UNIPhD 2022 GFA 0

University of Padua, Italy
MSCA COFUND Doctoral Programme UNIPhD

Guide for Applicants
HORIZON 2020 MSCA COFUND DOCTORAL PROGRAMME

UNIPhD
Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary research and training for the
next-generation talents

&
Application Templates
Deadline: 8 March 2022, 1 p.m.

CET (Italian time zone)
Date of call opening: 11 January 2022

Version Number: 1.0
Purpose of this document

This document provides practical information to potential applicants as to assist them in preparing and
submitting an application for a UNIPhD Doctoral Fellowship. It is not intended to replace consultation of
the UNIPhD Call for proposals.
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Table of contents
UNIPhD PROGRAMME OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 3
1. ABOUT THE UNIPhD DOCTORAL PROGRAMME .................................................................................................... 3
2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. WHO CAN APPLY? .............................................................................................................. 4
3. EVALUATION CRITERIA ......................................................................................................................................... 5
4. TIMELINE OF THE CALL.......................................................................................................................................... 6
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.............................................................................................................. 6
5. INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL .......................................................................................................... 6
5.1 How to register and access the system ....................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Access the application procedure ............................................................................................................... 9
5.3 Proposal sections ....................................................................................................................................... 9
5.4 Submission of the proposal .......................................................................................................................13
5.5 Reference Letters ......................................................................................................................................15
5.6 How to modify or withdraw your application ...........................................................................................16
5.7 Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities .....................................................................................16
5.8 Interview ...................................................................................................................................................17
5.9 Additional information..............................................................................................................................17
6. ETHICS AND SECURITY .........................................................................................................................................17
6.1 Ethics Review ............................................................................................................................................18
6.2 Security Review .........................................................................................................................................18
6.3 Research Integrity .....................................................................................................................................23
ANNEXES ...........................................................................................................................................................24
7. MANDATORY TEMPLATES ...................................................................................................................................24
7.1 CURRICULUM VITAE (MAX. 2 PAGES) ........................................................................................................24
7. 2 RESEARCH PROPOSAL (MAX. 4 PAGES) .....................................................................................................26
8. USEFUL LINKS REGARDING RULES AND POLICIES AT UNIPD .................................................................................27
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UNIPhD PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

1. ABOUT THE UNIPhD DOCTORAL PROGRAMME
UNIPhD “Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary

UNIPhD Research topic
research and training for the next-generation talents” is a Each of the 25 Doctoral Courses involved in
60-month project funded under a Horizon 2020 Marie UNIPhD offers 2 research topics, which are
Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA-COFUND). It is jointly frameworks within which every applicant has
supported by the University of Padua and the Veneto to propose an original research project.
Region, in Italy. Applicants have to choose 1 research topic
The programme will offer the most talented Early Stage among the available 50 ones for the
Researchers (ESRs)1 coming from all over the world a development of their research project.
brand new International, Intersectoral, Interdisciplinary
UNIPhD Research option
and Innovative “training through research” experience.
For each Research topic, Unipd has collected a
UNIPhD is designed by the University of Padua (Unipd) to number of detailed research options from
be a game-changer in Doctoral Education. The main focus potential Supervisors. This list serves to guide
the applicants and to bring them in contact
is set on the individual talents of each ESR, who is placed
with potential Supervisors for the
at the centre of the action to leverage a personalized and
development of the research project. This list
holistic training programme. UNIPhD involves 25 Doctoral is not exhaustive and applicants are free to
Courses (see Annex 1 to the call for proposals – Research present a research project that is not listed.
topics), covering all scientific domains (8 in Life Sciences –
LS, 10 in Physical Sciences and Engineering – PE, 5 in Social
Sciences and Humanities – SH, 2 cross-domain PE-LS). Its final goal is to foster what will be a “transformative
wave” in the regional and national Academic sector, providing guidelines for the next-generation training
towards frontier research, while enhancing our global capacity to respond to urgent challenges emerging
around us.
This call for applications offers a total of 50 (36-month long) fellowships to incoming transnational ESRs, in
all scientific areas. Applicants must be eligible for PhD studies and comply with specific UNIPhD
requirements. They will be selected according to criteria of excellence following an open, transparent, and
merit-based selection procedure.
Each of the 25 UNIPhD Doctoral Courses offers 2 research topics, selected based on their excellence, impact,
and relevance against emerging challenges. Applicants shall choose 1 topic among the available 50 ones. In
relation to such topic, they must develop a research proposal in collaboration with a Supervisor at Unipd
(see box above). In the framework of every research topic, applicants may refer to a list of specific research
options proposed by potential Supervisors. This list, available on the UNIPhD web page, is intended to support
the applicant in contacting a potential Supervisor. It is not exhaustive and applicants are free to propose an
unlisted research project.
Field-specific technical skills and theoretical knowledge will be provided within each Doctoral Course. A
unified training offer, common to all the UNIPhD ESRs, will cover several thematic areas: (i) communication,
1
Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs): Researchers that have not been awarded a doctoral degree and, at the date of the
call deadline, are in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers.
3
dissemination, and exploitation; (ii) professional development; (iii) funding opportunities for research and
proposal writing skills; (iv) entrepreneurship. These courses will help the ESRs to gain solid skills that would
suit the needs of both the academic and non-academic sectors, thus substantially increasing the ESRs’ market
value and broadening their career opportunities.
Moreover, each ESR will be exposed to different environments through 2 interdisciplinary, intersectoral
and/or international secondments, 1 of which mandatory.
2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. WHO CAN APPLY?
In order to be eligible, applicants of any nationality are required to meet the following criteria by the date
of the call deadline (8 March 2022), under penalty of exclusion:
 Mobility. Applicants should not have resided or have carried out their main activity (work,
studies, etc.) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline.
Short stays shall not be considered.2
 Qualification. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree or another academic qualification
recognized as equivalent to a second cycle degree in the framework of the Bologna process (e.g.
Italian Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale), that grants access to PhD-programmes in the country
where the degree was obtained. The academic qualification should be obtained by and no later
than 30 September 2022.
 Early Stage. Applicants should not have already been awarded a doctoral degree and must be in
their first 4 years (or full-time equivalent)3 of research experience.
Particular attention will be paid to applicants with special needs, such as persons with disabilities and
refugees.
2.1 Examples on eligibility criteria
A candidate spent 6 months (from 1 June to 30 November 2019) and then again 7 months (from 1 September
2020 to 30 March 2021) in Italy. (S)he is NOT eligible because (s)he spent more than 12 months in Italy in the
3 years (36 months) immediately before the call deadline.
A candidate spent 3 months (from 1 June to 31 August 2019) and then again 7 months (from 1 September
2020 to 30 March 2021) in Italy. (S)he is eligible because (s)he spent less than 12 months in Italy in the 3 years
(36 months) immediately before the call deadline.
A candidate spent 18 months (from 1 January 2017 to 30 June 2018) in Italy. (S)he is eligible because the time
(s)he spent in Italy occurred before the eligibility period, that is from 9 March 2019 to 8 March 2022 (36
months immediately before the call deadline).
A candidate will be awarded his/her Master’s degree on 1/10/2022. (S)he is not eligible because the academic
qualification should be obtained by and no later than 30 September 2022.
2
Short stays are characterized by the type of activity rather than by a specific number of days. A period can only be
considered as a short stay if the researcher did not reside or did not have their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the
country during that period (such as holidays or participation to conferences) -
https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/guides_for_applicants/h2020-guide-appl-msca-if-
2018-20_en.pdf.
3
'Full-time equivalent research experience' is measured from the date when the researcher obtained the degree
entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country
in which the researcher is recruited or from where he/she is seconded) – even if a doctorate was never started or
envisaged - https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2018-2020/main/h2020-wp1820-
msca_en.pdf.
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A candidate was awarded his/her Master’s degree on 17/12/2017 and, since then, (s)he has worked as a full-
time school teacher. S(he) is eligible because s(he) has not yet had any research experience.
3. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated in 4 steps according to the following criteria.

