University of Palermo
The PhD Course in “Environmental Agronomy” was
established in 1998 and was appointed as
International Doctorate in 2009.
Since its beginning, the issues of the PhD course
have caught the attention of several graduates, not
only in agriculture and forestry science but also, in
natural science, geology, engineering, chemistry,
etc.
During these years, more than 70 PhD students
have been attending the PhD courses and many
of them have got very good job position.
Partners of the International Doctorate in
“Environmental Agronomy” are:
 6 European Universities and
 1 foreign Research Center
that allow to cover many scientific topics in the fields
of agriculture, horticulture, soil science and land
evaluation “sensu lato”.
The NET of the PhD course
Proposer:
Department of Agriculture and Forestry Science
University of Palermo - Italy
1
2
Italian Partners:
 University of Viterbo 1
Department of Crop Science
 University of Reggio Calabria 2
Department of Biotecnologies for Food Production
3
2
4
1
International Partners
 National Institute of Research and Development for
Biological Sciences- Bucarest 1
 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine
“Ion Ionescu De La Brad” Iasi, Romania 2
 University of Gödöllő
Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary 3
 University of Gyöngyös
4
Karoly Robert College of Gyöngyös, Hungary
Program and objectives
Scientific and training aims of the
PhD in Environmental Agronomy
involve several research themes
within five broad topics:
1: Evaluation of the environmental impact of
energy input
 Energy input innovation in the agroecosystem;
 Evaluation of energy inputs and their
impact on the environment;
 Optimization of energy input in ecosustainable production systems.
2: Development of plant life, environmental
recovery, innovative systems, constructed
wetlands
 Identification and development of native, halophile plant
resources for the recovery and conservation of coastal dune
systems;
 Use of plant species in constructed wetlands for the re-use of
water in irrigation;
 Use of native plant species for the design of parks and gardens;
 Use of native plant species as vegetablecrops;
 Study of Mediterranean floral eco-types for the optimization of
low-maintenance turf grass lawns;
 Collection and agronomic evaluation of medicinal and
aromatic plant eco-types for food, pharmaceutical and
cosmetic purposes
3: Identification and use of energy sources
(biotic and abiotic) in the Mediterranean area
 Study of local resources (soil substrates, local organic residues,
climate conditions etc) for the development or rationalization
of protected eco-sustainable agriculture;
 Adoption of simplified protective techniques for open field
cultivation: crop cover with agrotextiles, soil solarisation, soil
mulching etc.
 Use of different protective structures in agriculture in the
Mediterranean area;
 Energy transmission of different protective structures
(greenhouses).
4: Soil quality and conservation in
Mediterranean environments
 Soil salinization and management of salt-affected soils;
 Soil organic and inorganic carbon stock and dynamics with
implications on global climate change;
 Establishing quality indicators and indices for soil monitoring
and conservation;
 Issues of soil degradation and desertification: environmental
protection and strategies for the sustainable development;
 Anthropogenic and Technogenic soils: features and taxonomic
aspects;
 Pedodiversity and Soil Biodiversity
5: Agro-Energy
 Crops for oilseed production;
 Production of second generation biofuels – biooils;
 Energy use of lignocellulosic biomass from Mediterranean
plant species.
Board of Professors: 25 professors
Board of Professors
Board of Professors
Formative activities:
1. Courses
2. Seminars
3. Stages
1. Courses:
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Statistic
Agronomy
Soil science
Land evaluation
2. Seminars:
2. Seminars:
2. Seminars:
2. Seminars:
2. Seminars:
3. Stage of PhD student abroad:
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Daniela Poma (Spain)
Giovanni Misseri (Egipt)
Leo Sabatino (USA)
Alfonso Tirone (Spain)
Camillo Lungo (Romania)
Maria Brinza (Romania)
Summer school
International PhD Course in : “Environmental Agronomy”
(Agronomia Ambientale)
Summer school - Iaşi (Romania)
September, 2-29 2013
PLANT, SOIL & ENVIRONMENT:
OLD AND NEW LINKS
Strong Points (SP)
for
Quality assurance
Quality assurance:
Board of Professors (SP):
20 professors (minimum: 12) + 5 researchers
Performance of the Coordinator (SP):
Scientific production (score over 3) &
national and international awards
Performance of the Board of Professors (SP):
Scientific production (score over 2)
Quality assurance:
Governance (SP):
distribution of responsibilities:
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vice-coordinator;
a delegate to the web-page of the PhD;
a delegate to the organization of the PhD courses;
a delegate to the relation with the PhD students;
Quality assurance:
External funds (SP):
 1 grant PhD student from the European
Social Fund (ESF) in 2010 and 2012
Quality assurance:
Recruitment, admission and selection
procedures (SP):
1. qualification requirements
2. admission
3. selection criteria and procedures
1. Qualification requirements (SP):
The qualifications requirements take into
consideration:
 The degree score: counted for a maximum of 10
points (1 point for each score up to 101/110 and 1
point for the merit score)
 Any other title: counted for a maximum of 10 points
(other degrees, certificates of post-graduate courses,
schools, periods spent in Italian or foreign scientific
institutions, …..).
2. Admission (SP):
The Evaluation Committee
The Evaluation Committee consists of three
members: two Italian professors and one foreign
professor (two of them must belong to other
university and are chosen from experts in the
scientific areas of the PhD Research Program).
The Evaluation Committee may also include no
more than two experts from public and private
national and international corporations or research
institutes.
3. Selection criteria and procedures (SP):
Procedures
Selection procedures are designed to ascertain the
candidate's aptitude for scientific research.
The admission tests consist of:
 a written test (min 4 hours – max 6 hours);
 Interview in which the candidate will present an
original research plan regarding the topics of the
PhD course;
The candidate must also demonstrate a knowledge
of two European languages.
3. Selection criteria and procedures (SP):
Selection criteria
A total of 100 points for qualifications, written test and
interview
Written test – for a maximum of 40/100 points.
The test is passed with a minimum of 28/40
Interview – for a maximum of 40/100 points
The test is passed with a minimum 28/40
Qualifications – for a maximum of 20/100 points
Monitoring of progress (SP):
The PhD students’ activity is monitored. It depends on the
approval at the end of every year and any time they
follow seminars, conferences, congresses.
In particular:
 at the end of every year each PhD student must prepare
a report on his/her research activity during the year.
Such report will be presented and discussed during an
open session at the presence of the Board of Professors
and of the others PhD students.
 at the end of every seminar each PhD student must fill
in a questionnaire with 10 yes-no questions. Each test is
positively evaluated with a minimum of 8/10
Involvement of PhD students (SP):
The PhD students can be involved in collaborating
in the course of his/her supervisor.
Each PhD student can held no more than 6 hours
of exercises aiming at deepen particular aspects
of the university courses.
Each PhD student is also encouraged to present
the result of his/her scientific activity in national
and/or international events.
Webminars (SP):
The Doctorate course provides a browser-based free system that allows
PhD students to set up conferences in the Web.
The UNIPAMEETINGS system is used mainly for web-seminars, recruiting
interviews and it is an important tool for students allowing to share
documents and to meet their advisor whey they’re abroad.
During these years, more than 70 PhD students have been
attending the PhD courses and many of them have got very
good job position.
At present among PhD Doctors in Environmental Agronomy,
there are:
 3 associate professors;
 5 university researchers;
 25 research officers in Agricultural Research Centers;
 5 professors in high schools
University of Palermo