SLO | EN
PRD-v18

3

Doctoral studies

3 (tretja)

10 (10)

0025205

8/2

2024/25

18 ECTS 180 ECTS

dr.
doktor znanosti
doktorica znanosti

Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy

07 – Engineering, manufacturing and construction

0788 – Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving engineering, manufacturing and construction

2.11 – Other engineering and technologies

izr. prof. dr. MIRKO FICKO, univ. dipl. gosp. inž.

The doctoral study programme of the third cycle “Industrial Engineering” within University of Maribor with three partners: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture and Faculty of Economics and Business.
The study programme lasts three years. A student has to acquire 180 ECTS points. The study programme is aligned with the Bologna directives, Salzburg principles for doctoral education and European University Association (EUA) principles and recommendations. The doctoral study programme of the third cycle Industrial Engineering is the first and only real interdisciplinary study program in the field of industrial or engineering management at the University of Maribor and in Slovenia in general. During the study and research work, the student deals with challenges where technical aspects (from the field of mechanical engineering or civil engineering) are connected with economic and business aspects. The purpose of the study program is to create a profile of a Doctor of Science, which enables research and development and scientific work in a field that requires specific knowledge typical of industrial engineers and the intertwining of economic and technical knowledge. The research training within the framework of doctoral studies equips the doctoral students with superior theoretical and methodological knowledge to solve the most challenging problems in the fields of Industrial Engineering with completely new approaches. Through studies they develop the ability of independent and creative thinking about very complex issues, which will reinforce their innovative thinking.

  • Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture
  • Faculty of Economics and Business
  • Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
  • Text about acceptance

    Adopted by the Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Slovenia on 18.2.2021. Zunanja evalvacija Univerze v Mariboru je bila izvedena v letu 2022, za kar je pristojna Nacionalna agencija Republike Slovenije za kakovost v visokem šolstvu, ki izpolnjuje evropske standarde in usmeritve (je registrirana v EQAR in članica ENQA.)

    Advancement criteria of a study programme

    Conditions for promotion to the year 2: Students progress to the year 2 if they pass the following obligations from the year 1: - all courses from the 1st semester and at least 1 course from the 2nd semester (together 18 ECTS), - successful presentation of the results of the individual research work in the year 1 in the field-related Chair. Students who do not fulfil all the obligations for promotion, can be exceptionally excepted in the year 2 by the Committee for Science and Research at FME or the Committee for Postgraduate Study at FCETEA upon their request if they have passed more than a half of all study obligations from the year 1 (more than 30 ECTS), but they could not fulfil their obligations for justified reasons that are determine in the Statute of the University of Maribor and if it is expected that they would fulfil their obligations. Conditions for promotion to the year 3: Students progress to the year 3 if they pass all study obligations from the year 1 (60 ECTS) and the following study obligations from the year 2: - approved topic of doctoral thesis, - successful presentation of the results of the individual research work in the year 2 (57 ECTS) in the field-related Chair. Students who do not fulfil all the obligations for promotion, can be exceptionally excepted in the year 3 by the Committee for Science and Research at FME or the Committee for Postgraduate Study at FCETEA upon their request if they have passed more than a half of all study obligations from the year 1 (60 ECTS) and fulfil more than half of the study obligations from the year 2 (more than 30 ECTS) if they could not fulfil their obligations for justified reasons that are determine in the Statute of the University of Maribor and if it is expected that they would fulfil their obligations. Conditions for thesis registration: Students can register their theses when they complete all study obligations from the year 1 (60 ECTS) and Individual research work 3 (27 ECTS), total 87 ECTS credits. Year repetition: Students who did not complete all obligations for promotion to the next year can request a year repetition that is approved by the Committee for Study Affairs from the faculty they come from if they have passed more than a half of all study obligations from the current year (at least 30 ECTS). The repetition can be also approved if the students completed less than a half of study obligations from the current year (at least 30 ECTS), if they could not fulfil their obligations for justified reasons that are determine in the Statute of the University of Maribor.

    Study advancement options

    A doctor of science may continue his/her post-doctoral study abroad.

    Assesment criteria

    Suitable methods and forms of knowledge evaluation and assessment are used in the study programme in order to follow the progress of the doctoral student and examine the achieved learning outcomes effectively. Knowledge will be evaluated and assessed with the following methods: - written exam - oral exam - seminar papers - seminar-research papers - execution and presentation of project works - presentation of results of the research work - presentation of the research topic - presentation/demonstration of the seminar paper - assessment of the results of the individual research work - presentation of the results of the individual research work or defence at the meeting of the competent home faculty Chair of the mentor - successful registration of the topic of the Doctoral dissertation - presentation and defence of the Doctoral dissertation.

    Main study programme objectives

    Students of Doctoral study program Industrial Engineering will be able to work on complex engineering, business and scientific tasks. The Dr. Sc. qualified experts with broad analytical and scientific knowledge will find employment in almost all branches of industry, R&D institutes, independent companies, design departments, as project engineers, product managers, construction managers, experts, consultants, managers and entrepreneurs.

    General competences of graduates, gained at a study programme

    • Ability to solve concrete research problems in various technical fields through the integration of economic and business sciences as well as its related disciplines. • Development of skills and abilities in the application of knowledge and integration of knowledge from the fields of technology and economics and business sciences in their specific research and work field. • Ability to widely use standard research empirical methods in interdisciplinary technical and economic-business fields. • Ability to design and implement original scientific solutions to given interdisciplinary technical and economic-business problems. • Ability to develop new advanced technologies, innovative products and systems. • Ability to use the latest computer, information and communication technology and technological systems in the professional field. • Ability to plan and manage (research and development) projects and write project proposals under various national and European financial mechanisms.

