Description of the School

 The Joint Doctoral School is conducted by the Silesian University of Technology and the Central Mining Institute, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Computer Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre for Polymer and Carbon Materials of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Mari Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology - National Research Institute. The School enables innovative and interdisciplinary research.

In WSD doctoral students prepare

• interdisciplinary doctoral dissertations with the indication of the leading discipline or
• interdisciplinary doctoral dissertations within one field of science, without indicating the leading discipline.

The training is individualised. Apart from a small number of obligatory classes, the doctoral student, in agreement with his or her supervisor, chooses subjects from various disciplines, in accordance with his or her interests and helpful in preparing the dissertation. This allows them to carry out their own original and innovative research projects. The training at WSD includes classes in the form of specialist and monographic lectures, internships improving doctoral students' skills in the area of didactics in higher education, workshops, summer schools, seminars and scientific conferences.

A doctoral student works under the supervision of a supervisor and possibly an assistant supervisor (in justified cases). The dissertation can be written in Polish or in English. The appointment of the supervisor and the language of the dissertation takes place at the request of the doctoral student within 3 months of starting his/her education at the doctoral school.

Each doctoral student receives a scholarship during the four years of training. The training takes place in stationary mode.

The School recruits in the following disciplines:

• ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING
• AUTOMATION, ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
• TECHNICAL INFORMATICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
• CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
• CIVIL ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORT
• MATERIALS ENGINEERING
• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
• ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, MINING AND POWER ENGINEERING
• CHEMICAL SCIENCES
• MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY SCIENCES
• MEDICAL SCIENCES 
• EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

WSD also offers double doctorates (in cooperation with selected universities
D. (in cooperation with selected universities from all over the world) and the Implementing Doctorate (a programme of the Ministry of Education and Science intended for people who - in order to develop their scientific career - do not want to give up their professional work outside academia).

A graduate of the Joint Doctoral School possesses highly specialised education gained under the supervision of outstanding scientists as well as skills in conducting scientific and didactic work. They are prepared to undertake independent scientific and didactic work in domestic and foreign universities and institutes. Moreover, he/she acquires broad knowledge beyond the discipline in which he/she has prepared a doctoral dissertation.

Do you have questions about recruitment to the Joint Doctoral School and its functioning? Please visit the dedicated website.

Training programme

The education lasts 4 years. It includes obligatory classes and elective subjects (about 300 hours in total for the whole period of education) and the realization of an Individual Research Programme, carried out under the supervision of a supervisor.

Scholarships

During the four years of study, each doctoral student receives a stipend of 3466,90 PLN gross for the first two years of study (before the mid-term evaluation) and 5340,90 PLN gross in the next two years after the mid-term evaluation. Disability allowance: PLN 1040,07.

Compulsory insurance premiums are deducted from the scholarship amount, and the scholarship itself is reduced by them (by about 13%). The scholarship is tax-free.

Instructions for registration in the IRK system

 How to apply

Enrolment

Recruitment to the Joint Doctoral School takes place through a competition under the rules set out in the Resolution of the Senate of the Silesian University of Technology No. 56/2023 of 18 December 2023 on the principles of recruitment to the Doctoral School for education starting in the academic year 2024/2025.Commencement of Education - October 2024.

Promoters

The first step in the process of applying to the Doctoral School is to choose a PhD topic (in one of the specified scientific disciplines), to contact, by e-mail, your future supervisor, in order to discuss the details of the project and to obtain the supervisor's statement required in the recruitment process. (see Required documents).

List of subjects and supervisors.

Enrolment fee

The amount of the enrollment fee is 200 PLN. 

Foreigners pay the equivalent of the enrollment fee in euros, converted at the average exchange rate of euros 

announced by the National Bank of Poland on the last working day of the calendar year preceding the 

the academic year for which recruitment is conducted, rounded up to the nearest whole value. 

Form of the qualification procedure

In justified cases, in particular in the current situation related to a pandemic or in case of foreign candidates, the interview takes place outside the seat of the University, with the use of information technology ensuring the control of the interview and its registration.

The maximum number of points to be obtained in the qualification procedure - 100 points.

Language of the selection procedure, including the interview

The interview takes place in Polish or English in accordance with the candidate's preferences notified in IRK. If Polish is chosen, the interview may include a part conducted in English.

Dokument required

A candidate submits only electronically (in the IRK system) an application for admission to the School, which includes:

1. a current photograph, conforming to the requirements for issuing identity cards.
2. a copy of the diploma of graduation from the MA studies with a supplement.
3. a copy of the diploma of graduation from an EngD course with a supplement (if completed).
4. documents confirming the English language proficiency at least at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (optional).
5. preliminary concept of the doctoral dissertation, according to the specimen.
6. a motivation letter presenting the candidate's motivation for undertaking education at the doctoral school, including the expected thematic area of the candidate's dissertation.
7. a statement of the supervisor chosen by the candidate on undertaking the scientific supervision of the preparation of the doctoral dissertation, according to the specimen.LINK
8. documents confirming the candidate's scientific achievements - scientific publications, presenting a scientific paper at a scientific conference, participation in research projects, activity in scientific circles and organisations, obtained patents and patent applications, obtained awards and distinctions, obtained the minister's scholarship for outstanding achievements.
9. statement that there are no contraindications to undertaking education that involves harmful factors, according to the specimen
10. statement about the candidate's status at another doctoral school, in accordance with the specimen.

