Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia

INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL RESEARCH SCHOOL IN LABOUR RELATIONS

The International Doctoral Research School in Labour Relations is promoted by Marco Biagi Foundation with the participation of the dipartments of Business Administration, Economic Policy and Communication and Economics; was set up on 7 April 2006 on the basis of an agreement between the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and the Ministry of Higher Education.

One of the key characteristics of the School is the integration with public bodies and private-sector firms, with an view to promoting the employment prospects of the doctoral research students in a range of activities reaching beyond the academic world. This objective is pursued primarily by means of private funding of bursaries, with the allocation of funding by the Ministry of Higher Education for a number of bursaries equivalent to the number funded by external bodies.

The aim of the programme is to select and train researchers in an interdisciplinary and comparative method, who are strongly oriented towards the practical application of results, with links to enterprises and social actors not just at national but also at international level. Starting from their research work during their doctoral programme, these researchers can expect to play an active role in Italian and international enterprises, international bodies, institutions, associations and trade unions (also by means of advanced apprenticeship programmes).

In 2009, in implementing the project for the renewal and consolidation of the Doctoral Research School Council, the School adopted a new organisational structure aimed at enhancing the interdisciplinary nature of the programme. As a result the School was renamed the International Doctoral Research School in Labour Relations.

The new approach has led to a widening of the educational programme both for the doctoral research students (in terms of their educational background) and for the companies and public bodies involved (in terms of the professional roles to be performed). In addition, it has led to the enhancement of the teaching and research programme of the School, with the qualitative and quantitative improvement of the foundation courses.

One particular characteristic of the teaching programme at the School is the use of a number of working languages. The provision of teaching in languages other than Italian is essential for promoting the international dimension of the teaching programme and for attracting international students.