The inability to comply with any of such criteria will be ground for exclusion of the candidate at any time
during or after the selection procedure.
Step 1: Eligibility – Technical Committee
Threshold for admission to evaluation: A pass/fail-evaluation will be applied for each criterion.
Admissibility of proposals Deadline, Completeness, in English, PASS/FAIL

Document quality
Eligibility of candidates Mobility rule, Qualification (Second PASS/FAIL
Cycle degree diploma by 30
September 2022), Early Stage
Step 2: Evaluation of the application documents – Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC)
Threshold for admission to Step 3: Both thresholds (60/100) for CV and research proposal need to be passed.
An overall score of 140/200 is required for admission to Step 3.
Justified career breaks (e.g. maternity leave, military service) or variations in the chronological order of CVs will not
be penalised.
Evaluation of the CV (0-100) The use of the provided UNIPhD CV max. 100
Threshold CV 60/100 template is compulsory
Quality of prior education (programme and exam grades/full transcript of records, abstract max. 50
and short summary of Master thesis max. 4 pages)
Quality of the candidate (motivation and recommendation letters) max. 25
Achievements (e.g. actual length of studies, awards/honours, previous research max. 25

experience, publications, mobility experience)
Evaluation of the research proposal (max. 4 pages) max. 100
Threshold Research 60 / 100
Relevance of the proposed research project max. 40
Clarity of the objectives and soundness of methodology max. 40
Quality of proposed secondments with respect to the 3 i’s dimensions (international, max. 20
interdisciplinary, intersectoral)
Step 3: Interview
Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC) + non-academic representative + motivational expert
Threshold for admission to Step 4: 70 / 100
All interviews will be carried out via Zoom in English and will last approximately 30 minutes.
Excellence of the candidate max. 100
Coherence between the candidate’s motivation and career prospective max. 30
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Knowledge of the subject(s) relevant to the research project max. 30
Evidence of creative and critical thinking max. 20
Potential of the candidate to reach a position of professional maturity max. 20
Step 4: Final ranking – Executive Board reviews all evaluation procedures

For each fellowship a merit-based ranking is determined by weighing the scores for the evaluation of CV
(30%), project (30%) and interview (40%)
Overall score Weight max. 100

Threshold for admission in the ranking list: 70/100
Evaluation of the CV (Step 2) 30% max. 30
Evaluation of the research proposal (Step 2) 30% max. 30
Evaluation of the interview (Step 3) 40% max. 40
Clearance by the relevant Ethics Committee is a prerequisite for the final approval of the proposal for funding.
If two or more candidates applying for the same PhD position have the same score, the position will be
offered to the candidate belonging to the least represented gender in the Doctoral Course at the time of the
ranking (in first instance) or the youngest one (in second instance). In case, for any reason, one or more of
the successful candidates decide not to enroll, the fellowship will be offered to the next applicant in the
ranking for the same position.
4. TIMELINE OF THE CALL
11 January 2022 Call opening