All required documents (except the photograph) should be attached as PDF files.  

Judgment criteria

1. The maximum number of points a candidate can obtain is 100.
2. The interview is conducted:
   • in case the candidate submits documents confirming the knowledge of English at the level of at least B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages - in Polish or, at the candidate's request, in English,
   • in case when a candidate does not submit documents confirming his/her knowledge of English at the level of at least B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages - in English.
3. The interview consists of two parts:
   • multimedia presentation of the candidate, lasting no longer than 15 minutes, including presentation of:
     a) the candidate's profile,
     b) the results of his/her scientific work so far (including the scope of the master's thesis)
     c) the candidate's interest in the chosen research topic
     d) the candidate's motivation for undertaking training at doctoral school,
   • questions asked by the recruitment team, in particular about the content of the candidate's presentation and aimed at verifying the candidate's readiness to enter doctoral training in the chosen field. 4) the number of questions asked by the selected team.
4. The number of questions asked by a supervisor of the candidate's choice may not exceed half of the total number of questions asked by the admissions panel.
5. knowledge of the English language at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is assessed through an interview conducted in English. In case the candidate submits documents confirming the English language proficiency at least at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the candidate is awarded the maximum number of points for the English language proficiency.
6. In terms of academic achievements, only those achievements from the 5 years preceding the recruitment to the doctoral school will be assessed.
7. Only academic achievements in the discipline or related discipline in which the doctoral school is conducted shall be assessed.
8. The following criteria shall be taken into account when evaluating a candidate's academic achievements:
   • in the case of scientific achievements concerning:
   a) a scientific monograph or a scientific article:
   - type and form,
   - percentage of the author's contribution,
   - number of points in the list of publications or in the list of scientific journals and peer-reviewed materials from international conferences drawn up in accordance with the regulations issued pursuant to Article 267, para. 2, item 2 of the Act,
   - innovativeness of the scientific research subject matter covered by the scientific monograph or scientific article,
   b) the research project:
   - role played,
   - period of participation,
   - number of scientific papers, scientific monographs, chapters in a scientific monograph or scientific articles, practical applications of the results of scientific research or development works, or implementations of the results of scientific activities resulting from participation in the project,
   - prestige of the competition under which the project is financed,
   - innovativeness and importance of the project for the development of science,
   c) scientific conference:
   - range,
   - number of participants,
   - number of institutions represented,
   - number of speakers having at least a PhD degree,
   - innovativeness of the scientific research being the subject of the scientific paper,
   - status of the organiser,
   d) the competition:
   - range,
   - place achieved,
   - percentage share of the achievement for which the team prize or distinction was awarded,
   - the number of participants, including the number of teams,
   - status of the organiser,
   e) practical applications of the results of research or development work, including patent applications, granted patents or implementation of the results of scientific activity in another form - the number of such applications,
   (f) participation in the activities of a scientific circle or organisation:
   - role played,
   - period of participation,
   - participation in competitions,
   - innovativeness of the scientific research topics covered by the activities of the scientific circle or organisation.
9. The candidate's scientific achievements shall be documented in writing, in the form of:
   (a) pages of a scientific monograph or a scientific journal, containing the author's name or the authors' names, the title of the scientific monograph or scientific article, the name of the publishing house, the place of publication, the month and year of publication, ISBN, elSBN, ISSN, elSSN or DOI,
   (b) statements of the first author or corresponding author of a scientific monograph, a chapter in a scientific monograph or a scientific article on the percentage of the candidate's authorship contribution to the scientific monograph, chapter in a scientific monograph or a scientific article - in case of co-authorship,
   (c) a statement by the head of the research project providing information on the number, source of funding, duration and aim of the project, the role played by the candidate in the project and the scope of the tasks performed by him/her, as well as the effects of the project
   (d) the programme of the scientific conference or post-conference material, including the names of the speakers and the institutions they represent
   (e) a declaration of the candidate on the authorship and presentation of the scientific paper,
   (f) a diploma or other document confirming the award or distinction in a competition
   (g) declaration of the team leader or team members on the candidate's percentage share in the achievement in the case of a team prize,
   (h) a confirmation of filing a patent application, granting a patent or implementing the results of scientific activity in another form,
   (i) a confirmation of the receipt of the minister's scholarship for outstanding achievements.
10. The maximum number of points a candidate can obtain within the individual assessment elements is specified in the table.

Criteria for admission to the School

Admission to the Doctoral School is conditional on being shortlisted within the limit of places, one person for each research topic advertised, and obtaining at least 50 points from the overall qualifying procedurę