The PhD course offers a competitive international training and research path. The objective is to create a stimulating environment for highly motivated students and in possess of an adequate potential to undertake subsequent research activities both in the academic field and in national and international research institutions.
Objectives include:
a) Attracting Italian and foreign students motivated to carry out advanced research activities.
b) Providing adequate theoretical and empirical skills in order to carry out research activities of high qualitative profile from an international point of view.
c) Developing the capability to conduct research activities individually and/or within international research groups.
 
Linguistics
Lectures and seminars will be held in English. In addition, PhD students are required to prepare their final thesis in English.
Knowledge of the English language of PhD students will be verified during the admission exam.
 
Information Technology
The doctoral program involves the use of computer labs and econometric software packages, data processing and calculations for the drafting of both empirical and theoretical articles. In this regard, further courses will be prepared for learning software packages such as STATA and GRETL. The computer labs will also be used for frontal teaching activities.
 
Research management knowledge of research and of the funding systems
Stages on topics and procedures concerning grants coming from the European Research Council or other funding sources such as international philanthropic foundations and other public and private entities will be arranged.
 
Exploitation of research results and intellectual property
The PhD course encourages the participation of students to congress and seminars for the dissemination of their research results. Furthermore, PhD students will be invited to submit their scientific works to both national and international specialized journals.
 
Research training
 
Research training offering is articulated in ECTS, distributed over the 3-year period of the course (60 ECTS for each individual year).
The training activity involves the acquisition of 53 ECTS obtained by attending specific cycles of lessons offered by the University of Messina and the University of Catania dedicated to PhD students. The remaining number of training credits (7 ECTS) in the first year are achieved by attending lessons and in-depth seminars in the subject areas (SSD) of the individual curriculum.
In the second year, 20 ECTS are obtained by attending in-depth seminars in the various disciplinary areas (SSD), organized by the University of Messina and the University of Catania; the remaining number of training credits (40 ECTS) is attributed by the PhD faculty to the activities connected with the specific research of the individual doctoral students, including participation in congresses, seminars, etc.
In the third year, 10 ECTS are obtained by attending in-depth seminars in the disciplinary areas (SSD), organized by the Universities of Messina and Catania; the remaining number of training credits (50 ECTS) is attributed by the PhD faculty to the activities connected with the specific research of individual doctoral students, including participation in conferences, seminars, etc.