PhD in Advanced-Systems Engineering
Bolzano, Italy
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
29 Apr 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
01 Nov 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 200 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* 29th April 2025 (12:00 - noon)
** 200 € for the first academic year
Key Summary
Introduction
This international PhD program trains a new generation of researchers who focus on Mechanical and Manufacturing Systems, Automation and Electronic Systems and Computer Systems to carry out independent research in the areas of Advanced-Systems Engineering and to give them the opportunity to transfer and exchange knowledge with national and international research centers and industries.
The three-year PhD programme focuses on the study and development of advanced and intelligent systems through an interdisciplinary approach that responds to recent technological developments (e.g., Cyber-Physical-Systems, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things) by integrating the disciplines of mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, information engineering and computer science. They are supported by specific skills in mathematics and artificial intelligence.
PhD student projects pertain to the following research areas, which are actively pursued by research groups at unibz on a long-term basis, and are considered in the PhD on Advanced-Systems Engineering:
Mechanical-and-Manufacturing-Systems Engineering
- Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems
- Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
- Mechanical Engineering Design and Optimization
- Production Systems and Management
- Smart Factory
Automation and-Electronic-Systems Engineering
- Autonomous systems
- Humanin-the-loop systems
- Thinfilm devices and sensors
- Flexible and wearable electronics, smart textiles
- Micro and nano technology
- Soft biocompatible sensor systems
- Robotic Systems
- Automatic Control
- Intelligent Sensor/Actor Networks
Computer Systems Engineering
- Systems of Systems
- Complex Networks
- Distributed Systems and Security
- SelfAdaptive Software Systems
- Development and Operation of IoT Systems
- Operations Research
The main features of the PhD are an interdisciplinary scientific approach and the participation of internationally renowned scientists on the Scientific Committee.
Admissions
Curriculum
The PhD covers the research areas of Advanced-Systems Engineering and offers you a stimulating, multilingual environment with fellow researchers from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be required to design a research project and write a study plan in collaboration with your supervisor, including the purpose of your project and the steps necessary to implement it. You will conduct a thorough literature survey, which includes a summary and analysis of the state-of-the-art of your research topic. Occasionally, you will be required to update the study plan in consideration of the progression of your work and the latest developments in your research field.
Your stay for at least three (and up to twelve) months at a foreign research center is mandatory. You will be required to publish at least one article in an international peer-reviewed journal and present your results at least at one international conference. During the three-year program, you will also be required to regularly attend classes and seminars, specifically designed for PhD students.
The stages of the Ph.D.
The Ph.D. research activities are organized into five phases:
- Phase 1 (first 2 months): you shall identify your research topic and develop a study plan;
- Phase 2 (2nd -6th month): After an exhaustive review of the literature concerning your subject area, you shall define your research program based on the state of the art of your research topic;
- Phase 3 (6th -12th month): you will start/continue your work applying the approach defined for your project;
- Phase 4 (12th -24th month): you will continue your research, you will plan your stay abroad, and you will be expected to begin preparing the manuscript(s) for publication in peer-reviewed journals;
- Phase 5 (24th-36th month): During the final stage you will complete your research project, the publication of your manuscript(s), and your dissertation.
Semester 1
Materials and sensors for Food Engineering and Biotechnologies
Semester 1
Flexible Electronics: From Materials to Systems and Applications
Semester 1
Advanced Scientific English
Semester 1
Theory of Scientific Method
Semester 1
Systems Engineering For The Design Of Cyber-Physical Systems
Semester 2
Modelling Methods for Applied Physics
Semester 2
Modeling and Simulation of Multibody Systems with Multiphysics Coupling
Semester 1-2
State-of-the-art report
Semester 1-2
Final year seminar - 2nd year
Semester 1-2
Other Mandatory Activities - 2nd year
Semester 1-2
Other mandatory activities
Semester 1-2
Other Mandatory Activities - 3rd year
Semester 1-2
Research stay abroad
Semester 1-2
Publication
Semester 1-2
Final year seminar - 1st year
Semester 1-2
Final year seminar - 3rd year
Study Abroad
During the three years of the Ph.D. program, you will be required to commit to your research project full-time. Your stay at a renowned foreign research center for at least 3 months (up to 12) is compulsory. This will be an opportunity to diversify your study experience, by conducting research in highly stimulating and competitive contexts, exchanging ideas with other researchers, and, thereby, networking with international colleagues.