The Doctoral Program in Psychology was activated in the 37th Cycle. It is an InterAteneo Doctoral Program with the participation of the University of Messina and the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro. The goals, objectives and training organization have remained substantially unchanged over time given the overall positive feedback from doctoral and postdoctoral students and given the objective results of the effectiveness of the training proposal.
This, in fact, was confirmed by the favorable opinion for the accreditation of the doctoral program for all cycles (37th to 40th).
With respect to the 41st cycle, the analysis of the results obtained by the Ph.D.s who have just completed their training (Cycle 37th) reinforced the need to keep the composition of the College of Teachers and the structuring of the training unchanged.
The request and the need for accreditation arose solely because of the opportunity (tour-over) to change the Administrative seat of the Doctorate (and consequently, given the University regulations, the Coordinator).
As early as the establishment of the Doctorate, consultation with social partners, although not expressly provided for in the regulations, has been an integral part of the planning and annual renewal application process. For example, from the very beginning, the Doctorate has seen active participation by a social enterprise, which not only contributed by activating co-funded Doctoral Fellowships, Apprenticeships, but was an important stimulus in the design phase of the training course.
Thus, the design of the training plan of the present Ph.D., with a special focus on the training objectives, was defined both through extensive consultation of industry studies and through direct discussion with the main stakeholders in the outgoing cultural/professional profiles (students, faculty, scientific and professional organizations, cultural figures) so as to ensure full correspondence between the preparation of Ph.D.s and the needs of society and the labor market (demand for training).
In addition, a stable dialogue with stakeholders makes it possible to verify the consistency between professional profiles and defined learning outcomes and to confirm or modify improve the structure of the educational pathway in the presence of changed needs while developing a cooperative relationship with the territory.
For this reason, it is considered appropriate to structure a consultation timetable that includes at least a six-monthly comparison in order to enable effective monitoring. It is believed that stakeholder consultation should not only take place at the activation stage, but has the fundamental function of fostering real consistency between the training of researchers and the actual needs of the job market.