Research school

Deusto International Research School

Deusto International Research School (DIRS) is the Doctoral School of the University of Deusto, part of the research ecosystem at our two main university campuses (Bilbao and San Sebastian).

The Doctoral School plays a major role in the University's research strategy. Its mission is to promote excellence in the advanced training of new researchers by reinforcing specific competences in research and knowledge transfer.

Contact us

Research School

Address:
Avda. Universidades 24
48007 Bilbao


Contact us:
944 139 096dirs@deusto.es

Our figures in 2024

342Trainee researchers

95international students

59PhD theses defended

36theses with an international mention

Tesis producidas

Strategic areas

Pre-doctoral training is promoted through the research excellence of the University's teams with a high number of contributions in high impact journals and projects funded in competitive calls, including the European Commission's Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. This context promotes the acquisition of the necessary competences for the high standard of doctoral theses.

The cross-sectoral dimension of the Doctoral School involves joint and collaborative action between academic sectors and other non-academic economic and social actors. Companies, social entities, educational centres, hospitals, museums and public administrations are some of the actors committed to the University of Deusto in the development of socially oriented research with a social impact.

The international nature of the Doctoral School is one of the characteristics of Deusto's Doctoral Programmes. Researchers from other countries often collaborate in these programmes. Furthermore, internationalisation is reflected in a comprehensive range of activities and opportunities for trainee researchers: practical experience in international research projects, participation in congresses, study periods abroad, etc.

Research at Deusto is focused on priority areas based on interdisciplinary platforms. Research centres and units work, share ideas and make innovative use of methodologies within their various disciplines to address local and global issues from an interdisciplinary perspective.

null

Estudios de doctorado

Competencias

Los estudios de doctorado garantizarán, como mínimo, la adquisición por el doctorando de las siguientes competencias básicas, así como aquellas otras que figuren en el Marco Español de Cualificaciones para la Educación Superior:

  • Comprensión sistemática de un ámbito de estudio y dominio de las habilidades y métodos de investigación relacionados con dicho ámbito.
  • Capacidad de concebir, diseñar o crear, poner en práctica y adoptar un proceso sustancial de investigación o creación.
  • Capacidad para contribuir a la ampliación de las fronteras del conocimiento a través de una investigación original.
  • Capacidad de realizar un análisis crítico y de evaluación y síntesis de ideas nuevas y complejas.
  • Capacidad de comunicación con la comunidad académica y científica y con la sociedad en general acerca de sus ámbitos de conocimiento en los modos e idiomas de uso habitual en su comunidad científica internacional.
  • Capacidad de fomentar, en contextos académicos y profesionales, el avance científico, tecnológico, social, artístico o cultural dentro de una sociedad basada en el conocimiento.
  • Capacidad de fomentar la Ciencia Abierta y la Ciencia Ciudadana, como modo de contribuir a la consideración del conocimiento científico como un bien común.

La obtención del título de Doctor debe proporcionar una alta capacitación profesional en ámbitos diversos, especialmente en aquellos que requieren creatividad e innovación.

Los doctores habrán adquirido, al menos, las siguientes capacidades:

  • Desenvolverse en contextos en los que hay poca información específica.
  • Encontrar las preguntas claves que hay que responder para resolver un problema complejo.
  • Diseñar, crear, desarrollar y emprender proyectos novedosos e innovadores en su ámbito de conocimiento.
  • Trabajar tanto en equipo como de manera autónoma en un contexto internacional o multidisciplinar.
  • Integrar conocimientos, enfrentarse a la complejidad y formular juicios con información limitada.
  • La crítica y defensa intelectual de soluciones.

Además, la Universidad de Deusto añade la competencia ética en el Doctorado:

  • Aplicar en el proceso de investigación los estándares y criterios éticos de integridad científica, respeto a la dignidad de las personas y búsqueda de beneficios para la sociedad, en especial para los más desfavorecidos.
null

Do you want to study a PhD?

Admission and Grants

null

Admissions

Steps to follow to study a doctoral programme at Deusto

Find out more

null

Grants and scholarships

We offer you grants and scholarships to help you access to your studies

Find out more

null

Career opportunities

We seek the best professionals to joinour teams

Find out more

Doctoral training programmes

Compulsory course It provides a basic framework of reference on research ethics applied to one's area of expertise. It aims to analyse and deepen the ethical standards required in research as well as the corresponding ethical and legal frameworks, obligations and norms.

The Doctoral School offers a range of cross-disciplinary and specific courses each year. Each course will last between 10-30 hours depending on its nature. To complete the Doctoral Programme, it is necessary to have passed at least six of these courses.

Research seminars are forums in which PhD students present and discuss their research projects with other participants in the programme or those from related programmes.

  • Full-time students must take part in at least three seminars per academic year and participate as a speaker in at least one of these seminars.
  • Part time students must take part in at least two seminars per academic year, and participate as a speaker in at least one of these seminars.

Doctoral students must present at least one paper at a scientific congress in the field of their doctoral thesis.

Doctoral students must write at least one scientific article, submit it for review and have it accepted in an indexed journal in the corresponding area of expertise.

Stays at research centres other than the UD, preferably abroad, to carry out research work related to the doctoral thesis. For a stay to be included in the individual activity register, it must have a minimum duration of two weeks. Priority will be given to stays of 12 weeks or longer in order to qualify for the international mention.

null

DIRS activities and processes

Courses

What are the stages of doctoral thesis preparation?

Doctoral theses

1

Research Plan

During the first year of doctoral studies, trainee researchers must prepare the research plan for their doctoral thesis.

The ordinary deadline for submitting the research plan in each doctoral programme will be communicated annually in the calendar of activities.

The Academic Committee will assess the plan that will be presented publicly by each student.

If the assessment is negative, a reasoned report will be submitted and students will be required to draw up a new plan within 6 months

In the event of a second negative assessment, doctoral students will be permanently withdrawn from the programme.

2

Thesis registration

Once the research plan has been approved (either within the first or the extended deadline), doctoral students should request the registration of their doctoral thesis at the General Secretariat within one month.

3

Progress reports

Progress reports are required when assessing doctoral students who are in their second and subsequent years of the doctoral programme. They are drawn up by the thesis supervisor and are presented twice a year at the end of each semester.

4

Thesis deposit and defence

Once the doctoral thesis has been completed, doctoral students should request, with the explicit approval of their thesis supervisor, the authorisation of the Programme's Academic Committee to start the defence process.

The Academic Committee, in view of the reports received and once the public exhibition period has expired, will decide whether the doctoral thesis can be defended.

Doctoral School

Transfer to society

null

Industrial specialisation

Find out more

null

PhD Programme in Transfer to Society

Find out more

Internationalisation

DIRS-COFUND

Collaborators

DIRS-COFUND

European Union’s programme

null

DIRS-COFUND

European Union’s programme

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement Nº 847624. In addition, a number of institutions back and co-finance this project.