8 March 2022 Call deadline
9 - 29 March 2022 Step 1 – Eligibility and Admissibility check (Technical committee)
30 March - 3 May 2022 Step 2 – Evaluation of applications (SECs)
4 May - 14 June 2022 Step 3 – Interviews (SECs)
28 June - 5 July 2022 Step 4 – Overall ranking lists (EB + TC)
1 October 2022 Acceptance of fellowship and contract signature
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
5. INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL
To access the electronic submission system, please go to: https://pica.cineca.it/unipd/.
1. Proposals must be submitted electronically, please do not send anything by e-mail or post.
2. Before starting the application procedure, please read carefully the call text, make sure you meet the
eligibility criteria and verify which documents are required for the application.
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3. Please note that ALL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE APPLICATION MUST BE UPLOADED IN A .PDF
FORMAT (max. 30 MB) and, in some cases, they must be printed, signed and re-uploaded in the
electronic submission system. Please make sure to have a printer and a scanner available and ready
for use (see paragraph 5.4).
4. It is possible to access the electronic submission system multiple times to fill in the proposal, saving
the data entered every time. Once you access the system again, you can continue filling in the
proposal by clicking on: “Modifica/Edit”.
5. The electronic submission system provides instructions in Italian and English; please note that
proposals must be written in English. In case any document is written in any other language, the
application must also include an English translation thereof.
6. For further information on the selection procedure, please write to the UNIPhD Management Team:
[email protected].
For technical issues concerning the electronic submission system, please refer to the PICA-CINECA
staff: contacts are available at the bottom of the electronic submission system home page
https://pica.cineca.it/unipd/.
A reply is not guaranteed when using contacts different from the ones mentioned above.
7. Once you have completed and submitted the proposal, you will receive an e-mail with confirmation
of the successful submission.
8. Proposals’ contents are registered via the electronic submission system and entered into a database
to support the evaluation process.
5.1 How to register and access the system
The electronic submission system is open from 11 January 2022 to 8 March 2022 at 1 p.m. CET (Italian time
zone). To access the system, please go to https://pica.cineca.it/unipd/.
If you register for the first time, please click on “New registration” and fill in the requested fields (Fig. 1, 2).
Alternatively, if you are a LOGINMIUR user, you can access the system using the username and password of
your LOGINMIUR account. In this case, please select “LOGINMIUR” from the dropdown-list “Credentials”.
In case you have a username and a password but you do not remember them, please click on “Forgot your
credentials?”.
The online procedure for submitting the application form can be also accessed through SPID (Italian Public
Digital Identity System – more information here: https://www.spid.gov.it/), by choosing the “University of
Padova” from the list of institutions available (fig. 4, 5, 6) and following the instructions of the selected
provider. In case of access via SPID, no signature will be required when submitting the application.
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Fig. 1 – Login/Registration page
Fig. 2 – User registration
After having completed all the requested fields, please click on “New registration” (Fig. 3); the system will
send an email to the email address you indicated informing you on how to confirm your registration.
In case you do not receive such email message, please refer to the PICA-CINECA staff: contacts are available
at the bottom of the electronic submission system home page https://pica.cineca.it/unipd/.
A reply is not guaranteed when using contacts different from the ones mentioned above.
Fig. 3 – New registration

