PhD Year-end transition & Final exam

The year-end transition for PhD students must be ratified by the Doctoral Teaching Board (DTB / Collegio Docenti) by 12 September 2025.

For final-year students, the approval date for access to the final exam depends on your starting date:

• Regular starters (PhD starting 1 November): by 6 October 2025
• Late starters (starting after 1 November but before 1 January): by 9 December 2025

Important
The DTB will meet in the week before the deadline. All documents must be ready in advance.

1st Year Students – Pass to 2nd Year

Deadline: 4 September 2025
Submit all documents to dmm@units.it:

1. Project Proposal – Use the provided template, have your supervisor review and sign
2. Student Record – Use the Excel template to list all activities not in ESSE3. Print out the front page in pdf format and have your supervisor sign it. Submit both the front page in pdf and the excel. This confirms:
   1. Supervisor’s approval
   2. That you actually carried out the activities
3. Evaluation Sketch (Medaglione) – Supervisor prepares a short evaluation of your project proposal and confirms passage to the next year

2nd Year Students – Pass to 3rd Year

Deadline: 4 September 2025
Submit all documents to dmm@units.it:

1. Project Report – Use the provided template, have your supervisor review and sign
2. Student Record – Use the Excel template for activities not in ESSE3. Print out the front page in pdf format and have your supervisor sign it. Submit both the front page in pdf and the excel.
3. Evaluation Sketch (Medaglione) – Supervisor evaluates your project progress and confirms passage to the next year

3rd Year Students – Final Exam Procedure

Deadlines depend on start date (Regular vs Late starters)

• Regular Starters (PhD starting 1 November)
  1. By 1 October 2025 submit all documents and info to dmm@units.it:
     1. Send thesis synopsis
     2. Supervisor’s evaluation confirming readiness for submission & defense
     3. Provide names of two external reviewers (agreed in advance with supervisor)
  2. By 6 October 2025:
     1. DTB approval based on supervisor’s evaluation
  3. By 31 October 2025, 1:00 PM:
     1. Thesis submission
     2. Reviewers will send evaluations by 5 December 2025 (30 days)
  4. Final Examination: between 1 February – 31 March 2026
      
• Late Starters (Starting after 1 November, before 1 January)
  1. By 2 December 2025 submit all documents and info to dmm@units.it:
     1. Send thesis synopsis
     2. Supervisor’s evaluation confirming readiness for submission & defense
     3. Provide names of two external reviewers (agreed in advance with supervisor)
  2. By 9 December 2025:
     1. DTB approval
  3. By 31 December 2025:
     1. Thesis submission
     2. Reviewers send evaluations by 5 February 2026
  4. Final Examination: between 1 February – 31 March 2026

Tips for Success

• Start preparing documents early
• Coordinate with your supervisor for all signatures and reviewer agreements
• Submit before deadlines to allow time for corrections

Form for Project Proposal and Report

Form for Student Record

Travel and Lodging Reimbursement

For PhD students carrying out their activities outside Trieste

Note: This procedure does not apply if you carry out your doctoral activities in Trieste (UNITS, ICGEB, FIF, DSM).

If you work and live outside Trieste — for example at CRO Aviano — and you attend activities held in Trieste (such as teaching sessions, courses, or workshops organized by UNITS or other institutions), you can request reimbursement for travel and lodging expenses using your 10% research funds.

However, do not apply for a travel assignment (do not fill out the online “missione” form), since Trieste is officially considered the location of your doctoral program.
Instead, you must follow a separate reimbursement procedure, as described below.

1. Before the event — request authorization

To be reimbursed, you must obtain prior approval from your Supervisor and, only if he manages your fund, from the Coordinator (Prof. Tossi).
Please follow these steps carefully:

1. Supervisor’s request letter
   Your Supervisor must write and digitally sign (preferred) a formal letter explaining the relevance and necessity of your participation in the activity (for example, indicating how it contributes to your doctoral training or research). If your Supervisor is the administrative manager of your 10% funds, he must also approve the use of this fund.
2. Approval by the Coordinator (only if administrator of the 10% fund)
   Send the signed letter by your Supervisor to the Coordinator (Prof. Tossi) by email so he can approve the use of this fund.

If digital signatures are not available, you may send scanned copies of manually signed documents instead.

3. Submission to the Protocol Office (before the event)
   Once the Supervisor (and if necessary the Coordinator) have signed the document (preferably digitally), send it to:
   protocollodsv@units.it
   Make sure this is done before the event takes place.

2. After the event — submit your expenses

Once the activity is completed, you must submit all your receipts and payment proofs for reimbursement.

• Digital receipts and documentation (e.g. accommodation payments, bus/train tickets, invoices, etc.):
  Send them by email to francesca.bianco@units.it

• Paper receipts (e.g. meal receipts, paper train tickets, etc.):
  These must be sent by mail or delivered in person to:

  DSV Administrative Offices – MISSIONI
  Building Q, San Giovanni Campus
  Via Weiss 2, 34128 Trieste

  The reception desk is open until 6:30 PM.
  You can leave your documents in a sealed envelope addressed to
  DSV Administrative Office – MISSIONI,
  and please indicate the Sender’s name on the envelope

Tips for success

• Keep copies (PDF or scans) of all letters and receipts you send, for your personal records
• You are encouraged to submit digital documents whenever possible, as this speeds up processing
• The reimbursement will be charged to your 10% personal research fund

Quick checklist 

• You work/live outside Trieste and attend an activity in Trieste
• You do not submit the online “missione” form
• Your Supervisor has written and signed a request letter explaining the relevance of your participation
• The letter is approved and signed by Prof. Tossi (Coordinator)
• The signed document has been sent to protocollodsv@units.it before the event
• After the event, you have emailed digital receipts to francesca.bianco@units.it
• Any paper receipts have been mailed or delivered to Building Q (by 6:30 PM) in a sealed envelope

Contacts

For any questions or assistance with the procedure, you can contact:
Dr. Francesca Bianco — francesca.bianco@units.it