For the kind attention of the Rector,

the Dean of the PhD School

the Directors of the PhD Programmes in Legal Studies, Public Policy and Administration, Business Administration and Management, Statistics, Economics and Finance

We, the undersigned, would like to draw your attention to the following.

The PhD students’ Fellowship currently amounts to € 13,838.47 per year, slightly above the minimum amount of € 13,638.47 stated by Italian law for PhD Fellowships. During 2015 and 2016, responding to the Italian Legislator’s inertia to adjust the minimum Fellowship amount, Milan State University and Bicocca University[1] autonomously increased the amount of the PhD Fellowship for all PhD students, which now equals € 16.238,47 per year.

We thus urge the University governance to consider increasing the PhD Fellowship of at least € 2767,70 (+20%) per year, in order for our Fellowship to be equal to the one given to PhD students in the other major Milanese Universities (Milan State University, Bicocca University). We strongly believe that, in a city like Milan, where € 230 a month make a difference, it is paramount that an equal treatment is given to PhD students from different Universities.

As PhD students, we personally contribute, through our efforts and work, to the success and prestige of the University: our contribution is key to the flourishing and development of Bocconi, as a leading University in Europe and the world. We cannot provide quality research if our wage does not cover our living costs: in order for us to grow as independent thinkers and scholars, we need to be given the actual possibility to live on our PhD Fellowship only, without being compelled to seek secondary occupations.

Increasing our Fellowship represents a minor economic effort in order to make our University truly great in the international scenario.

[1] http://www.unimib.it/go/51896403/Home/Italiano/Studenti/Dopo-la-laurea/Scuola-Unica-di-Dottorato-di-Ricerca/Bandi-e-informazioni-amministrative/Borse