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5.2 Access the application procedure
Once you have registered, you can log in to https://pica.cineca.it/unipd with your credentials, click on the
CALL FOR PROPOSALS SELECTING 50 EARLY-STAGE RESEARCHERS - HORIZON 2020 MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-
CURIE COFUND DOCTORAL PROGRAMME UNIPhD “Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary research and
training for the next-generation talents” and thus enter the submission portal (Fig. 4):
Fig. 4 – Application form
Click on “Compila una nuova domanda/New submission” to start a new submission.
5.3 Proposal sections
In Fig. 5 is the index of the proposal sections.
Fig. 5 – Index
Please remember to click on “Salva e prosegui/Save and proceed” after you have entered the requested
data in each section.
If there are no errors, the system will let you go to the next section. In case errors are detected, an error
message will be displayed: data must be corrected in order to proceed any further.
5.3.1 Corso di dottorato / PhD course
First of all, you should select the PhD Course for which you intend to apply (Fig. 6). You may choose only
one.
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Fig. 6 – PhD Course
Once you have selected the PhD Course, you should choose the Research Topic for which you want to apply
(Fig. 7). You may choose only one.
IMPORTANT: Applicants can submit only 1 application, choosing 1 research topic (see Annex 1 to the call
for proposals – Research topics).
Fig. 7 – Research topic
IMPORTANT: at the end of each section you always need to click on the button “Save and proceed”.
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5.3.2 Dati anagrafici e recapiti / Personal and Contact Data
The second section is Personal and Contact Data. The data has been partially transferred from the registration
procedure. There is some more data to be filled in (fig. 9). In case there are mistakes in the personal data
applicants can modify them by clicking on the top right button (User Profile).
If the data is correct you can will directly click on “SAVE AND PROCEED” and go to the next section. Otherwise
error messages will display and you will have to correct the data.
5.3.3 Titoli di studio e mobilità / Qualifications and mobility
In the following section, applicants must fill in the data of their admission qualification, that is the academic
degree allowing to embark on a PhD Course (Fig. 8). Two alternative options are available for selection:
 GRADUATED ITALIAN/FOREIGN DEGREE if you have already been awarded your qualification
 GRADUATING ITALIAN/FOREIGN DEGREE  if your qualification will be awarded by 30 September
2022.
Fig. 8 – Academic qualification
In the box “Mobility in the past three years” (Fig. 9) you should indicate (starting from the most recent one)
the period(s) and the country/countries in which you have legally resided or had your main activity (work,
studies, etc.) during the last 3 years, up until the call deadline (from 9 March 2019 to 8 March 2022).
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Short stays shall not be listed in this box (for a definition of “short stay”, please see footnote no. 1 on page 4
of this Guide for applicants).
Please note that all fields in this section are mandatory.
Fig. 9 – Mobility rule
You can add as many periods as you wish by clicking on “Aggiungi/Add”.
5.3.4 Dichiarazioni / Declarations
This section comprises a number of statements that need to be undersigned. You declare that:
 the information you have provided is true
 you comply with the Programme eligibility criteria
 you have carefully read and accept the content of the call for proposals
 you accept Unipd personal data handling.
Furthermore, in this section there is a box with information dedicated to candidates with disability or with
learning disabilities (Fig. 10).
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Fig. 10 – Candidates with disability or learning disabilities section
5.3.5 Allegati alla domanda / Documents to be submitted with the application form
The maximum size for each file that needs to be uploaded is 30 MB.
Please provide the following annexes:
 Copy of a valid ID Document (Identity document or passport)
 Detailed Curriculum Vitae, max. 2 pages: it is mandatory to use the template available at page 24 of
this Guide for Applicants
 Research project, max. 4 pages: it is mandatory to use the template available at page 26 of this Guide
for Applicants
 Motivation letter and plans for envisioned professional orientation, max. 1 page
 Academic diplomas
 Official transcript of attended courses and grades (for all academic studies, e.g. BSc and MSc)
 Abstract of Master’s Thesis (max 4 pages)
Please note that reference letters must not be uploaded in this section. After you have submitted your
application, go back to the dashboard and use the specific online procedure for the reference letters (see
paragraph 5.5).
5.3.6 Ethics Issues Tables and Ethics Self-assessment
In the last three sections of the online application form, please answer questions related to ethics issues,
which may concern your project. You may upload any relevant supporting document(s), if needed. Please
refer to paragraph 6 for further instructions.
5.4 Submission of the proposal
At this point, you will view your application in the dashboard, please verify whether it is complete and then
submit it by clicking on “Firma e presenta/Sign and Submit” (Fig. 11).
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Fig. 11 - Dashboard with status and possible actions for the drafted proposal
If the application procedure has been correctly completed, scroll down and click the button “firma/sign” at
the end of the page, the system will then generate a .pdf file of the proposal.
In case of error, a warning message will be displayed: errors must be corrected before proceeding.
In order to complete the submission, you must sign the document. Three options for signature will be shown
(Fig. 12), please note that for foreign applicants only the first option - “Handwritten Signature” - will be
displayed (Fig. 13).
Fig. 12 - Signature options
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Fig. 13 - “Handwritten Signature” procedure.
REMEMBER: In case the “Handwritten Signature” option is selected, candidates will have to print their
application, sign it, scan it and upload it in the system before it can be submitted. Such procedure may require
some time. Make sure you have a printer and scanner available and ready for you use when finalizing your
application.
When the signed .PDF of the proposal is uploaded, please click on “Submit the application” to successfully
send the proposal (Fig. 13).
An email message confirming the submission of the proposal will be sent to your e-mail account.
5.5 Reference Letters
In order to submit reference letters, after the application has been duly signed and submitted, applicants
have to go back to the dashboard to find the button “Reference letters” (Fig. 14). Applicants must click on it
and fill in the information requested for each referee. The invitation to compile a reference letter will then
be sent automatically to each one of the chosen referees. Applicants must specify the institutional email
address of 2 referees, do not provide a personal email address.
Fig. 14 – Reference letters
Each specified referee will receive the request to fill in the reference letter and can submit it by 8 March 2022
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at 13:00 CET. We advise applicants to inform referees that they will receive the request and inform them
about the deadline. When a referee fills in and submits the letter, the applicant will receive an email
confirming that the letter has been submitted. Applicants can always check the status of the request.
Reference letters uploaded by applicants will not be taken into account.
If applicants wish to change a referee, they must refer to the PICA-CINECA staff specifying the ID number of
their application form. Contacts are available at the bottom of the electronic submission system home page
5.6 How to modify or withdraw your application
Once proposals are submitted, they cannot be re-opened and no further modifications can be made;
therefore, if you need to make any changes, you will need to cancel the proposal by clicking on “Withdraw”
(Fig. 15). Please note that the system will automatically prevent applicants from submitting multiple
applications.
Fig. 15 Withdrawal of the application
After following the procedure and having confirmed the withdrawal, you shall sign the document generated
by the system:
Please follow the instructions for signature procedures.
Once you have completed this procedure, you can log in again and submit a new proposal within the deadline
of the call.
5.7 Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities
Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities, after the submission of their application form, should go
back to the dashboard, where they will find the button “Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities”
(Fig. 16). Applicants must click on it and fill in the relevant information in order to send the request for
reasonable adjustments for the admission examination in compliance with Law 17/1999 and with Law
170/2010.
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Fig. 16 – Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities
Applicants must also submit a copy of their disability certification or copy of their Learning Disabilities
certification (not older than 3 years).
Once you have clicked on “Save and back to dashboard”, you will view your application in the dashboard,
please verify whether it is complete and then submit it by clicking on “Submit” and follow the procedure
explained at paragraph 5.4.
5.8 Interview
UNIPhD candidates admitted to Step 3 of the selection process will be invited for an interview with the
Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC) of the PhD Course they have selected.
All interviews will be conducted in English by the SEC of each Doctoral Course, plus 2 additional members: 1
representative of the non-academic sector and 1 counsellor/motivational expert.
Each interview will last approximately 30 minutes and will be scheduled through videoconference (Zoom) in
consideration of the time zone of the applicants’ country of residence. The applicant will be informed well in
advance about technical requirements needed for the interview. Telephone-conference may be used in case
technical problems occur during the videoconference. At the start of the interview, the applicant is required
to demonstrate the original ID that was attached to the application. Each interview will be assessed according
to the criteria described at paragraph 3 and a global score will be assigned to each applicant.
5.9 Additional information
The UNIPhD call for proposals is jointly managed by the International Research Office and the PhD Office of
the University of Padua (UNIPhD Management Team):
- for questions or information about the proposal submission and the evaluation procedure, please
refer to the UNIPhD Management Team: [email protected]
- for technical issues concerning the electronic submission system, please refer to the PICA-CINECA
staff: contacts are available at the bottom of the electronic submission system home page
6. ETHICS AND SECURITY
Unipd respects and applies fundamental ethical principles in conformity with the Charter of Fundamental
Rights of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights and its Supplementary
Protocols. When applying to UNIPhD, candidates are requested to compile a table of ethical and security
issues (see Table 1. Ethics Review and Table 3. Security Review) for a preview of questions each candidate
will be asked to answer) and, if present, to explain how ethical and security issues will be addressed (see
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Table 2. Ethics Self-assessment).

