Section 1 – Nature and composition
The PhD School in Physics, Astrophysics and Applied Physics (from now on named School) has been instituted according to the Senate’s principles and the regulations issued by the Rector on October 18, 2004.
The School may cooperate with other Universities, Research Institutions, public or private bodies aiming to the development of high quality research activities. It is possible to collaborate with other PhD Schools of the University of Milan or of foreign universities.
Section 2 – Aim and activity
A three years attendance is necessary to get the degree of PhD Doctor. The School aims to a high scientific, technical and professional training of the students that allows their integration in both public and private, Italian and foreign research activities and in particular in the European Community countries. The principal goal of the School is that of screening and training high level researchers whose qualification will be highly appreciated by Universities, Research Institutions and Companies.
This is why the School activity concern teaching courses, seminars, research training allowing the students to join activities carried out in other Universities or national and international Laboratories, or even in private companies. All the students are supervised by a Tutor or a co-tutor.
The School adopts the European Credit System (EC) consisting of 60 credits per year, in principle the same as CFU. At least 45 out of the 180 EC concern training activity as lessons, Summer School attendance, seminars, oral presentations to conferences or workshops, work-in-progress presentations, as well as the personal investigation, related to the above activities.
The teaching activity of the lecturers of the School will be considered as an accomplishment of their teaching tasks, following the procedure of Faculty Committee.
Section 3 – Involved Institutions, resources and location
The School refers to the Department of Physics, the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology and the Institute of General and Applied Physics of the University of Milan. These Institutions promotes the School and are due to grant a financial contribution.
The official seat of the School is at the Department of Physics.
Section 4 – Other partner institutions possible
The School activity can be carried out, following the University instructions, also in cooperation with other universities or public and private companies, with important scientific institutions interested in collaborating and providing financial resources through agreement and partnership. Any financial contribution can grant some fellowships and be used for overhead expenses.
Section 5 – Authority
1. The PhD School Board
This Board supervises the planning and coordination of the School. It is responsible of the planning and organisation of the teaching and training activity of the School. It deliberates on the endowment funds, passes the annual budgets, decide to grant any available fellowships or ask for new fellowships to the University according to the School’s requirements, it deliberates on the expenses that need to be approved, it decides on supervisors, study plans, board of examiners, at the beginning of every years it states the research curricula for the students, it ratifies the Director’s urgent provisions together with the Board.
Besides it approves the Supervisors’ final report and extends the fellowships. The Direction Committee helps the Director to improve all the School’s activities. It may ask the Direction Committee to take care of some matter.
The Board is equitably formed by the representatives of all the research areas of the School, taking also into account the outside cooperative Institutions, by one internal member and, if applicable, by a member of partner-institutions.
The PhD School Board will usually meet at least four times a year. An extraordinary meeting may be held if required by the Director or by one third of the members.
2. The Director
In the first vote the Director is elected by the members of the Board by absolute majority, subsequently by relative majority. The director is appointed by the Rector, he remains in office for three years and cannot be immediately reappointed more than once.
The Director is the official representative of the School in the University, looks after the relations with the University, with the Italian and foreign institutions as well as with the partner institutions, promotes the internationalisation , he carries out the Board’s resolutions concerning the training activity, he supervises the space and equipment of the School, makes up the annual budgets to be passed by the Board and draws up the final report to be submitted to the University authority.
3. The Direction Committee
The Direction Committee is formed by the Director and by five members appointed by the PhD School Board, on behalf of the School’s curricula.
The Committee assists the Director to solve the problems concerning the teaching and training activity of the School and to take care of the matter to be submitted to the Board of Directors. Besides, in some urgent cases, the Committee can decide and submit its decisions to the PhD School Board, except for matter concerning the School structure. The Committee can appoint a Scientific Secretary who will participate in the meetings without voting.
Section 6 – Amendment to the present statutes
Any amendment to the Statutes can be decided by the Senato Accademico according to the PhD School Board proposal, informing the involved institutions.