No? You can choose the alma mater university from T4EU alliance Universities, apply with the individual program and rules established at the university.
T4EU PhD Tracks
Are you a PhD student?
Yes? Take your time to recognize the formal frames and the PhD Track sheet.
About T4EU PhD Tracks
PhD track = a doctoral project with an international aspect
T4EU PhD Tracks is a unique opportunity to broaden scientific horizons and an advanced path for educating doctoral students as part of the Transform4Europe consortium of European universities.
The individual PhD track is a doctoral project conducted at the home university, where the student works with a supervisor. The student attends part of his/her doctoral education at one of the T4EU universities, where he/she collaborates with an advisor. Therefore, PhD students accepted for projects under T4EU PhD Tracks will carry out research with the support of the supervisor and advisor.
The PhD research theme should be related to prioritized T4EU focus topics:
Digital transformation and smart regions revolve around leveraging digital technologies to improve infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life. A key aspect is the integration of advanced technologies with urban and regional development.
Environmental transformation and sustainable development focus on the efficient use of resources and reducing environmental impacts through technology, innovation and ecological awareness. They concentrate on combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and promoting a circular economy for a greener future.
Social transformation, community building and integration focus on creating inclusive, equitable, and resilient communities through policy, technology, and cultural shifts. It aims to enhance social cohesion, accessibility, and opportunities for all individuals, regardless of background.
Discover formal frames
- The theme of the research has to be involved in one of the three optional challenge-based T4EU modules:
- Digital transformation and smart regions
- Environmental transformation and sustainability
- Societal transformation, community building and inclusion
- At the Alliance Universities, choose the advisor who takes part in the education of a doctoral student.
- The tasks of the supervisor and advisor depend on the research project. Collaboration should focus on discussions, solving the project problems, and discussing certain aspects and the main goals of the research and thesis.
- The PhD students could be invited by an advisor to participate in the courses or lectures or attend a conference (one of the mobility aspects of PhD Tracks). Organising mobility and its costs always fall under the university budget for the PhD student. The doctoral students engaged in PhD Tracks will be taught according to the same educational program as the rest at Alma Mater University. Their international activities will be recognized as selected duties from the educational program.
- There will be a certificate given to each PhD student at the end of their education.
- Saarland University (Germany) – Anna-Maria Braun, anna-maria.braun@uni-saarland.de
- University of Alicante (Spain) – Fernando Prados Martinez, secret.eidua@ua.es
- Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia) – Irene Hütsi, irene.hutsi@artun.ee
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal) – Ana Fabiola Mauricio, fabiola.mauricio@ucp.pt
- University of Primorska (Slovenia) – Štefko Miklavič, stefko.miklavic@upr.si
- Jean Monnet University (France) – Jessica Stark, jessica.stark@univ-st-etienne.fr
- University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland) – Magdalena Pacwa-Płociniczak, magdalena.pacwa-plociniczak@us.edu.pl
- University of “St. Kliment Ohridski” (Bulgaria) – Deyana Andonova, deyana_andonova@admin.uni-sofia.bg
- University of Trieste (Italy) – Francesco Pauli, francesco.pauli@deams.units.it
- Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) – Viktorija Kavaliauskaitė-Vilkinienė, viktorija.kavaliauskaite-vilkiniene@vdu.lt
Prof. Tomasz Pietrzykowski – Vice-Rector for International and Domestic Cooperation, prorektorrw@us.edu.pl
Prof. Alina Świeściak-Fast – Dean of the Doctoral School, alina.swiesciak@us.edu.pl
Dr. Ryszard Knapek – Head of the Office of the Doctoral School, ryszard.knapek@us.edu.pl
Dr. Magdalena Pacwa-Płociniczak – Coordinator for T4.3 – PhD Tracks, magdalena.pacwa-plociniczak@us.edu.pl
Prof. Agnieszka Nowak-Brzezińska, agnieszka.nowak-brzezinska@us.edu.pl
Dr. Marek Pawlicki, marek.pawlicki@us.edu.pl
Dr. Małgorzata Pawlik, malgorzata.pawlik@us.edu.pl
MSc. Diana Pasek diana.pasek@us.edu.pl
What are the T4EU PhD Tracks?
The PhD track = a doctoral project with an international aspect
This program ensures international cooperation, academic development, and support from leading research centers.
PhD Track is a doctoral project conducted under the support of at least two researchers: a supervisor affiliated with the University connected with the doctorate and advisor/s from a partner T4EU institutions.
The doctoral student conducts their research primarily at the home university under the guidance of a supervisor. Additionally, PhD cooperates with an advisor from the T4EU partner university where a part of the research project is carried out.
Trilateral cooperation between doctoral student, supervisor and advisor ensures the international aspect of doctoral education.
What does being in T4EU tracks give me?
Being a member PhD Tracks you have access to knowledge, cooperation with academic from partner universities of the alliance, conduct scientific research, flexible curricula and development of multilingual educational optionsas well as you can influence the future of your region, country, Europe.
What is the difference between PhD tracks and co-tutelle?
The tracks are intended to represent a “lighter” version of international doctorate than the co-tutelle model, therefore PhD tracks are not equal to co-tutelle.