Independently of the self-assessment, proposals that pose ethical concerns will be flagged during the
selection process by the SECs, which will inform the UNIPhD Ethics Committee. In case the proposal is
retained for funding, the UNIPhD Ethics Committee will decide whether it needs to undergo a full ethics
review and direct it to the appropriate Unipd Ethical Committee. A full Ethics Review Report will be sent to
the applicant. Feedback by the candidate may be required before approval of the proposal by the UNIPhD
Ethics Committee, which is a prerequisite for final admission to funding.
6.1 Ethics Review
The Ethics review process concerns all research projects submitted. Applicants should pay particular
attention to the ethical aspects of the proposed work and should submit all ethics documentation available
for their proposal.
The main areas addressed during the ethics review process include:
1. Human protection (including study participants and researchers)
2. Animal protection and welfare
3. Data protection and privacy
4. Environment protection
5. Participation of non-EU countries
6. Malevolent use of research results
When submitting their proposal, applicants must complete the Ethics Issues Table. If they answer yes to one
or more questions in the Ethics Issues Table (see Table 1. Ethics Issues Table below), applicants must provide
a detailed explanation on how to address such ethics issues (see Table 2. Ethics self-assessment below).
Please include any supporting documents, such as any authorization you may already have. This will allow a
more effective ethics clearance and an accelerated granting process if the proposal is retained for possible
funding. Supporting documents relevant in providing Ethics explanation should be uploaded in the electronic
submission system.
Applicants should be aware that no funding can be provided by Unipd prior to a satisfactory conclusion of
the ethics review procedure. If a proposal is rejected because of ethics considerations, the applicant will be
informed of the grounds for such a decision.
6.2 Security Review
When submitting their proposal, applicants should also complete the Security Issues Table (see Table 3.
Security Issues Table below). If they answer yes to one or more questions, applicants must provide a detailed
explanation on how to address the security issues.
Table 1 - Ethics Issues Table

1. Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Human Embryos YES NO
Does this activity involve Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs)? ☐ ☐
Will they be directly derived from embryos within this project? ☐ ☐
Are they previously established cells lines? ☐ ☐
Are the cell lines registered in the European registry for human
☐ ☐
embryonic stem cell lines?
Does this activity involve the use of human embryos? ☐ ☐
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Will the activity lead to their destruction? ☐ ☐
2. Humans YES NO
Does this activity involve human participants? ☐ ☐
Are they volunteers for non medical studies (e.g. social or human
☐ ☐
sciences research)?
Are they healthy volunteers for medical studies? ☐ ☐
Are they patients for medical studies? ☐ ☐
Are they potentially vulnerable individuals or groups? ☐ ☐
Are they children/minors? ☐ ☐
Are they other persons unable to give informed consent? ☐ ☐
Does this activity involve interventions (physical also including imaging
☐ ☐
technology, behavioural treatments, etc.) on the study participants?
Does it involve invasive techniques? ☐ ☐
Does it involve collection of biological samples? ☐ ☐
Does this activity involve conducting a clinical study as defined by the
Clinical Trial Regulation (EU 536/2014)? (using pharmaceuticals,
☐ ☐
biologicals, radiopharmaceuticals, or advanced therapy medicinal
products)
Is it a clinical trial? ☐ ☐
Is it a low-intervention clinical trial? ☐ ☐
3. Human Cells / Tissues (not covered by section 1) YES NO

