PhD Course "Design Cultures: Creativity, Heritage, Environment"

The course trains specialists in researches on the topics of architectural design, which today throughout Europe increasingly requires an interdisciplinary perspective. This includes activities of design, management, control and conservation of the built and natural environment, as well as activities related to production and industrial design. These skills intersect with each other and dynamically relate to other scientific disciplines and the humanities. The architectural design arises from this interaction. This approach is now integrated with the themes of environmental sustainability and risk management of cultural heritage, to offer a wide range of cultural and operational specializations to PhD students.

The training offer is divided in three curricula, to be understood as broad thematic areas not strictly delimited, which therefore allow exchanges and insights to be left to the individual research proposals.

The three curricula are:

• Architectural and urban design;
• Architecture and Design Technology;
• Built cultural heritage.

The envisaged activity favors collaborations with research institutions and foreign universities: thus, where possible, doctoral students are enabled to obtain both an Italian and foreign qualification (in co-supervision) and any additional certification of Doctor Europaeus or International Doctorate.

The PhD student will have to carry out a full-time, individual research during the three-year period, under the supervision of the tutor and any co-tutors.

Public employees and employees of companies can havespecific arrangements, as required by the current Chieti-Pescara University Regulations. It is possible to carry out other kind of free activities, subject to the authorization of the PhD Board. PhD students are invited to spend a period of study abroad by agreeing on the location with the PhD Board. An annual verification of the completion of the activities carried out is foreseen.

The research activities are divided into an initial training course (first year) which includes a cycle of seminars and conferences scheduled at the beginning of the year, aimed at all doctoral students regardless of the specific curriculum. The topics covered are inherent to the disciplines represented in the PhD Board and aim to provide the PhD students with methods, suggestions and theoretical guidelines for the implementation of the research project. Attendance is mandatory and the related checks are the responsibility of the coordinator. The free activities of the PhD student are subject to approval by the PhD Board: the validation is up to the tutors, who must certify the congruence with the research programme.

In the second year, specific training activities are provided for the individual curricula, without prejudice to the possibility of interaction and sharing, with specialist seminars entrusted to internal teachers or to other Italian or foreign universities. In the second year, training activities also take place at companies and research institutions, in the case of industrial doctorates, or training experiences at Italian or foreign universities, subject to authorization by the PhD Board. The third year is dedicated to the research topic and writing the thesis, with timely checks by the PhD Board and tutors.

Pursuant to the current University Regulations, doctoral students can carry out tutoring activities, or supplementary teaching activities, within the University, within the maximum limit of forty hours per academic year, without this involving any increase in the scholarship . These activities must form an integral part of the research, and are subject to the authorization of the Academic Board.

The PhD course in "Design cultures: creativity, heritage, environment" offers a specialized preparation aimed at updating and developing both the executives of companies related to the themes of the project and design, and officials and managers in the public administration (Regions, Provinces, Municipalities, Superintendencies, etc.). Another main goal of the course is aimed to those who are going to continue their academic career in Italy and abroad, but also for professionals and experts called upon to work with high-level skills in the scientific sectors involved. The PhD course aims to build a field of research and theoretical reflection to support the architectural project in its broadest sense and intended as a fundamental component of cognitive strategies. The priority training objectives are: the acquisition of the most innovative analytical techniques; reflection on theoretical tools, always from an international perspective; comparison with the historical evolution of the various disciplines involved; experimentation in a series of relevant case studies, also in the quality of the built heritage.