With a focus on innovation and cutting-edge research, our PhD programme:

1. is rooted in the tradition of European PhD programmes; it encourages both positivistic and constructivist research and it provides knowledge, methodologies  and tools to apply both approaches;
2. is particularly sensitive to the rigour-relevance gap; so, it encourages studies that provide both a rigorous theoretical contribution to extant research and meaningful and evidence-based implications for the managerial community, policymakers and the socio-economic system as a whole;
3. is designed to integrate research and teaching abilities, by developing the skills required to both carry out a research project and to communicate its results to a wider community, including undergraduate and graduate students.

To achieve its goals, our PhD programme is organised into three tracks:

1. a track in Management Studies, with face-to-face courses;
2. a track in Innovation Studies, with face-to-face courses;
3. a track in Management Studies reserved for teachers and researchers working in African universities, with online courses. During the application process, prospective doctoral students are asked to specify which track they are applying to.

Courses are taught in English by experts in their respective fields. Most coursework is completed by the end of the first year.

During the first year, moreover, doctoral students are assigned to one or more supervisors who share the students’ research interests and can guide them in the preparation of their dissertations. The dissertation is generally composed of three published or publishable papers.

Doctoral students are also expected to be involved in the activities of the University’s research centres, to attend the seminar series offered by the University’s departments, to participate in the main international conferences for their fields of study, and to start presenting their own work. Participation in research activities, seminar series, and international conferences is also intended to provide doctoral students with the opportunity to meet outstanding scholars and start creating connections.

To further enrich the doctoral experience, the program also offers students the opportunity to visit top-quality international universities to work on their dissertations and strengthen their skills and connections. This international exposure provides a valuable experience for doctoral students to learn about different cultures, languages, and research environments.