Applications for the 42nd cycle of the National PhD Programme in Peace Studies closed on Friday, July 3. The programme, developed through the collaboration of an extensive network of Italian universities and internationally renowned institutions, continues to establish itself as the leading academic reference point for the analysis and non-violent transformation of conflicts, mediation, and the promotion of a culture of peace. The PhD Programme is promoted by the Italian Universities Network for Peace (RUniPace) and coordinated by Sapienza University of Rome.

This success is reflected in the 345 applications received from 35 countries worldwide. In addition to Italy, which accounts for the largest number of applications, candidates have applied from Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Syria, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe. The Memory, Identity, Religions and Peace curriculum received the highest number of applications, with 79 candidates, followed by the Technology, Sustainability and Peace curriculum, which received 63 applications.

“Sapienza welcomes with great satisfaction and a profound sense of hope for the future the strong response to the National PhD 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. At a time of global crises, universities are called upon to reaffirm their role as open, inclusive and pluralistic spaces where dialogue, academic rigour and the exchange of knowledge can contribute to building a just and lasting peace. Sapienza has strongly supported the creation of this programme because we believe that peace must also be an object of study, research, education and civic responsibility. Our hope is to continue expanding the number of scholarships available, creating new opportunities for students from around the world and helping to educate future generations of peacebuilders,” said Antonella Polimeni, Rector of Sapienza University of Rome.

According to Enza Pellecchia, National Coordinator of the Italian Universities Network for Peace (RUniPace), “the high number of applications is a great source of encouragement for RUniPace. At a time when force seems to be regarded as the only way of determining the rules of coexistence, hundreds of young people are choosing to place their intelligence, creativity and academic rigour at the service of peacebuilding. Their commitment places a great responsibility upon us, and we will do everything we can to live up to the expectations of these young scholars.” Marco Mascia, Co-Coordinator of RUniPace, emphasised that “the decision by so many young people to become architects of peace is the most meaningful response—the strongest antidote to the culture of violence and war that is spreading across Italy, Europe and the wider world. It also lays the foundations for the development of Peace Studies in Italy. The challenge ahead is an ambitious one: to ensure that peace becomes a fundamental category of academic knowledge in Italy, enjoying the same standing as other disciplines. This represents an enormous transformative opportunity not only for universities, but also for society and politics.”

Alessandro Saggioro (Sapienza University of Rome), National Coordinator of the PhD Programme, said: “This PhD Programme is the result of an extraordinary collective effort, with a large number of universities contributing through the invaluable academic expertise of their staff and by providing the facilities and resources needed to deliver a project that is as innovative as it is necessary: to develop new analytical perspectives and deepen our scientific understanding of the many pathways to peace. Alongside our teaching and research commitment is a strong civic commitment: we study peace so that it may become a shared value and common project for humanity.”

The PhD Programme offers a total of 34 scholarships, both for specific research topics and open-topic projects, funded by participating universities and partner organisations, including the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai, Caritas, and the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Trento.