About the host organisation

1. The European/International Joint Ph.D. in Social Representations and Communication

The European/International Joint Ph.D. in Social Representations and Communication represents a progressive educational curriculum for training early stage researchers through research in a cross-disciplinary paradigmatic field inspired by the Social Representations Theory and Communication studies (from the main optic of the social psychology, open to contributions from sociology, communication sciences, anthropology, socio-economic and political sciences, education, environmental studies, and other new trans-disciplinary thematic fields of studies focussed on “social issues”). It awards a joint doctoral degree by six Universities in four European countries:

It provides advanced research training in key areas of social psychology that focus on the social construction of knowledge and its relation to socially situated practices and to traditional as well as new means of human interaction and communication.

The track record of the European PhD in terms of networking and cooperation activities dates back to 1993, when the program was established under the Erasmus Inter-Universities Co-operation Programme. Co-operation was established at the top institutional level on the basis of the shared Regulations of the European/International Joint Ph.D. in Social Representations and Communication (Inter-Institutional Agreement), signed by representatives of universities who deliver the joint diploma in accordance with the new Regulations on Doctorate approved by the Academic Senate of the co-ordinating university, the University of Rome Sapienza.

The original network of 13 European universities has since grown to 24 universities in 15 countries around the world: 17 universities in 9 European countries (AT, CZ, FR, IT, PT, RO, ES, CH, UK) and 7 universities from North America (Canada, USA), Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico) and China; to 1 national research institute (IFSTTAR) in France; 1 social sciences foundation (Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme) and 3 SME partners in Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

2. So.Re.Com. Joint-IDP Innovative Joint Doctoral Program in Social Representations and Communication: Abstract

Built on the experience of both the European/International PhD in Social Representations and Communication, awarding a recognized joint degree since 1996, and the EU approved So.Re.Com. THEmatic NETwork, this international joint doctoral programme includes 8 universities, 2 private companies and 1 public research institute in 8 European countries (AT, CH, CZ, ES, FR, IT, RO, SE), and 6 universities in United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and China.

The goal is to provide doctoral training in Social Representations and Communication, a supra-disciplinary research area of the social sciences that studies the social construction of everyday knowledge in social spheres and media, disseminating European excellence beyond the EU boundaries and attracting the best ESR from abroad. Structured into transnational teams by common research area and complementary multi-methodological approaches, this SoReComJointIDP guarantees a well-tested training structure including:

1. an innovative integrated physical and virtual campus, where world-class academic scientists, internationally recognised experts, experienced researchers and ESR cooperate face-to face and online “for” and “by” research;
2. multiple supervision via tutoring and co-tutoring by at least three tutors in different countries;
3. individual mobility for ESR at research centres for secondments;
4. collective international mobility of trainees and teaching staff during International Summer Schools and Lab meetings;
5. learning by doing (including transferable skills) in academic and non-academic settings;
6. worldwide access to common web platform, as tool for documentation, networking, training and monitoring trainees’ progress;
7. high tech infrastructure and lab facilities;
8. quality evaluation system;
9. officialisation of the joint degree;
10. active integration in the world-wide So.Re.Com. THEmatic NETwork;
11. enhancement of career prospects both in and outside academia

3. Location

The European/International Joint Ph.D. in Social Representations and Communication is located in the very heart of Rome on the Aventino Hill (in Piazza Cavalieri di Malta 2, 00153 Rome - Italy).

4. Useful information

1. European/International Joint PhD in S.R. & C. Research Infrastructure (PDF)
2. Practical Information for transport and accommodation next to the European/International Joint PhD Laboratory
3. Sapienza International Researcher Guide (PDF)
4. Presentation of Sapienza University