Joint supervision programs (cotutele) are joint paths specifically tailored to each student based on a personalized agreement (convenzione) drafted by the “Admissions and PhD Careers Unit” in collaboration with the corresponding office at the partner University.
PhD students from the University of Pisa and foreign universities can pursue their doctorate under joint supervision for the completion of their thesis, under the joint supervision of a minimum of two professors/researchers, at least one from each university. The PhD student must already be regularly enrolled in a PhD program at one of the two partnering universities, in accordance with the relevant current legislation.
To undertake a joint PhD program, a convention is required, signed by the two partner universities and, for acceptance, by the PhD student. This agreement must refer to a single PhD student and specify the conditions agreed upon between the two universities for carrying out the thesis activities and issuing the final qualification.
The request for activation, which must be submitted by filling out the dedicated form (available at the following link: https://dottorato.unipi.it/index.php/it/docenti/item/289.html ) must be proposed by the Pisa-based supervisor to the Course Coordinator. The Coordinator then submits the request to the PhD Supervisory Board (Collegio) (or acts independently in urgent cases). Subsequently, the Coordinator will ensure that the activation request and the resolution/authorisation measure are transmitted to the “Admissions and PhD Careers Unit”.
Regarding timelines, there is a limit referred to in Art. 25, paragraph 2 of the University Regulation on Research Doctorates, which stipulates that: "The PhD student cannot enter a joint supervision agreement during the final year of the program."