NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

The institutional enactment of the Italian dottorato di ricerca took place relatively recently, in 1980 ( 1 ). The national law
provides for DR programmes to be set up autonomously — within the framework of a national scheme — by university
consortia or by individual universities whose departments or faculties have proved to be qualified for the purpose, which is
essentially the organisation of high level academic activities of scientific or scholarly investigation specifically designed for
the advanced training in research of young postgraduate students.
The Italian DR — similar, in many respects, to other doctorate models throughout the world — has a few typical
characteristics which deserve to be mentioned: entrance depends on very competitive examinations; the granting of the final
titles is determined by national examining boards composed of suitably qualified university teachers; and the training is full
time and fully subsidized with the allocation of study grants.
The first cycle of DR studies actually started in 1983. In July 1996 ( 2 ), the number of existing DR programmes amounted to
about 1100 involving nearly 3800 postgraduate students in 11 main subject areas: agriculture; architecture; economics;
pharmacy; law; engineering; humanities, modern languages and education; biomedicine; medicine and veterinary science;
natural sciences, physics and mathematics; political science. In their turn, the subject areas include 741 disciplinary sectors
along with 70 sub-sectors.
The minimum legal length of DR studies may vary between three and four years: it is determined in the yearly official
notification of the public competition giving access to the new DR programmes.
As for study organisation, prospective dottori di ricerca are essentially required to elaborate individual research projects and
then carry out all the connected activities so as to produce an innovative thesis, which must make a significant contribution to
scientific knowledge on a worldwide dimension.
DR studies are regularly supervised by specifically appointed teachers of the university faculty or department concerned.
Attendance at and active participation in courses/seminars, specially created for certain DR programmes, may also be
required.
Corsi di perfezionamento — CPS (advanced courses)
Advanced courses ( 1 ) form a particular branch of university studies which deserves to be mentioned separately: actually, in
relation to their specific purpose — the advanced study of specialist subjects — they should be classified as post-Lauream
(postgraduate) courses, but such a definition is not always applicable since, sometimes at least, their basic admission
requirement may be an academic qualification lower than a laurea degree.
First designed to meet the cultural need for in-depth academic study of certain specific fields, CPs often also offer good
opportunities for professional updating or retraining, and for continuing education. They are essentially meant to satisfy local
requirements.
According to Article 16 of Presidential Decree of 10 March 1982, No 162, which provides for CPs’ reorganisation, an
advanced course is established by decree of the university Rector on the proposal of the
faculty concerned, subject to the approval of the university board of
directors.
It is the responsibility of the faculty council to lay down criteria for admission requirements, course length and organisation,
class attendance, and so on. CPs maximum length, however, should not exceed one year.