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Course objectives

The doctoral program aims to equip graduates with the necessary skills and competencies for pursuing research and teaching careers, as well as professional roles in leading public, private and non-profit organizations where human rights management, social sustainability and inclusion are key factors. Specifically, the selection process and training activities (collective and individual) are designed to enable graduates to compete for high-level positions as legal officers, research and development staff, specialized field officers in intergovernmental organizations, public institutions and private entities.

They will advise on implementing complex human rights programs in areas like education, communication, cultural mediation and social planning within human development, security and social cohesion strategies. Innovative teaching methodologies are employed, combining traditional research methods with a relationship-based approach to develop interpersonal skills, especially in culturally and socially diverse environments.

The program pursues mobility and internationalization objectives through faculty/student exchanges, joint degrees with foreign universities.

Educational activities

At the end of the programme, PhD students have to acquire 180 CFU/ECTS, comprising mandatory teaching activities (no less than 12 CFU/ECTS) and other Related and Supplementary Activities (no less than 10 CFU/ECTS).

By the end of the PhD course, students must have successfully completed a minimum of 60 hours of mandatory teaching activities. Additionally, PhD students have to attend extra classes relevant to their research project, subject to agreement with their supervisors. These activities, including lectures, seminars, and classes, are integral components of the PhD experience, alongside conducting individual and supervised research, drafting the final dissertation, publishing in academic journals, and actively engaging within the doctorate’s international community and civil society.

Moreover, PhD students partecipate in all the Human Rights Centre’s activities that are accessible on the Conferences and Seminars page.

The Phd Programme is involved in the organisation of the annual international human rights research conference, coordinated by the Human Rights Centre “Antonio Papisca” and the UNESCO Chair "Human Rights, Democracy and Peace".

Research areas

The scientific design of the doctoral programme is characterized by its multi- and inter-disciplinarity. Law, politics, economics and sociology are the main disciplines involved. Both theoretical perspectives and practical analyses will be given relevance in the overall approach.

Research will delve into the areas of human rights concern and will critically assess the effectiveness and consistency of doctrines and practices as well as their impact. Accordingly, the focus is on the global dimension (i.e. the UN and UN family legal frameworks, institutions, policies and practices); the European regional context and its global impact, as well as other regional systems; the national governance structures (possibly with a comparative approach); the local community actors and dynamics (i.e. cities, regions, transboundary territories).

From an psychological and developmental perspective, the research lines, concern how to construct ways to think of the future as life design, decent work, and growth; how contextual barriers, often not very evident, stifle thought, reflection, and future design; attention to approaches and dimensions that shed light on the traps between persons and their rights, to release new energies and promote the construction of inclusive and sustainable projects for the future. Another specific research line will address palliative care and quality of life.

Professional profile

Students will be trained in case-analysis, project setting and problem-solving. They will acquire research skills and analytical competences to address the socio-political challenges posed by the processes of implementation and contextualization of human rights standards and policies.

Doctoral graduates will possess the competence and the skills required for a research and teaching career in Academia, and for research positions in public and private organization. The doctoral degree allows graduates to compete for high-level positions in public and private institutions, including intergovernmental organizations, and to perform operative functions as legal officers, project managers, research and development staff as well as specialized field officers. They will have the skills to advise and assist public and private bodies in implementing complex human rights programmes in areas such as education, communication, cultural mediation, social planning, etc. in the framework of human development, human security and social cohesion strategies

  Curriculum

• Human Rights Protection and Social Justice
• Inclusion and Psychological growth

  Other information

• Calls and Admissions
• Administrative information
• The International PhD guide