Ph.D. students of all cycles can engage in research activities of different sorts (e.g., research projects, third mission activities, public talks, and involvement in institutional reports and business case studies) that involve and/or are organized by their supervisors, other DiSA faculty members, scholars from other universities, or practitioners (e.g., companies, third-sector organizations, local authorities, policymakers).
The Ph.D. programme encourages proactive engagement in research activities involving practitioners and scholars in different ways, for instance through:
- Academic "Speed dates": each year (around March), Ph.D. students are asked to "nominate" up to 5 DiSA faculty members to be involved in one-to-one, 15-minute online meetings where Ph.D. students can discuss potential research ideas and future collaborations and involve faculty members in their Ph.D. board
- Involvement in international research projects: Ph.D. students have the opportunity to get involved and conduct research activities within one or more of the many International (e.g., EU-based) research projects conducted by DiSA faculty members
- Business case studies published by the Bologna Business School: as a way of engaging with practitioners, Ph.D. students also have the opportunity to collaborate with companies and work alongside their supervisors in the crafting of business case studies published by the Bologna Business School
- Participation in academic conferences: Ph.D. students are encouraged to participate in academic conferences that align with their research interests while working on their thesis. Upon approval of the Ph.D. coordinator, a dedicated budget can be allocated by Ph.D. students to cover expenses related to conference participation