Soft skills for PhD students

Scientific research and today's highly specialised job market require not only the subject-specific skills typically taught during a doctoral programme, but also technical and interpersonal skills.

The University of Milan offers a wide range of courses, from stand-alone modules to cycles of lectures, which cover topics such as the dissemination and exploitation of research results, intellectual property protection, and the ethical implications of research.

Some courses focus on cross-cutting themes like sustainability, while others aim to help PhD students develop interpersonal skills like public speaking or learn more on how to apply for EU funding. Moreover, these courses provide PhD students with an invaluable opportunity to reflect on their doctoral journey, and to plan ahead for their future after the PhD.

Some courses are based on case studies, which facilitates cross-disciplinarity and team working, while encouraging innovation, creative problem solving and critical thinking, as participants are presented with different subject-specific perspectives.

The course offer is designed in accordance with the European Skills, Competences, Occupations and Qualifications framework (ESCO) and particularly aims to foster:

• core skills and competences (T1 ESCO)
• social and communication skills and competences (T4 ESCO)
• communication, collaboration and creativity (S1 ESCO). 

Soft-skills courses are common to all doctoral programmes and offer a valuable chance to develop and apply versatile skills to diverse professional settings, ranging from research and teaching to the third sector.

Doctoral students are required to complete 72 hours of soft skills courses within three years. Soft skills courses are open to doctoral students from all disciplines.

Starting in 2024, a Skills Week has been implemented, allowing participants to complete the recommended number of hours per year (approximately 24 hours) in just one week. Every year, the University organises three Skills Weeks. Students are required to attend only one Skills Week per year.
The Skills Week organised in June/July is held in English.

All the information regarding soft skills courses taught in 2025 will be published here in the coming weeks. The first Skills Week is scheduled for the end of February. Alternatively, students can complement their training with one or more of the 4EU+ Open for you! webinars.