The Ph.D. program consists of 4 years of study and research. During the first year students will take a number of modules structured in three main pillars:
Algorithms
Formal Methods
Software Engineering
Besides the modules offered at GSSI, students can attend summer schools or modules at other institutions (see the "Organisation of the Ph.D. program" section below). Each student is asked to prepare, together with the Ph.D. coordinator, a study-plan to be approved by the Academic Board.
Performances in exams, quality of the thesis proposal (submitted at the end of the first year), and engagement in the academic activities are the criteria for progression. Students focus on their research mainly in their 2nd and 3rd year assisted by supervisors who assess students' progress together with committees consisting of experts in the relevant area.
Students are strongly encouraged to visit other research groups in Italy or abroad.
Details about the program, academic roles, absences, and other matters followare below.
The taught part consists of three categories:
Immigration modules on each of the three pillars to provide foundational knowledge.
Core modules on selected topics to provide students with the necessary background to start their research work.
Advanced modules on cross-cutting topics in the area of interacting heterogeneous distributed systems.
Our teaching offer aims to equip students with necessary background and knowledge to take up their learning paths towards the successful defence of their Ph.D. thesis. Specifically, immigration modules are woven together with a twofold aim: to present preparatory material for subsequent modules, and to introduce relevant research challenges. Modules are given by top-level international scientists (also from other institutions) and are chosen to best fit with our research vision.
Students must pass all immigration modules and all the chosen core modules in order to be awarded the ECTS credits necessary for their progression to the 2nd year.
Apart from the modules offered at GSSI, students can attend courses that fit with the topic of their Ph.D. research also at summer schools or at other national or international institutions. Participation to such courses must be authorised by the coordinator of the Ph.D. program and students' advisors. After having attended an external course, a student should:
submit to the coordinator of the Ph.D. program a short written report describing the topics and the presentations as well as the areas for future research suggested by the lecturers they found most interesting;
deliver a 20-minute talk to students and faculty at the GSSI describing the content of the report.
The official academic roles (besides students😉) relevant for the Ph.D. program are
lecturers deliver courses and assess students' progress in the taught part of the modules
advisors ho mentor students in their research path
coordinator of the Ph.D. program who supervises and coordinate the academic activities
academic board deliberate on various academic matters as per our regulations.
The following two roles have been designed to establish a friendly and thriving scientific community:
tutors provide a point of contact for general academic support and advice. All students have a tutor nominated by the coordinator who chooses them among the CS faculty. The tutor of 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-year students is their internal advisor.
Tutors of 1st-year students should arrange monthly meetings with their tutees. These meetings are meant to provide guidance, advise, and support related to the academic activities of the first year. Students are welcome to ask their tutor for private meetings if they need to discuss specific matters.
Tutors are not permitted to reveal any confidential matters without the consent of their tutees.
buddies are senior students volunteering to act as point of contact for practical matters (e.g., to introduce new students to the cultural life in L'Aquila, or give advice on social life, etc.).
Students are (the most important) part of our community and they are welcome to suggest activities that could strengthen the academic and social relationship of the group.
Art. 18.2 of the GSSI regulations of PhD courses establishes that, except for the periods in which GSSI activities are interrupted during holidays, short absences due to personal reasons must be authorised by the coordinator and cannot anyway exceed 20 days a year. The next vacation periods are
August 12-23, 2024
December 23, 2024 - January 6, 2025
April 17-21, 2025
August 11-22, 2025
Any absence of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students must be agreed with the supervisors (the turor for 1st year students) and authorised by the Ph.D. Coordinator; please use the form available here to apply for a leave of absence.