The desired result of a co-tutelle doctorate is the joint award a doctoral degree from both universities (“Joint Degree”) on the basis of only one single doctoral thesis, and under joint supervision equally at both universities. The co-tutelle concept, although well-known, can often encounter legal complications. Therefore, the PhD tracks idea is proposed as an alternative approach.
How does an advisor’s role differ from that of an assistant supervisor?
The advisor’s role is to provide guidance and support in selected aspects of the candidate’s research. Their role is akin to that of a tutor or mentor.
The assistant supervisor is an official member of the doctoral committee, whose task is to support the PhD student and assess their progress within the framework of the individual research plan and the education process.
PhD Track is a doctoral project conducted under the support of at least two researchers: a supervisor affiliated with the University connected with the doctorate and advisor/s from a partner T4EU institutions.
Who are we? What is this T4EU?
Discover Tranform4Europe on official website: transform4europe.eu/about-us.
A short story about us: Eleven European universities create the alliance to educate people to face the most important challenges of civilization.
The T4EU alliance has opened for society new possibilities to educate new generations of highly skilled European knowledge entrepreneurs.
Where are we? Partner universities and contact to coordinator of PhD Tracks
- Saarland University (Germany) – Anna-Maria Braun, anna-maria.braun@uni-saarland.de
- University of Alicante (Spain) – Fernando Prados Martinez, secret.eidua@ua.es
- Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia) – Irene Hütsi, irene.hutsi@artun.ee
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal) – Ana Fabiola Mauricio, fabiola.mauricio@ucp.pt
- University of Primorska (Slovenia) – Štefko Miklavič, stefko.miklavic@upr.si
- Jean Monnet University (France) – Jessica Stark, jessica.stark@univ-st-etienne.fr
- University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland) – Magdalena Pacwa-Płociniczak, magdalena.pacwa-plociniczak@us.edu.pl
- University of “St. Kliment Ohridski” (Bulgaria) – Deyana Andonova, deyana_andonova@admin.uni-sofia.bg
- University of Trieste (Italy) – Francesco Pauli, francesco.pauli@deams.units.it
- Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) – Viktorija Kavaliauskaitė-Vilkinienė, viktorija.kavaliauskaite-vilkiniene@vdu.lt
How to be a member of T4EU initiatives?
On the official website, transform4europe.eu/about-us, you can find current events or initiatives, both available to the public and only for the T4EU community. In each partner T4EU university, there are Project Managers who spread relevant information about the project. Please do not hesitate to contact them.
Mobility within the tracks
The mandatory aspect of the T4EU PhD Tracks is mobility.
Increasing the international aspect of the project is irreversible connected with the mobility of PhD students. Collaboration with an advisor allows for increasing the PhD student’s ability to attend courses or lectures and participate in conferences. As a result, the mobility within the PhD tracks can be understood differently depending on the nature of the project and the interactions between the candidate, supervisor, and advisor.
Advisors and their involvement in the tracks
An advisor is an academic teacher of one of T4EU universities, a PhD holder at least. The advisor may represent the same or another academic discipline as the PhD candidate.
Advisors are partners of a supervisor who take part in the education of a doctoral student. They are ancillaries of the supervisor, more akin to a tutor or mentor who supports the PhD candidate in scientific aspects of their research and development. The role of the advisor is to provide guidance and support in selected aspects of the candidate’s research.
Benefits from T4EU PhD Tracks
PhD Tracks is a fantastic way to gain wide-ranging research experience within different academic environments through collaboration and being part of an exceptional international research team.
Final results of the T4EU PhD Tracks
Under the PhD tracks, the candidate is granted one degree by a single university. The candidate writes a single PhD dissertation under one supervision. They are enrolled in and complete the PhD program at one university. However, a portion of the PhD program may be conducted at a partner university. Additionally, the candidate receives support from advisors at the partner universities.
Application process
More information soon.
Discover actual T4EU PhD Tracks
The University of Silesia in Katowice has initiated a new path for educating doctoral students as part of the Transform4Europe consortium of European universities.
Candidates accepted for projects under T4EU PhD Tracks are a doctoral students at the University of Silesia, but they carry out some of their tasks at the partner universities of the Transform4Europe consortium, under the supervision of the so-called advisors – researchers from these universities, who support the doctoral student and the supervisor in the preparation of the doctoral dissertation.
Meet the PhD Tracks students and discover their PhD research
Aleksandra Mrowiec
PhD student in Biomedical Engineering
Jacek Kasztowski
PhD student in Biological Science
Kacper Milanowski
PhD student in Biological Science
Olga Rembielińska
PhD student in Cultural and Religion Studies
Piotr F. Piasek
PhD student in Philosophy
Sylwia Zazulak
PhD student in Literary Studies
Martyna Lalik
PhD student in Earth and related environmental sciences
Michał Szczęsny
PhD student in Law
Contact
Please send us a brief note about yourself via email at malgorzata.pawlik@us.edu.pl. Describe your PhD project, include your supervisor’s affiliation, and outline your scientific interests. We will assist you in connecting with the right person, the coordinator for T4EU PhD Tracks at your university.
If you prefer, you may handle this yourself instead: T4EU PhD Tracks coordinators.