Does this activity involve the use of human cells or tissues? ☐ ☐
Are they human embryonic or foetal cells or tissues? ☐ ☐
Are they available commercially? ☐ ☐
Are they obtained within this project? ☐ ☐
Are they obtained from another project, laboratory or institution? ☐ ☐
Are they obtained from biobank? ☐ ☐
4. Personal Data YES NO

Does this activity involve processing of personal data? ☐ ☐
Does it involve the processing of special categories of personal data
(e.g.: genetic, biometric and health data, sexual lifestyle, ethnicity, ☐ ☐
political opinion, religious or philosophical beliefs)?
Does it involve processing of genetic, biometric or health data? ☐ ☐
Does it involve profiling, systematic monitoring of individuals, or
processing of large scale of special categories of data or intrusive
☐ ☐
methods of data processing (such as, surveillance, geolocation
tracking etc.)?
Does this activity involve further processing of previously collected
personal data (including use of preexisting data sets or sources, ☐ ☐
merging existing data sets)?
Is it planned to export personal data from the EU to non-EU countries? ☐ ☐
19
Specify the type of personal data and countries involved

Specify the countries involved:(Maximum number of characters allowed: 1000)
Is it planned to import personal data from non-EU countries into the EU

or from a non-EU country to another non-EU country? Specify the type ☐ ☐
of personal data and countries involved
Does this activity involve the processing of personal data related to

☐ ☐
criminal convictions or offences?
5. Animals YES NO
Does this activity involve animals? ☐ ☐
Are they vertebrates? ☐ ☐
Are they non-human primates? (NHP) ☐ ☐
Are they genetically modified? ☐ ☐
Are they cloned farm animals? ☐ ☐
Are they endangered species? ☐ ☐
6. Non-EU Countries YES NO

Will some of the activities be carried out in non-EU countries? ☐ ☐
In case non-UE countries are involved, do the activities undertaken in

☐ ☐
these countries raise potential ethics issues?
It is planned to use local resources (e.g. animal and/or human tissue

samples, genetic material, live animals, human remains, materials of ☐ ☐
historical value, endangered fauna or flora samples, etc.)?
Is it planned to import any material (other than data) from non-EU
countries into the EU or from a non-EU country to another non-EU ☐ ☐
country? For data imports, see section 4.
Specify material and countries involved: (Maximum number of characters allowed: 1000)
Is it planned to export any material (other than data) from the EU to

☐ ☐
non-EU countries? For data exports, see section 4.
Specify material and countries involved: (Maximum number of characters allowed: 1000)
Does this activity involve low and/or lower middle income countries, (if ☐ ☐
20
yes, detail the benefit-sharing actions planned in the self-assessment

Could the situation in the country put the individuals taking part in the
☐ ☐
activity at risk?
7. Environment, Health and Safety YES NO

Does this activity involve the use of substances or processes that may
cause harm to the environment, to animals or plants (during the
☐ ☐
implementation of the activity or further to the use of the results, as a
possible impact)?
Does this activity deal with endangered fauna and/or flora / protected
☐ ☐
areas?
Does this activity involve the use of substances or processes that may
cause harm to humans, including those performing the activity.(during
☐ ☐
the implementation of the activity or further to the use of the results,
as a possible impact)?
8. Artificial Intelligence YES NO

Does this activity involve the development, deployment and/or use of
Artificial Intelligence? (if yes, detail in the self-assessment whether that
☐ ☐
could raise ethical concerns related to human rights and values and
detail how this will be addressed).
9. Other Ethics Issues YES NO

Are there any other ethics issues that should be taken into
☐ ☐
consideration?
Please specify: (Maximum number of characters allowed: 1000)
Table 2 - Ethics Self-Assessment

Ethical dimension of the objectives, methodology and likely impact
Explain in detail the identified issues in relation to:
- objectives of the activities (e.g. study of vulnerable populations, etc.)
- methodology (e.g. clinical trials, involvement of children, protection of personal data, etc.)
- the potential impact of the activities (e.g. environmental damage, stigmatisation of particular
social groups, political or financial adverse consequences, misuse, etc.)
Compliance with ethical principles and relevant legislations

Describe how the issue(s) identified in the ethics issues table above will be addressed in order to
adhere to the ethical principles and what will be done to ensure that the activities are compliant
with the EU/national legal and ethical requirements of the country or countries where the tasks are
to be carried out. It is reminded that for activities performed in non-EU countries, they should also
be allowed in at least one EU Member State.
21
Table 3 - Security Issues Table

1. EU Classified Information (EUCI)4 YES NO
Does this activity involve information and/or materials requiring
☐ ☐
protection against unauthorised disclosure (EUCI)?
Is the activity going to use classified information as background5
☐ ☐
information?
Is the activity going to generate EU classified foreground6
☐ ☐
information as result?
Does this activity involve non-EU countries? ☐ ☐
Do participants from non-EU countries need to have access to EUCI? ☐ ☐
Do the non-EU countries concerned have a security of information
☐ ☐
agreement with the EU?
2. Misuse YES NO
Does this activity have the potential for misuse of results? ☐ ☐
Does the activity provide knowledge, materials and technologies
☐ ☐
that could be channeled into crime and/or terrorism?
Could the activity result in the development of chemical, biological,
radiological or nuclear (CBRN) weapons and the means for their ☐ ☐
delivery?
3. Other Security Issues YES NO

