The IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca

Cultural Systems is an international Ph.D. program hosted by the IMT School, one of the seven Schools of Excellence in Italy, and ranked among the highest of the top graduate schools in Europe, according to the most recent U-Multirank ranking. The IMT School provides rigorous training and close supervision in various humanities, sciences, and technological disciplines, welcoming multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches at their boundaries.

The IMT School is a truly international environment with students from all around the world. The School has a record of placing students in top research universities, policy-making institutions, and companies. English is the official language of the School. 

The PhD program in Cultural Systems

The Ph.D. Program Cultural Systems constitutes a unique multidisciplinary environment. It trains students to undertake cutting-edge research in the many scientific fields related to cultural systems and to operate as high-level, innovative cultural heritage professionals. It offers two tracks, Analysis and Management of Cultural Heritage (AMCH) and Museum Studies (MUST)*. Both research- and practice-oriented courses are in the program, which aims at opening career paths in Academia, museums, cultural institutions, creative industries, and private companies. Students are encouraged to spend part of their training abroad within the Erasmus+ framework and ad hoc mobility agreements.

* The new call for the MUST track will be published in 2025.

Scholarships and funding

All students enrolled in the Ph.D. program receive a scholarship of €1,353.58/month, including pension contributions and a net salary of €1,195.48/month for three years. Support for extensions (up to an additional year) may be provided.

For the entire duration of the three-year program, all students are offered on-campus housing and meals at the IMT canteen for free, which can be valued as an additional benefit of at least €800/month.

Students receive additional financial support for mobility abroad, participation in international academic conferences, summer and winter schools, and similar events.

This year 12 scholarships are assigned to the Ph.D. program in Cultural Systems, of which:

• 1 ERC-funded scholarship (in the framework of the ERC Advanced Project Grant "ARCHIATER. The Art and Architectures of Early Modern Hospitals in European Cities");

• 1 project-based scholarship (RESEARCH PROJECT: The Encyclopedia of Philosophy in Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā), in the framework of the Research Grant FIS 2021 “SPACE: The System of Philosophy in Arabic: Charting the Encyclopaedias”).

Accommodation, desk and meals

All students are granted a desk and unrestricted access to the IMT campus, as outlined on the Campus Life page.

The campus, which is entirely accessible, is fully equipped with a variety of amenities, including areas for relaxation and socializing, coffee corners, a dedicated Turkish bath, a fitness spot, a leisure room featuring several entertainment facilities (such as foosball and ping pong tables, PlayStation consoles, and board games), kitchenettes equipped with a cooker, microwave, and dishwasher, and laundry rooms.

All students are provided with hotel-like shared double rooms, regularly serviced for three years.

Additionally, all students have free lunch and dinner every day of the year at the canteen located on the IMT campus for three years.

Input and output profiles

Both AMCH and MUST* tracks aim to provide specific know-how to prospective researchers and professionals operating in the fields of cultural heritage, museums, and organization /policy-making/ management of culture.
Prospective students should preferably have a background in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or ICT related to Cultural Heritage and Culture. AMCH and MUST* will enable graduates to access both Academic and professional careers in Academia, public institutions, and private companies operating in the fields of Cultural Heritage and Culture (research and educational careers, curatorial careers, managerial careers, administrative careers, policy making in the Cultural sector, promotion of Culture and Tourism, organization of cultural events,  communication, diffusion and teaching of culture).

* The new call for the MUST track will be published in 2025.

What Cultural Systems offers

• International, vibrant, collaborative multi- and cross-disciplinary  research environment 

• Training in innovative thinking, curiosity driven research, project-oriented approach, applied research approach

• Rigorous training in analysis and management of cultural heritage and museums studies 

• Methodological, theoretical and applied science approach, field trips, direct contact with cultural heritage, cultural institutions and companies, direct involvement in scientific cultural heritage projects 

• Opportunity to meet leading researchers that visit IMT every year 

• Free double room accommodation for 3 years 

• Desk in the campus 

• Every day free meals (lunch and dinner) at the IMT canteen for 3 years 

• Scholarship €16,243/year for up to three years

• Participation in exchange programs 

• Double degree programs