PhD programme in Peace Studies coordinated by Sapienza, 345 applications

On Friday 3 July, the application deadline for the 42nd intake of the national PhD programme in Peace Studies closed. The programme, which involves collaboration with a wide network of Italian universities and institutions of international standing, remains the academic benchmark for the analysis and non-violent transformation of conflicts, mediation and the promotion of a culture of peace. The PhD programme is organised by the Network of Italian Universities for Peace (RUniPace) and coordinated by Sapienza.

This success is underlined by 345 applications from 35 countries around the world. In addition to Italia, which accounts for the majority of applications, there are applicants from various countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Korea, Eritrea, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, North Macedonia, Morocco, Mexico, Nepal, Serbia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Romania, Syria, Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Brazil, Egypt, Palestine, Uzbekistan, China, Russia and Iran.

The programme attracting the highest number of applications is ‘Memory, Identity, Religions and Peace’, with 79 applications, followed by ‘Technology, Sustainability and Peace’, with 63 applications.
“Sapienza welcomes with satisfaction and deep hope for the future the high level of participation in the National Doctoral Programme in Peace Studies, promoted by RUniPace and coordinated by our University. The 345 applications from 35 countries reflect a demand for education and knowledge that transcends borders, cultures and generations. In the face of the global crises we are currently experiencing, universities are called upon to reaffirm their role as open, inclusive and pluralistic spaces, where dialogue, scientific rigour and the exchange of knowledge can contribute to the building of a just and lasting peace. Sapienza has been a strong advocate of this initiative because it believes that peace must also be the subject of study, research, education and civic responsibility. “Our hope is to be able to steadily increase the number of scholarships, offering new opportunities to students from all over the world and helping to train new generations of peacemakers,” said Antonella Polimeni, Rector of Sapienza.

According to Enza Pellecchia, national coordinator of the Network of Italian Universities for Peace, “the high number of applications is a great encouragement for RUniPace: at a time in history when force seems to be the only way to establish the rules of coexistence, hundreds of young people wish to put their intelligence, creativity and scientific rigour at the service of peace-building. Their commitment places a great responsibility on us; we will make every effort to live up to the expectations of these young scholars”.

Marco Mascia, co-coordinator of RUniPace, emphasises that “the decision by so many young people to become architects of peace is the most significant response, the antidote to the culture of violence and war that is raging in Italia, across Europe and around the world. It also lays the foundations for the development of Peace Studies in Italia. The challenge ahead is an ambitious one: to ensure that peace becomes a fundamental category of Italian academic knowledge, enjoying the same status as other disciplines. This holds enormous transformative potential not only for universities but also for society and politics”.