The study programme was confirmed and accepted by the FERI Senate on 8. 9. 2008, by the UM Senate on 21. 10. 2008, and by the Expert Council for High School Education of the Republic of Slovenia on 12. 3. 2009.

Conditions for advancement to the second study year: A student advances to the second study year if he/she collects at least 48 ECTS credits by completing the obligations of the first study year, and he/she must pass the exam in the subject Scientific Methods. Conditions for advancement to the third study year: A student advances to the third study year by completing all the obligations of the first study year, and if he/she collects at least 48 ECTS credits by completing the obligations of the second study year. The conditions for promotion under extraordinary conditions and the conditions for repetition are defined by the Statute of the University of Maribor.

The 3rd cycle programme of Electrical Engineering does not have the foreseen conditions for the completion of individual parts of the program.

The program also enables and encourages students to do postdoctoral studies, as they receive during their studies in-depth knowledge in the field of their scientific research work.

Graduates of the third-degree doctoral study programme Electrical Engineering have, on the basis of acquired knowledge and competencies, wide opportunities for employment in various work organisations, institutes, public institutes, and higher education organisations. In addition to their basic qualifications for research jobs in the field of electrical engineering, they have a broad enough theoretical knowledge to be able to be employed in various fields of economy and the public sector that are in any way related to the profession of electrical engineering. Acquired competencies also enable them to take on management functions in medium and large companies and societies. They can, of course, also be employed in many other places: in research institutes, in secondary and university education, in public administration, public institutes, or as founders of their own companies.

Information on study programmes offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are available on the following website https://feri.um.si/en/study/programmes/.

There are no other obligations.

The method of examination and assessment of knowledge at the University of Maribor is regulated by the Rules on Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41 AG, which is published with amendments and additions on the following web address: https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pravilnik-o-preverjanju-in-ocenjevanju-znanja-na-Univerzi-v-Mariboru-stev.-A4-2009-41-AG-uradno-precisceno-besedilo-UPB1.pdf. The rules and curricula of the subjects list the forms of examination and assessment of students for each study unit. At the third degree, the nature of the subjects is such that we direct students to scientific and research work. The emphasis is on individual research work with a mentor, preparation of seminars and individual research papers, writing scientific and professional articles, participation on international conferences, and participation in various projects. Given that most subjects are taught mentoring, the mentor and the student can assess progress directly at all times.

• enable students to fully understand theoretical and methodological concepts from their chosen field of electrical engineering, • enable students to independently develop new ideas and solve the more demanding problems with the right amount of self-criticism, testing and improvement of scientific work, or searching for new solutions, • contribute to students' abilities towards research work and use the experience gained during research to work with other experts from the same field as well as other fields, both nationally and internationally, • contribute towards students' abilities in leading the more demanding projects and systems within the field of electrical engineering, • enable students to vigorously search, study and apply already gained knowledge through research work, • enable students to eloquently present their own, as well as discoveries of other research. • to give a student, despite the rules and regulations, enough time for individual research work because that is at the core of our PhD study programme. • to enable students to complete their studies with a PhD thesis that would contain their own original contributions to the field of electrical engineering. Nevertheless, whilst it should not be expected to be a candidate’s life-work, at the same time the PhD thesis cannot be a mere collection of scientific data, for example, reiterations of already known ideas and research attempts without providing a considerable contribution to the critical analysis.

To enable and prepare students for the more demanding research work in the field of electrical engineering and to gain sets of skills or kinds of proficiencies within their fields, which are not the only necessary requirements when searching for employment within their research fields. When joining the PhD study programme, the students would obtain those competences needed within arenas where new, complicated challenges occur on a regular basis. These challenges cannot be solved with already known methods and simplified solutions but only with thought out innovative approaches. In order to do so, we include some of the approaches in the following: • to develop innovative solutions by combining a variety of original strategies or improving already known methods and approaches, • to solve complicated problems with newly-designed tools or methods, • to prepare rational plans for the realisations of new discoveries, • to quickly discover, extract, and integrate information from both complete and incomplete sources, • to confront the unknown and uncertain, as well as anticipate possible changes and difficulties, • to accept possible failure and act accordingly, • to work independently, precisely, and with perseverence, • to view things differently using flexible and interdisciplinary approaches, • to co-operate with others, • to manage time, as well as materials, workgroups and financial sources, • to always have curiosity, follow recent trends and quickly adapt to new skills and knowledge, • to successfully communicate for various purposes and with the use of different media, • to develop key skills for team work in interdisciplinary research groups.