Does this activity involve information and/or materials subject to
national security restrictions? If yes, please specify: (Maximum number ☐ ☐
of characters allowed: 1000)
Are there any other security issues that should be taken into
consideration? If yes, please specify: (Maximum number of characters ☐ ☐
allowed: 1000)
4
According to the Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 of 13 March 2015 on the security rules for protecting
EU classified information, “European Union classified information (EUCI) means any information or material
designated by an EU security classification, the unauthorised disclosure of which could cause varying degrees of
prejudice to the interests of the European Union or of one or more of the Member States”.
5
Classified background information is information that is already classified by a country and/or international
organization and/or the EU and is going to be used by the project. In this case, the project must have in advance the
authorization from the originator of the classified information, which is the entity (EU institution, EU Member State,
third state or international organization) under whose authority the classified information has been generated.
6
EU classified foreground information is information (documents/deliverables/materials) planned to be generated by
the project and that needs to be protected from unauthorized disclosure. The originator of the EUCI generated by the
project is the European Commission.
22
6.3 Research Integrity
Cases of scientific misconduct such as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or misrepresentation of data will
be considered as breaches of fundamental ethical principles and may result in the rejection of proposals.
Please note that NO direct or indirect contact is permitted between candidates AND any reviewer/expert
involved in the evaluation of a UNIPhD proposal. Any such contact may result in the decision to exclude the
concerned proposal from the call.
23
ANNEXES
7. MANDATORY TEMPLATES
Candidates must use the following templates for their CV and Project Proposal. Please note that evaluators
will be instructed to discard any information on pages that exceed the imposed limits. [Texts in brackets] are
intended as a guideline and have to be erased in the final documents. Please note that these formatting
conditions apply:
- The page size is A4, and all margins (top, bottom, left, right) should be at least 15 mm (not including any
footers or headers).
- The reference font for the body text is Times New Roman (Windows platforms), Times/Times New
Roman (Apple platforms) or Nimbus Roman No. 9 L (Linux distributions).
- The use of a different font for the body text is not advised
- The minimum font size allowed is 11 points. Standard character spacing and a minimum of single line
spacing is to be used.
- Text elements other than the body text, such as tables, headers, foot/end notes, captions, formulas, etc.
may deviate, but must be legible and not be less than 8 points.
7.1 CURRICULUM VITAE (MAX. 2 PAGES)
[The document you provide should be limited to maximum 2 pages and include your standard academic and
research record. Any research career gaps and/or unconventional paths should be clearly explained so that
this can be fairly assessed by the evaluators. Please use the reverse chronological order in each section.
Always mention full dates (using format: dd/mm/yyyy) and make sure all sections are covered].
PERSONAL INFORMATION
 First Name / Family Name

 Current address
 Date of birth
 Nationality
 E-mail address (preferably not a school email address)
EDUCATION
[List all your academic degrees; the one in progress or most recently earned has to be listed first. For each
degree course, please provide the following detailed information]
 Start date (mm/yyyy) – end date (mm/yyyy) of academic degree

 Name of degree awarding Institution, city and state
 Degree type and major, nominal/legal duration of the course [clearly state the number of years the
specified degree is supposed to last], final score (in case the degree has already been awarded) or
grades’ average (in case the degree has not yet been awarded)
 Month and year the degree was (will be) awarded
 Thesis title and, if applicable, advisor
PROFESSIONAL/RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
[List positions, including internships, that show off your skills and expertise. You can group experiences into
24
relevant categories to enhance your CV (e.g. Research, Teaching, Other). For each position, include the
following information]
 Job/Position title, organization name, city and state, dates position was held [please mention start
date – end date in the dd/mm/yyyy format]
INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY
[List your most relevant stays at international Universities/Institutions/Organizations (e.g. exchange mobility
for study, placement, teaching, training). Any virtual exchange mobility experience(s) should also be included.
For every mobility, please specify the following information]
 Type of international mobility, organization name, city and state, dates, activities that have been
carried out [it is mandatory to mention start date – end date in the dd/mm/yy format, use the reverse
chronological order]
RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS
[Use the format that is most appropriate to your particular academic discipline (e.g. include a brief description
of your work). For each prize and award, make sure you specify the date the award was received, the award
title and awarding institution. In case you received funding, please indicate the funding institution, date the
funding was received, funding justification (e.g. project title) and amount]
 Publications [Provide bibliographic citations for articles, pamphlets, chapters in books, research
reports, or any other publication(s) that you have authored or co-authored].
 Presentations (Oral and Poster) [Provide titles of professional presentations, conference(s) or
event(s), dates and location.
 Honors and Awards [Indicate the receipt of competitive scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
Name any scholastic honors]
 Funding received so far
 Other items of interest
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS
[Please list any relevant affiliations or memberships, e.g. to an Alumni or discipline-specific association(s)]
SKILLS and COMPETENCES
 Language skills [please be honest and specific, the use of the European Qualification Framework for
Languages is advised but not mandatory]
 IT skills
 Certificates earned (if any) [indicate awarding institution, certification title, score and level attested]
 Personal competences
 Other relevant skills
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

