PHD Executive

The PhD School of Politecnico di Milano has established the possibility of activating joint PhD programmes with companies and external organizations (Executive PhD). A research plan must be agreed in advance with a faculty member of the Politecnico, who will act as the PhD supervisor.

Interested companies may contact the Director of the PhD School for preliminary information, or the Coordinators of the PhD programmes, or, preferably, directly the faculty members with whom they intend to establish a research collaboration.

For more information, please visit the University webpage at this link.

The Executive PhD candidate is supported in framing the doctoral path within the company’s vision and its operational dynamics. This approach helps ensure the quality of research training linked to the candidate’s professional growth, while also fostering effective collaboration, interaction, and integration between the university research group and the development and innovation goals of the company or external organization employing the candidate.

At the same time, the employee benefits from a valuable opportunity for education and professional development, while maintaining their job position and salary — strengthening their bond with the company. Finally, through the higher education contract, companies are given the opportunity to recruit, train in research, and retain highly talented young professionals.

• The company, interested in submitting the doctoral application for its employee, must contact the coordinator of the PhD programme involved, in order to determine if the PhD training offered is suitable for both the potential PhD candidate and the company or external entity, considering the objectives of both parties.
• "Executive" Applicants admitted to the doctoral path must enrol "without scholarship", and may start their PhD career in February, May or November.
• Before the start of the doctoral programme, the PhD candidate and the companies involved agree on the details of the project in co-supervision, which specifies the areas of research, how the research will be carried out and the scheduled planning of the training and research path. For some PhD programmes a contribution is expected to be made to the Department which will supervise the research activity and the contribution will cover the incurred costs. A formal agreement will be signed between the Politecnico di Milano and the company.
• In order to achieve the title of Doctor of Philosophy at the end of the PhD path, the candidate must fulfill all the training requirements required for this path.
• For protection of confidential data and information, a proper "non disclosure" agreement will be signed.