Why fund a PhD?

The Doctoral School of Politecnico di Milano offers the possibility of activating PhD programs in collaboration with companies and external entities.

These pathways allow candidates to receive appropriate training aimed at the complex world of work, offering a series of educational activities designed to strengthen the doctoral students' curricula, whose participation adds undeniable value to their careers.

During their journey, the doctoral student will indeed develop various skills, including:

• engineering thinking;
• creativity;
• ability to communicate effectively and efficiently in various contexts (academic, scientific, professional), both national and international;
• problem-solving in a short timeframe;
• acquisition of information from various sources;
• leadership and balance in teamwork.

A PhD holder, therefore, represents a decisive added value compared to a master's graduate, especially for all those companies that consider innovation and progress as two fundamental and essential points for high-quality operations. For this reason, it is of great importance to invest in young doctoral students, who are able to provide the company/entity with high scientific and methodological qualifications, ensuring a return in terms of knowledge advancement and technological transformation.

Industrial PhD

Politecnico di Milano provides three different types of Industrial PhDs, which can be chosen by companies based on their characteristics and current and future professional needs. 

1. PhD Executive
   This type of PhD is dedicated to employees of a company/entity who decide to embark on a doctoral path. This program is carried out in co-supervision with the company or entity where the doctoral student is already employed. The Executive program usually lasts one year longer than other PhDs.
2. Higher Apprenticeship
   The Higher Apprenticeship contract follows the procedures established for the Executive PhD. The program is aimed at recent graduates who, in addition to being under thirty years of age, are hired under an apprenticeship contract by companies or external entities and join the company while completing their doctoral research program. In this case, the duration of the contract will coincide with that of the cycle of studies.
3. Agreement with Companies
   In the event that a company/entity is willing to fund a scholarship (minimum required funding amount: €66,000.00), an agreement is stipulated between the company or entity and the Department that will host the winning doctoral candidate. The funded scholarship can be put up for tender at three different times during the year.

Tax credits are also provided for companies or entities that fund this type of scholarship. 

Click here for further details. 

Funding

For the PhD Executive and Higher Apprenticeship contract it is the individual Doctoral Boards that determine, within the University organization, the contribution of companies or external entities. In reference to the agreement, however, the relative cost will be indicated by the Department to which the scholarship is linked.