• In-depth understanding of theoretical and methodological concepts in selected narrow segments; • Excellent appropriate in-depth knowledge of past achievements in selected segments and their relationship with the wider research field; • The ability to use research methods and tools specific to selected segments; • The ability of independent, (self-)critical, conceptual and analytical thinking and synthesis of new knowledge, methods, technologies in selected segments; • The ability to plan the research phases and divide the tasks required for the selected segments to achieve the intended result; • The ability to operate optimally in selected segments within the research group; • The ability to document and report on findings and achievements in a way specific to selected segments; • The ability to use knowledge, ways of thinking, methods from selected narrow segments in solving new problems in selected and other segments of electrical engineering.

To enroll into the 3rd cycle programme of Electrical Engineering the applicant must have completed one of the following successfully: a) A Master’s (2nd-cycle) programme; b) University study programme, accepted before June 11, 2004; c) Bachelor’s vocational programme adopted prior to 11 June, 2004 and a specialisation programme. Prior to enrolment, these candidates must fulfil obligations corresponding to a maximum of 35 ECTS under the Master’s (2nd-cycle) programme Electrical Engineering. The Faculty’s Academic Affairs Committee determines which study obligations must be fulfilled by taking into account the candidate’s field of expertise (type of programme completed); d) A programme educating students for professions regulated by EU Directives or another Master’ (2nd-cycle) programme corresponding to 300 ECTS credits. A completed undergraduate programme or a Master’s (2nd-cycle Bologna) programme in the field of Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications and Mechatronics is considered adequate prior knowledge.

If there is greater demand than there are places available, candidates shall be ranked according to: • Overall score (20%); • Grade in the elective exam in the field of Electrical Engineering (80%). With regard to the elective exam, candidates may replace up to 50% of the grade with the grade awarded for scientific research and professional work. Evaluation criteria: • Original or transparent scientific articles in journals with impact factor (JCR) or in journals indexed in SCI, SSCI or A & HCI databases, • Contributions in international conference proceedings, • other publications.

Transitions between the study programmes are possible in accordance with the Higher Education Act, the Criteria for transitions between study programmes, and other regulations. In accordance with the transfer criteria, candidates who completed the following may be admitted to the second year of Doctoral (3rd-cycle) Programme Electrical Engineering: • A Master’s programme (MSc) (adopted prior to 11 June, 2004) – these candidates are awarded 60 ECTS credits; • An undergraduate programme (adopted prior to 11 June, 2004) and a specialisation programme – these candidates are awarded 60 ECTS credits. Transitions are possible between study programs: • which, at the end of studies, ensure the acquisition of comparable competence or learning outcomes; • of which at least half of the obligations under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) from the first study program that refer to the compulsory subjects of the second study program can be recognized according to the criteria for recognition of skills acquired before enrolling in the program. For each candidate, the Commission for Science and Research of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Maribor will determine subjects that are recognized in the ECTS credits mentioned above.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science recognises the acquired knowledge, qualifications or abilities on the basis of the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, which regulates the procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and the criteria for recognising knowledge acquired through formal and non-formal learning before enrolment and during the studies at the University of Maribor. The rules can be found via the following web link: https://feri.um.si/site/assets/files/1278/pravilnik_o_priznavanju_znanj_in_spretnosti_v_sp_um.pdf. The faculty recognises the knowledge and skills of the candidates, gained before enrolment, if, in terms of scope, their content and complexity fully or partially correspond to the general or subject-specific competencies determined by the study programme in which the candidates wish to enrol or are enrolled. The basis for the recognition of knowledge and skills are the certificates or other documents: - publicly valid documents (certificates, diplomas), - certificates of completed work of the study programme or completed obligations in the study programme, - certificates of education and training providers on successful completion of education/training, certificates and other documents, - products, services, projects, publications and other author's works of candidates, - evidence of registered patents, - relevant references on practical training and work experience, - knowledge acquired through self-education and informal learning and other evidence/knowledge assessed by the Commission for Scientific Research UM FERI.

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 180 ECTS credits completes their studies.