International School of Advanced Studies

SUPERVISORS & COORDINATORS

01

School of Advanced Studies and SAS Council

The School of Advanced Studies coordinates doctoral education at UNICAM, promotes interdisciplinary and international activities and supports the quality and common organization of the PhD programmes.

The SAS Council includes the Director, Deputy Director, Programme Coordinators, Heads of curricula and PhD candidate representatives. It adopts or confirms the decisions reserved to it by the University and SAS regulations.

02

Faculty Board

Referred to as the Academic Board in the English version of the University Regulations.

The Faculty Board is the main collegial body responsible for the scientific and educational management of the PhD programme and for monitoring each candidate's research and training pathway.

Its responsibilities include:
• organizing training activities and defining curricula;
• assigning the Supervisor and one or more co-supervisors;
• approving individual research and training activities;
• authorizing mobility, internships, teaching and compatible working activities;
• evaluating annual progress and admission to the following year;
• deciding on admission to thesis review;
• identifying thesis reviewers and proposing the final examination committee.

03

PhD Programme Coordinator

The Coordinator is responsible for the planning and organization of the educational, scientific and administrative activities of the programme.

The Coordinator:
• convenes and chairs Faculty Board meetings;
• implements the Board's decisions;
• coordinates and monitors training and research activities;
• supports the monitoring of each candidate's progress;
• liaises with the competent administrative offices;
• manages programme requirements and urgent matters;
• contributes to programme review and quality assurance.

04

Supervisor and co-supervisors

The Supervisor is the candidate's primary scientific reference and supports the development of the research project, training pathway and professional skills.

The Supervisor normally:
• assists in defining the individual research and training plan;
• monitors research progress and scientific quality;
• discusses annual activities and reports with the candidate;
• verifies the scientific relevance of mobility, missions and expenditure requests;
• supports requests requiring Faculty Board approval;
• identifies potential confidentiality or intellectual-property issues;
• collaborates with co-supervisors and partner institutions.

05

SAS Office and administrative structures

The SAS Office supports PhD programmes and candidates in the administrative implementation of decisions concerning careers, scholarships, mobility, thesis review, final examinations and official documentation.

Administrative offices verify the documentation and carry out the procedures falling within their competence. They do not replace the prior academic approval of the Supervisor, Coordinator, Faculty Board or SAS Council when that approval is required.

06

General approval workflow

The appropriate approval path depends on the type of request and on the rules applicable to the candidate's cycle, scholarship or funded position.

As a general sequence:
1. the PhD candidate discusses the activity with the Supervisor;
2. the request is submitted through the Coordinator to the Faculty Board;
3. the Faculty Board adopts the academic decision;
4. the SAS Council approves or ratifies the decision where required;
5. the competent office implements and records the authorized procedure.

The specific regulation, form or procedural instruction always prevails over this general sequence.

07

Career decisions and prior authorizations

Annual progression, suspensions, extensions, teaching, tutoring, external research, simultaneous enrolment and paid working activities require the involvement of the competent academic bodies.

Requests must be submitted before the activity begins. An informal agreement or retrospective communication does not replace a formal authorization when one is required.

08

Mobility, missions and research funding

The Supervisor verifies the scientific consistency of the activity with the research project. The Coordinator and Faculty Board provide the academic authorization required by the applicable rules.

The candidate must then complete the scholarship-increase, mission, advance, reimbursement or research-budget procedure through the competent administrative channels.

09

Thesis review and final examination

The Faculty Board evaluates the candidate's final activities and decides on admission to thesis review. After consulting the Supervisor and co-supervisors, it identifies at least two qualified thesis reviewers.

The Faculty Board also proposes the members of the final examination committee. The competent SAS authority completes the formal appointment and the SAS Office organizes the administrative procedure and official communications.

10

Responsibilities of the PhD candidate

The candidate remains responsible for complying with deadlines, attending required activities, maintaining the institutional profile and submitting complete requests and annual reports in due time.

The candidate must:
• maintain regular contact with the Supervisor;
• request approval before undertaking activities that require authorization;
• provide accurate and complete documentation;
• monitor institutional email and official communications;
• comply with research, safety, confidentiality and funding obligations;
• report promptly any circumstance affecting the doctoral career.

OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE

Academic approval must precede administrative implementation

Supervisors and Coordinators should ensure that requests are complete, scientifically justified and submitted to the correct body before the activity begins or the administrative office is asked to proceed.

Uncertain about the competent body or procedure?

Contact the SAS Office before adopting or communicating a decision when the required approval level, documentation or procedural sequence is unclear.