[Please list any extracurricular activity(ies) you feel may be relevant to share (e.g. they may be useful in
attesting the personal competences you mentioned above)]
25
7. 2 RESEARCH PROPOSAL (MAX. 4 PAGES)
REMEMBER: each of the 25 UNIPhD Doctoral Courses offers 2 research topics. They are frameworks within
which applicants have to propose an original research project in collaboration with a Supervisor at Unipd.
Detailed research options from potential Supervisors have been collected and listed for each topic. Such
list is not exhaustive. It serves as a guide and brings applicants in contact with potential Supervisors for the
development of the research project. Applicants are free to propose a research project that is not listed.
[Please write your research proposal (max. 4 pages) following this template and make sure you cover both
sections A and B.]
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
Candidate’s Surname, Name
Doctoral Course
Research topic
Project title
Supervisor’s Surname, Name
B. RESEARCH PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION

1. RELEVANCE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT
Introduction and State of the Art
 Briefly outline the state-of-the-art in your research field
 Explain why your project is timely [why now?] and innovative [how does it go beyond the state-of-
the-art?]
2. CLARITY OF THE OBJECTIVES AND SOUNDNESS OF METHODOLOGY
2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES
 Define the objectives and scopes of your research project
 Define the objectives of your research training
2.2 RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY
 Explain your approach and methodology
 Illustrate the interdisciplinary, international, inter-sectorial aspect(s) of your project
 Explain why you wish to pursue this project at Unipd, within the selected PhD Course and in
collaboration with your identified supervisor(s)
 Provide a 3-year workplan offering a temporal distribution of your activities (e.g. training and
secondments)
2.3. EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACT
 Describe the expected scientific results of your project
 Explain how the proposed research and training will help you develop your professional potential in the
academic and/or non-academic sector [what are your personal and professional expectations in terms of
career perspectives?]
3. QUALITY OF PROPOSED SECONDMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE 3 I’S DIMENSIONS (INTERNATIONAL,
INTERDISCIPLINARY, INTERSECTORAL)
 Outline the 2 secondment option(s) you envisage for your project [you have to carry out 2
secondments, one of which mandatory, for a minimum period of 3 months and a maximum of 18 months].
4. RELEVANT REFERENCES (up to 20) [Please note that references do not count towards the page limit]
26
8. USEFUL LINKS REGARDING RULES AND POLICIES AT UNIPD
Please note that the short name Unipd stands for University of Padua, Italy.
- The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C)
| Carta europea e Codice di reclutamento dei ricercatori
https://www.unipd.it/carta-europea-codice-reclutamento-ricercatori (in Italian)
https://www.unipd.it/en/hr-excellence-research (in English)
- Data protection and personal data handling Rules and recommendations adopted at Unipd
https://www.unipd.it/privacy (in Italian)
https://www.unipd.it/en/privacy (in English)
- EU GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679, art. 13

http://www.privacy-regulation.eu/en/13.htm
- EU Regulation 428/2009 concerning dual use items

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:134:0001:0269:en:PDF
27

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University of Padua, Italy

MSCA COFUND Doctoral Programme UNIPhD

HORIZON 2020 MSCA COFUND DOCTORAL PROGRAMME

Guide for Applicants

Deadline: 8 March 2022, 1 p.m.

Date of call opening: 11 January 2022

Purpose of this document

UNIPhD PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

UNIPhD “Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary

2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. WHO CAN APPLY?

2.1 Examples on eligibility criteria

Proposals will be evaluated in 4 steps according to the following criteria.

Admissibility of proposals Deadline, Completeness, in English, PASS/FAIL

Achievements (e.g. actual length of studies, awards/honours, previous research max. 25

Clarity of the objectives and soundness of methodology max. 40

Excellence of the candidate max. 100

Coherence between the candidate’s motivation and career prospective max. 30

Knowledge of the subject(s) relevant to the research project max. 30

Evidence of creative and critical thinking max. 20

Potential of the candidate to reach a position of professional maturity max. 20

Step 4: Final ranking – Executive Board reviews all evaluation procedures

Overall score Weight max. 100

Evaluation of the CV (Step 2) 30% max. 30

Evaluation of the research proposal (Step 2) 30% max. 30

Evaluation of the interview (Step 3) 40% max. 40

4. TIMELINE OF THE CALL

11 January 2022 Call opening

To access the electronic submission system, please go to: https://pica.cineca.it/unipd/.

5.1 How to register and access the system

Fig. 1 – Login/Registration page

Fig. 2 – User registration

Fig. 3 – New registration

5.2 Access the application procedure

Fig. 4 – Application form

Click on “Compila una nuova domanda/New submission” to start a new submission.

5.3 Proposal sections

In Fig. 5 is the index of the proposal sections.

5.3.1 Corso di dottorato / PhD course

Fig. 6 – PhD Course

Fig. 7 – Research topic

5.3.2 Dati anagrafici e recapiti / Personal and Contact Data

5.3.3 Titoli di studio e mobilità / Qualifications and mobility

Fig. 8 – Academic qualification

Fig. 9 – Mobility rule

You can add as many periods as you wish by clicking on “Aggiungi/Add”.

5.3.4 Dichiarazioni / Declarations

Fig. 10 – Candidates with disability or learning disabilities section

5.3.6 Ethics Issues Tables and Ethics Self-assessment

5.4 Submission of the proposal

Fig. 12 - Signature options

Fig. 13 - “Handwritten Signature” procedure.

5.5 Reference Letters

Fig. 14 – Reference letters

5.6 How to modify or withdraw your application

Fig. 15 Withdrawal of the application

Please follow the instructions for signature procedures.

5.7 Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities

Fig. 16 – Applicants with disability or Learning Disabilities

5.9 Additional information

6. ETHICS AND SECURITY

Table 2. Ethics Self-assessment).

6.1 Ethics Review