Based on a Cooperation Agreement signed in May 2020 by UUSL and the Milano Biccoca University, the first-ranked university in Milan, Italy, (https://www.unimib.it/), UUSL PhD students will have a chance to attend their PhD studies in cooperation with the Milano Biccoca University and, upon completion of their studies, obtain a PhD/SJD academic title at both Universities.

The Joint PhD Studies Programme pertains to doctoral dissertations pertaining to the general Law and Pluralism field of study and within one of the five following sub-fields:

1. Pluralism and Democracy;
2. Public Security, Prevention of and the Fight against the Terrorism, International Cooperation;
3. Pluralism and Criminal Justice;
4. Work and Business in Plural Society;
5. Minors and Family.

Applications calls will be announced in May 2020, 2021 and 2022 and available on websites of both UUSL and Milano Biccoca University. In September each year, a joint committee with members from both Universities will select and rank the applicants upon considering their applications and an interview with each of them.

The first-ranked applicant will have a right to a three-year stipend amounting to 16,638 EUR per academic year provided by the University in Milan. This University will also provide an annual scholarly research budget of 1,623 EUR to each student (covering the costs of conference attendance, travel costs, etc.), while the contribution of UUSL towards the scholarly research costs of the PhD candidates will be specified separately in the aforementioned Agreement.

Upon completion of the selection process and before enrollment, each selected applicant will sign a single PhD dissertation writing agreement with both partner Universities.

The administration costs of Milano Biccoca University payable upon enrollment depend on the candidate’s and his/her family’s welfare status. The first semester costs of each academic year are 156 EUR, while those  for each second semester may range from 200 to 1,200 EUR. At his/her, enrollment, the candidate is bound to pay UUSL the regular tuition fee amount, as well as the amount of the enrollment administration costs.

It is the PhD student’s duty to attend his/her studies both with UUSL and University Milano Biccoca regularly and side by side in accordance with their accredited curricula. Please note that the Italian PhD studies programme does not imply attending courses and exams, only periodical PhD seminars and conferences, which, esp. in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, does not require PhD candidates’ permanent attendance in Milan. However, the aforementioned single agreement requires that PhD candidates must spend at least 12 months during their three-year studies at the Milan University.

Each PhD candidate gets two co-mentors – one from each University – at enrollment.

Once the relevant bodies of both Universities have approved the defense of the PhD thesis acc. to their respective legal procedures, the event is organized in Milan, Italy (alternatively in Belgrade, Serbia) before a committee composed of professors from both partner universities.

The PhD dissertation is written and defended in English.

Once the PhD thesis has been defended, both Universities are bound to issue their own PhD diploma, implying that the candidate obtains and Italian (eke European) PhD that needs no extra authentication and certification in Serbia because UUSL will issue him/her its own PhD diploma as well.

For all additional information prospective applicants may address the Coordinator of this programme, Assoc. Prof. Marko Božić, SJD to the following e-mail: marko.bozic@pravnifakultet.rs