and digital transitions, and of the green and circular economy
- the study of emergency management, reconstruction, regeneration, and revitalization of vulnerable areas
All these topics will be addressed through a gender-based, data-driven, and transdisciplinary approach, integrating historical, sociological, economic, legal, environmental, and engineering perspectives.
A shared research theme with the other curriculum is the geopolitics of energy and water resources and international cooperation for crisis and climate change management.
The XLII cycle for the “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Sustainability” curriculum will include:
- a thematic scholarship funded by ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, entitled “Social Acceptance of Nuclear Energy. New Generation Nuclear Technologies and the Energy Transition: Social Representations, Risk Perceptions, and Public Debate Dynamics”
- two industrial PhD scholarships reserved for SOGIN employees, focused on “Nuclear Power as a Guarantee System for a Just Energy Transition.” The research will focus on the so-called “energy trilemma,” namely energy security (supply), equity/economic accessibility (consumer costs), and environmental sustainability (decarbonization)
These two collaborations demonstrate the appeal of the PhD program for both research and industry, focusing on interdisciplinary issues that combine energy and sustainability with social, economic, and communication aspects, fully embodying the spirit of the curriculum.
The “Diplomacy and International Cooperation” track stems from over a decade of doctoral experience and is closely connected with the master’s programme in International Relations and Development Cooperation (RICS) offered at the University.
This programme combines research on international actors and policies—adopting a gender-based, data-driven, and transdisciplinary approach—with a focus on emerging actors and the role of science and technology in redefining the international political landscape.
The curriculum’s main research areas include:
- the international role of states, both European and non-European
- issues related to international politics and human security
- the analysis of global interdependence, with particular attention to Africa and Latin America, and more broadly, South-South dynamics
- in-depth study of relations between countries, with a focus on interactions among political regimes with different social structures and the dialogue between cultures
- humanitarian crises; the technological dimension of international relations
A common research theme shared with the other track is the geopolitics of energy and water resources, and international cooperation for the management of crises and climate change.
This track strongly encourages doctoral candidates to participate in international networks and relies on an International Advisory Board, active since the XVIII and XXXIX cycles of the previous track in Diplomacy and Development Cooperation within the PhD in Linguistic, Philological-Literary and Political-Social Sciences. The curriculum further benefits from the established partnership between the University for Foreigners and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as from the extensive network of collaborative agreements (over 400) currently in place with foreign universities, organizations, and institutions.