Academic Year 2026-2027 - 42nd Cycle
The recently established PhD programme in “Frontier sciences in sustainability, diplomacy and international cooperation” is designed for those who wish to undertake a rigorous scientific research path, exploring the interplay between different fields of science.
The doctoral course, hosted by the Department of International Human and Social Sciences (SUSI), is the ideal continuation for those who have completed previous first and second cycle studies. It is structured into two curricula and reflects the main research and teaching areas of the Department.
The integration of sustainability and diplomacy constitutes the innovative core of this programme, aligned with the vision of the SUSI Department, which in its 2022-2024 strategic plan aims to “develop integrated and complex knowledge that combines aspects related to technological and scientific innovation with those of the human and social sciences, fostering the interconnection of knowledge, with a particular focus on international relations, cooperation, sustainable development, media ecosystems, and communication flows.” In line with this perspective, the proposed doctoral programme strongly represents the diverse research, teaching, and third mission activities that have distinguished the SUSI Department since its establishment in January 2021.
The “Frontier sciences in sustainability, diplomacy and international cooperation” PhD offers a transdisciplinary training and research pathway on strategic topics for contemporary society. The research areas cover themes across the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, environmental), in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda, with particular attention to diplomacy, international cooperation, and vulnerability.
The programme fosters a methodological approach aimed at addressing complexity by integrating multiple perspectives to create a transdisciplinary research environment. Its main goal is to promote research and advanced training, knowledge, and skills capable of analysing, addressing, and managing situations characterised by multiple factors, from an international and sustainable viewpoint, in accordance with the principles of open science.
The programme is consistent with many of the United Nations 2030 Agenda goals, in particular:
The general educational objectives of the programme are:
- to strengthen and further develop the main research areas of the Department of International Human and Social Sciences and the University
- to foster the exchange of scientific experiences, 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 cutting-edge tools for scientific research and to work effectively in both national and international contexts
Upon completion of the doctoral programme, students are expected to be able to:
- master the main genres of academic writing and dissemination related to research, and understand the theoretical approaches and methodologies underpinning the disciplines of both curricula
- employ the analytical tools and empirical research methods specific to their fields in order to address innovative questions arising from the professional world and integrate into international research networks
- apply their knowledge and understanding, particularly regarding the tools required for submitting articles to scientific journals (especially open access and top-tier journals), applying for research funding by presenting projects to scientific committees, and effectively communicating research outcomes to the public
The specific objectives of the “Liberal arts and sciences in Sustainability” curriculum are to train scholars and professionals, in both the public and private sector, capable of operating in contexts that demand complementary approaches and perspectives, in light of the increasing fluidity of traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The specific objectives of the “Diplomacy and International Cooperation” curriculum are to prepare professionals able to navigate complex international environments where traditional political dimensions intersect with the new frontiers of technology and innovation. Another objective is to train scholars equipped to address international relations issues in innovative ways.
The doctoral programme will facilitate access to academic careers in the specific sectors of the two curricula, including through participation in research projects with national and international universities, including those hosted by the University.
This programme is also particularly suitable for scholars interested in pursuing non-academic career paths, including management and representative roles in national, European, and international institutions, positions in environmental, economic, and social policy development, and roles in the implementation of environmental, cooperation, and sustainable development projects.
Additionally, it aims to provide specific skills that can be applied in various sectors of the public administration, business, and the third sector, as well as in different 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 related to national and international public institutions, particularly in the diplomatic service and development cooperation institutions, as well as in ministries/institutions/agencies operating on the international stage
- Internationally oriented companies operating in non-European contexts
- Professional activities in environmental consultancy and reporting, drafting sustainability reports, designing and disseminating best practices related to ecological transition
Curricula
The “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Sustainability” curriculum was established as part of the “Fenice Project – Internationalisation and Local Promotion, 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 2016 earthquakes.
The curriculum’s activities took place during cycles XL and XLI at the Norcia teaching site. As the Fenice Project is coming to an end, from cycle XLII the curriculum's activities will be held in Perugia.
The innovative approach of the curriculum lies in establishing synergy and dialogue between the humanities, social sciences, and the hard sciences, in line with the most advanced programmes offered by leading Italian and international universities.
Within the curriculum, two main lines of education and research are envisaged, which continually interact with each other:
- the area of environmental sustainability, from a technical and engineering perspective
- the area of social and economic sustainability and its narrative and communication, from the standpoint of international social sciences
The curriculum focuses on the following key research areas:
- the study of migration phenomena
- the study of environmental pollution and climate change
- the study of the energy and digital transition, and the green and circular economy
- the study of emergency management, reconstruction, regeneration, and revitalisation of vulnerable territories
All these topics will be addressed from a gender-based, data-driven, and transdisciplinary perspective, articulated through historical, sociological, economic, legal, environmental, and engineering viewpoints.
A common research topic with the other curriculum is the geopolitics of energy and water resources, and international cooperation for crisis management and climate change.
The activation of cycle XLII for the “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Sustainability” curriculum includes:
- a thematically restricted fellowship, funded by ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, entitled “Social Acceptability of Nuclear Power. Next Generation Nuclear Technologies and the Energy Transition: Social Representations, Risk Perceptions, and Public Debate Dynamics”
- two industrial doctoral fellowships, reserved for SOGIN employees, focusing on the theme “Nuclear Energy as a Guarantee System for a Just Energy Transition.” The research will concentrate on the so-called "energy trilemma": energy security (supply), economic equity/accessibility (consumer costs), and environmental sustainability (decarbonisation)
These two collaborations confirm the doctoral programme’s attractiveness for the research and business sectors, addressing topics at the intersection of energy and sustainability with social, economic, and communication aspects, fully reflecting the curriculum’s core spirit.
The “Diplomacy and International Cooperation” track is the result of over a decade of doctoral research experience and is closely linked to the master’s degree programme in International Relations and Development Cooperation (RICS) offered by the University.
This pathway combines research on international actors and policies from a gender-based and data-driven perspective, adopting a transdisciplinary approach, with a focus on emerging actors and the role of science and technology in redefining the international political landscape.
The main research areas of this track include:
- the international role of states, both in Europe and in non-European countries
- challenges of international politics and human security
- analysis of global interdependence phenomena, with particular attention to Africa and Latin America and, more broadly, to South-South dynamics
- in-depth study of international relations between countries, with particular attention to the interaction among political regimes with different social structures and intercultural dialogue
- humanitarian crises; the technological dimension of international relations
A key research theme shared with the other track is the geopolitics of energy and water resources and international cooperation for crisis management and climate change.
The curriculum places strong emphasis on PhD candidates’ integration into international networks and benefits from an international Advisory Board, active since editions XVIII and XXXIX of the former track in Diplomacy and Development Cooperation within the PhD in Linguistic, Philological-Literary and Political-Social Sciences. The curriculum is further enriched by the structured partnership between the University for Foreigners and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as over 400 cooperation agreements currently in place with universities, organizations, and institutes abroad.