PhD program in
Management of Digital Transformation (MDT)
About
the program
The PhD program in Management of Digital Transformation
The digital transformation implies profound and highly complex changes of a technological, organisational, managerial and economic nature in all sectors of society. It is crucial for the modernization of all sectors of the Public Administration and for increasing the competitiveness of the enterprises, especially SMEs which constitute the beating heart of the Italian economy. The ability to govern these changes is essential to exploit the opportunities made available by digital innovation by mastering the potential associated risks.
The objective of the PhD program in MDT is to train a new executive class to respond to the need for managing digital transformation processes, drawing inspiration from and responding to the needs of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to bring together companies and research institutions. In this context, the doctoral scholarships offered are all related to a training and research project proposed by the company or institution that co-funds the position.
MDT proposes an interdisciplinary training program dedicated to the themes of digital transformation addressed from a cultural, economic, social, engineering, IT, legal, managerial, neuroscientific and psychological point of view, to face the challenges of digital transformation in the following four major areas:
Digital transformation for Industry 4.0
Digital transformation for new business models
Digital transformation for the management of human resources
Digital transformation for Public Administration and Cultural Heritage
Research projects
Below is the list of the research projects co-funded by companies :
Digital twin technologies for materials and manufacturing processes of the footwear industry in cooperation with Tacchificio Villa Cortese
From niche to scale: strategic and operational dynamics in high-tech manufacturing firms in cooperation with Sigma Ingegneria
Numerical methods for fluid dynamic simulations in glass furnaces in cooperation with Stara Glass
Advanced big data analytics based on machine learning for the ceramics and glass industry in cooperation with Colorobbia Holding
From donation to drug: strategic, operational, efficiency and implementation dynamics in bio-pharmaceutical industries with high-impact on the availability of drugs for rare diseases in cooperation with Kedrion Biopharma
Additional projects can be added to the open call or with new calls, provided that the recruitment is finalized by the end of 2024. The Selection Committee will identify the research projects that best suit the skills and interests of the admitted candidates.
Scholarships, funding and benefits
Different doctoral scholarships, all focusing on projects relevant to digital transformation, will be available, depending on the funding source:
funded by the MUR as part of the "Economic and Digital Resilience" project of the Department of Excellence 2023-27 of the IMT School
co-funded by enterprises and by the Italian Ministry of University of Research through the PNRR schemes
co-funded by other regional, national or international projects
All students enrolled in the PhD program receive a scholarship of about €1,350/month, which includes pension contributions and results in a net salary of about €1,200/month for 3 years. As an exclusive additional benefit, students are offered free on-campus serviced housing and full board at the IMT canteen, worth an equivalent of about €800/month. Furthermore, they are given a research budget of about €4,000 to attend international academic conferences, summer and winter schools, and other similar events. During visiting periods abroad, the scholarship is increased by 50%, possibly receiving further support by the IMT School comparable to the Erasmus+ funds.
Industrial/institutional internships and visiting periods abroad
For doctoral scholarships supported by PNRR funds, the doctoral student is required to carry out research activities at the company for a minimum period of 6 months to a maximum of 18 months, even non-continuous, over the three-year period. Visiting periods abroad are mandatory, even non-continuous, from a minimum of 6 months up to 12 months, over the three-year period.
For doctoral scholarships supported by the "Economic and Digital Resilience" (RED) Project of the Department of Excellence 2023-27 of IMT Lucca, a research activity abroad, in companies or research institutions, for a period of between 3 and 6 months, is highly recommended.
See each individual project's description for more specifics.
Incoming students profiles
Italian degree: "Laurea Magistrale" or "Specialistica" (according to DM no. 509, of November 3, 1999), or a four- or five-year degree (according to the previous rules of the Italian higher education system) obtained in Italy.
Foreign degree: with a minimum duration equivalent to 4 years (full-time). The 4-year duration should be considered a minimum, but it is not a sufficient requirement: the Selection Committees will assess the eligibility of degrees.
Each research project lists the individual competencies sought. The School promotes equal opportunities.
Outgoing students profiles
In the report "The Future of the Jobs" presented at the World Economic Forum 2016, it emerged that, in the coming years, technological and demographic factors would profoundly influence the evolution of the labor market. With the advent of enabling digital technologies, the skills and abilities sought will change. To date, companies and public institutions are encountering increasing difficulties in identifying, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the skills necessary for digital transformation.
Career opportunities comprise the academic field in different scientific disciplinary sectors, including engineering, informatics, and economics, as well as technical-scientific and managerial roles in public and private companies or institutions. The partnership with leading companies and public institutions in their respective sectors will provide an additional advantage to PhD students in terms of placement.
What MDT offers
International and interdisciplinary research environment
Rigorous training by experts in enabling digital technologies and innovation
Research project proposed by a leading company/public institution
Training period in the company/public institution of at least 6 months
Visiting period abroad of at least 6 months
Opportunity to meet leading visiting researchers at IMT
Scholarship €16,243/year
Free accommodation and canteen service, which can be valued as a benefit of €500/month
The IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
The PhD in Management of Digital Transformation (MDT) is hosted by the IMT School, one of the seven Schools of Excellence in Italy, and one of the highest-rated graduate schools in Europe, according to the most recent U-Multirank survey. The School offers rigorous training and personalized supervision in technical, social, human, and natural sciences, and encourages interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches that push disciplinary boundaries.
The IMT School fosters a genuinely global atmosphere by welcoming students from diverse geographical locations.
The structure of the PhD programme and the courses
Requirements and application process
Professors and researchers teaching and supervising students
Enrolled students and their projects
