Gran Sasso Science Institute
PhD Programme 'Urban Studies'
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

L'Aquila, Italy
APPLICATION DEADLINE | 22.06.2014 6:00 pm (Italian time zone)
GSSI | Gran Sasso Science Institute
Sant'Anaa | Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa

The Ph.D. in Urban Studies will focus on the study of the trajectories of long-term development of local systems and, in particular, the urban systems - cities, metropolitan areas and regions. The methodological perspective in research and teaching is trans-disciplinary: offering resources and an appropriate relational context. The PhD degree will be issued by the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa, with the mention of the course of study completed at GSSI. The programme will be held at the GSSI in Aquila, Italy.

PhD 'URBAN STUDIES' OVERVIEW

The doctoral programme in Urban Studies focuses on the interdisciplinary analysis of the long-term structural changes of European cities. The planned learning path aims at building a sound and broad theoretical and methodological knowledge, yet the doctoral programme in ‘Urban Studies’ at the GSSI is policy-oriented. Students will be trained to conduct high-level applied research and to be earnestly involved in the policy-making process so as in preparation of complex policy reports.

Committed and regular attendance will be required to students of the doctoral programme.The teaching activity will consist of a number of ‘master classes’ and short-courses on epistemological, methodological and theoretical issues relevant in the understanding of cities development trajectories. As an important part of the planned learning process, students will be asked to read, and to discuss in the context of the class, a number of key books in the field of urban studies. Training courses, imparted to the whole class or tailored on the needs of specific groups of students, will make students acquire the required skills to use appropriate research tools in the field of urban studies.

As an important step in the learning process, field studies will be also conducted by the class, which will act as a “research team” under the supervision of the GSSI research fellows. A key feature of this doctoral programme is to make students acquire solid epistemological and methodological bases. Lectures and seminars will be offered focusing on the history and methods of scientific research. According to what is required to develop their own research projects, students will be strongly encouraged to attend courses and perform research activities in other universities or research centres (not longer than one term per year).

INFORMATIONS
please see attached documents for detailed information

PhD program Coordinator
• Prof. Antonio Calafati

Duration
• 3 years, full-time

Start of program
• Classes start on November 1st 2014

Language
• Courses and seminars will be held in English

Places / Scholarships
• 10 positions
• GSSI awards scholarships for 3 years. The yearly amount of the scholarship is of € 16.159,91 gross (an additional 50% on monthly basis may be awarded for research period aboard if approved but the GSSI, for up to 9 months)

Facilities and benefits
• All Ph.D. students will have tuition fees waived
• All Ph.D. students will have free accommodation
• All Ph.D. students will have free luncheon vouchers
• All Ph.D. students will be covered by insurance against any accident and/or injury that may occur while carrying out their Ph.D. activities.

Requirements
Applications are open to candidates who meet the below requirements without regard to nationality, age, gender or religion.
• English knowledge is compulsory
• The candidate must have completed and obtained a degree equivalent to at least 4 years of university studies

Application
Applicants must fill out the online application form at www.gssi.infn.it/phd/ and attach the required documents (among them: Curriculum Vitae, Master Thesis in the original language, a summary of the Master Thesis in English by June 22 2014, 6:00 pm (Italian time).
Shortlisted candidates will be published on July 7 2014, interviews will be held between 9 and 25 July 2014.

Committee
• Giovanni Barbieri | ISTAT
• Nicola Bellini | Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa
• Antonio Calafati | Chair, GSSI
• Francesco Chiodelli | GSSI
• Marco Cremaschi | University of Roma Tre, Roma
• Ugo Rossi | University of Torino
• Giuseppe Scandurra | University of Ferrara
• Gilberto Seravalli | formerly University of Parma