International School of Advanced Studies

SUPERVISORS & COORDINATORS

IMPORTANT

Do not apply the same rule automatically to every candidate

The applicable procedure may depend on the PhD cycle, programme, scholarship, research project, host institution and any national, international or funding agreement governing the position.

01

Identify the regulation applicable to the PhD cycle

Before processing a request, identify the candidate's admission cycle and consult the corresponding version of the UNICAM PhD Regulations.

The current Regulations apply to programmes activated from Cycle XLI, while previous cycles remain governed by the regulations applicable when those programmes were activated, unless subsequent provisions expressly apply.

02

General regulations and position-specific conditions

The general UNICAM Regulations must be read together with the call for applications, topic description, funding measure and any agreement involving partner institutions or host organizations.

Specific provisions may concern research activities, mobility, reporting, employment, intellectual property, use of logos, project deadlines or the place where the doctoral activity must be carried out.

03

Career requests and Faculty Board approval

Requests affecting the research or training pathway should be discussed with the Supervisor and submitted to the Coordinator and Faculty Board using the applicable form or supporting documentation.

The request should clearly identify the candidate, cycle, curriculum, activity, period concerned, reasons, expected outcome and any financial or administrative consequences.

04

Mobility, scholarship increase and missions

Academic approval of a research period abroad must be coordinated with the procedures governing the scholarship increase, mission authorization, insurance coverage and reimbursement of expenses.

Updated documentation is required whenever the authorized dates, destination, host institution or scientific activity change.

05

Research budget, purchases and reimbursements

The candidate should agree on a spending plan with the Supervisor and Coordinator. The Coordinator verifies consistency with the research project and authorizes the use of the relevant budget.

The competent office must then be contacted in time to activate the mission, purchasing, registration or reimbursement procedure. An academic authorization alone does not permit the candidate to purchase goods or services directly.

06

Working, teaching and simultaneous enrolment

Paid work, tutoring, supplementary teaching and simultaneous enrolment in another university programme must be evaluated before the activity or enrolment begins.

The documentation should allow the Faculty Board to assess workload, duration, remuneration, relevance and compatibility with the candidate's full-time doctoral commitment and scholarship conditions.

07

Suspensions, extensions, withdrawal and forfeiture

Requests affecting the duration or continuation of the doctoral career require a formal decision and may also affect scholarship payments, research deadlines and obligations connected with the funding source.

The decision and supporting documentation must be transmitted promptly so that the candidate's legal, academic and financial position can be correctly updated.

08

Thesis review, evaluators and final committee

Before the Faculty Board meeting, verify completion of the candidate's career, availability of the thesis, eligibility and independence of the proposed evaluators and compliance of the proposed final committee.

The complete decision and supporting information must be transmitted in time for administrative checks, formal appointments and official notice of the examination.

09

Formulation and recording of decisions

Faculty Board minutes should contain enough information to identify the candidate, request, documentation examined, applicable rule, decision adopted and any conditions, deadlines or financial consequences.

Avoid generic wording such as “approved” when the office needs dates, duration, destination, type of activity, funding source or other details to implement the decision correctly.

10

Documentation to be transmitted

Depending on the procedure, the competent office may require:

• the candidate's signed request;
• the Supervisor's assessment or declaration;
• the Faculty Board decision or extract from the minutes;
• supporting certificates, invitations or agreements;
• dates, workload, remuneration or estimated expenditure;
• information on the funding source and cost centre;
• identity, contact and institutional details of external persons;
• any further document required by the applicable regulation.

11

Deadlines and preliminary checks

Coordinators should collect requests sufficiently in advance of the Faculty Board meeting and verify that the documentation is complete before including the matter on the agenda.

Decisions affecting scholarships, missions, annual progression, suspension or final examination must be transmitted in time for the offices to complete the necessary legal, accounting and administrative steps.

12

Online portals and services

Some procedures require both an academic decision and a subsequent action by the candidate through a dedicated online portal.

13

Academic decisions and administrative responsibilities

The Supervisor assesses scientific consistency, the Coordinator organizes the procedure, the Faculty Board adopts the academic decision and the competent administrative office verifies and implements the authorized action.

Administrative offices cannot replace an academic decision required by the Regulations. Academic bodies should not, in turn, commit expenditure or confirm administrative eligibility without the necessary office checks.

14

Requesting administrative support

When requesting support, provide enough information to identify the applicable procedure without requiring repeated exchanges.

Include, where relevant:
• candidate's name, cycle, programme and curriculum;
• scholarship or research-topic code;
• concise description of the issue;
• proposed dates or deadline;
• applicable funding source or agreement;
• supporting documents already available;
• date of the Faculty Board meeting, where applicable.

OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE

Regulation, decision, form and administrative procedure must remain aligned

Before communicating an authorization to the candidate, verify that the competent body has adopted a sufficiently detailed decision and that all subsequent administrative steps can actually be completed.