The doctoral programme is considered as equivalent to full-time employment. External collaborations will only be authorised if compatible with the doctoral programme in terms of subject matter (in line with the student’s research) and time commitment (part-time). The students must consider all classes and other SIS activities as their absolute priority. In this line, doctoral students should recall that they are expected to take on Teaching Assistant or Tutor positions on the MEIS or MISS Masters degrees in their third year of study to gain teaching experience (up to a maximum of 40 hours). In addition, students should also recall that the doctoral course includes time outside the institution (usually one semester), and is that the three-year time limit is strictly applied. Any external collaboration request will be considered in line with the above, with particular emphasis on the subject, contract type and tasks proposed.
To be authorised, collaborations must:
- be confined to a relatively brief period;
- not take up more than 1 day per week;
- be compatible with the student’s research both in terms of content and tasks to be carried out (research rather than administration or management);
- be verifiable on a regular basis; - start after the end of the 1st year of the PhD Programme;
- a maximum of two collaborations is possible per student.

Of particular importance are the following selected issues:
- PhD students have to attend courses and other academic activities organised by the PhD Programme, continuously engage in research and study activities, and present regular updates on their work to their supervisor.
- During the regular duration of three years, PhD students have the right to obtain a leave of absence in case of maternity or serious and documented illness. In all other cases, PhD students must obtain the express written permission of the PhD Programme Committee. The Committee may decide to re-admit students returning after a prolonged absence to the ongoing academic year or to the next academic year. In case of a leave of absence of longer than 30 days, the payment of the scholarship will be temporarily suspended.
The PhD Programme Committee may, in a motivated decision, expel PhD students from the Programme in cases where:
- the PhD Programme Committee expresses a negative opinion concerning the PhD student’s admission to the next year of studies;
- the PhD student takes up employment, even if part-time or independent, without the express permission of the PhD Programme Committee;
- prolonged and unjustified absence. Scholarships will be automatically terminated in case a student should be expelled from the Programme.
- prolonged and unjustified absence.
Scholarships will be automatically terminated in case a student should be expelled from the Programme.