    Subject specific competences of graduates, gained on a study programme

    The main subject-specific competencies that can be obtained by the doctoral Industrial Engineering study programme are: • Mastering the scientific research methods necessary for a scientific approach to the study for the preparation of works that will meet the criteria for scientific work in terms of content and form. • Scientific publication of scientific and research results of candidates for individual research works in recognized publications. • Ability to prepare and manage research projects, as one of the key areas of work for which doctoral programs will be used, which represents the organized acquisition of transferable knowledge. • In-depth mathematical knowledge of modelling engineering problems with the help of graph theory, mathematical modelling of decision-making, multivariate methods in decision-making analysis for conducting business and interdisciplinary research. • Ability to use in deepening specialized scientific process construction in the professional fields of planning construction projects and optimization of construction processes. • Ability to use knowledge and control of accounting methodologies for the management of construction processes and projects with management tools and analysis of implementation processes for comprehensive management of the value of projects and facilities. • Ability to use, know and analyse the principles of sustainable planning of building construction and understanding of construction-physical processes through the construction of a building using modern numerical methods in engineering. • Ability to use modern machining technologies and systems with an emphasis on the most commonly used manufacturing technologies in the industry, which are included in the concept of Industry 4.0. • Knowledge of production management from product development, knowledge management and promotion of innovation-based development to the provision of appropriate ergonomics, warehouse and development and management of the production system. Knowledge of modern production concepts and their application in practice. • Knowledge of the legality of business regarding the specifics and requirements of the wider business environment in terms of understanding the phenomenon of financial crises and economic growth and the consequences of economic policies, requires sustainable management in the (business) environment. • Knowledge of the laws and specifics of individual but intertwining areas of the micro level of business, from the strategic-entrepreneurial level to the implementation project level, the integration of financial management processes, global marketing in internationalization, marketing of products-services-brands, management and cost accounting and digitization and e-commerce.

    Access requirements

    Candidates who completed the following may apply for the 3rd-cycle (doctoral) study programme in Industrial Engineering: - a 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme; - a unified (long-cycle) master’s study programme corresponding to 300 ECTS credits; - an undergraduate academic study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 and corresponding to at least 240 ECTS credits; - a specialisation following an undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 and corresponding to at least 240 ECTS credits in total. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass courses of the 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Industrial Engineering corresponding to at least 30 ECTS credits. Courses are passed under a supplementary study programme or by taking bridging exams. Candidates shall pass the courses laid down by the relevant committee of the senate of the UM member that the candidates’ supervisor originates from. - An equivalent study programme completed abroad.

    Selection criteria in the event of limited enrolment

    If there is greater demand than there are places available, candidates shall be ranked according to: - grade point average and grade awarded for the master's thesis – 100%;

    Transfer criteria between study programmes

    Candidates may transfer to the study programme provided they fulfil the following criteria: - criteria for enrolment in the first year of the 3rd-cycle (doctoral) study programme in Industrial Engineering; - they are transferring from a study programme leading to the acquisition of comparable competences or learning outcomes; - at least half of the study obligations evaluated according to the ECTS credit system of the previous study programme relating to compulsory courses of the new study programme are recognised. In accordance with the Criteria for Transferring Between Study Programmes, candidates who completed the following may be admitted to a corresponding year of the 3rd-cycle (doctoral) study programme in Industrial Engineering: - A master of science study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in the field of engineering and natural sciences. Depending on the similarity of the study programmes, candidates are awarded between 60 (enrolment in the second year of study) and 120 ECTS credits (enrolment in the third year of study). - A specialisation (a minimum of 60 ECTS credits) following an undergraduate academic study programme in the field of engineering and natural sciences (a minimum of 240 ECTS credits) adopted prior to 11 June 2004 and corresponding to at least 300 ECTS credits in total. Candidates are awarded 60 ECTS credits. Candidates may transfer to the study programme also from other 3rd-cycle study programmes in the field of engineering and natural sciences provided they fulfil the admission requirements and there are enough enrolment places available. The transfer shall be addressed by the Committee for Academic Affairs. In accordance with the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, the candidate shall submit to the faculty: - an application for the recognition of knowledge and skills at the University of Maribor; - proof of fulfilled study obligations (exams) including grades and ECTS credits; - validated course syllabi according to which knowledge was acquired; - a receipt of payment for the recognition procedure. If under the recognition procedure enough fulfilled study obligations is recognized that the candidate meets the criteria for enrolment in the higher year of the 3rd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Industrial Engineering, enrolment in the second or higher year is approved and study obligations required for completion of the new study programme are laid down. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available enrolment places, candidates shall be ranked according to grade point average.

    Criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills, gained before the enrolment in the study programme

    The individual home faculty of the mentor will recognize certain knowledge and skills of students from the 3rd degree in Industrial Engineering that are acquired with proper formal education which students can demonstrate by appropriate certificates and other documents. The scope of such knowledge up to 30 ECTS will be evaluated by the competent faculty. Students of the Master study programmes who have not register their Master thesis, are acknowledged the completed obligations (without IRD). If the Master candidates have successfully completed their individual research work with the same topic in Doctoral study programme of the 3rd degree in Industrial Engineering, they can be acknowledged up to 30 ECTS of the individual research work according to the mentor’s statement and the decree from the competent committee of the home faculty of the mentor. The competent home faculty of the mentor will recognize knowledge and skills that are informally acquired before the enrolment into the 3rd degree of Industrial Engineering in the scope of up to 30 ECTS credits, if significant new industrial applications are involved (design and introduction of new technologies, global reference objects), European and global patents, publications in top journals (SCI) and compatibility with competences of the proposed study programme. Candidates should lodge the application with the evidences for acknowledgement of knowledge and skills, gained before the enrolment into the programme to the competent committee of the home faculty of the mentor. The applications will be processed in accordance with the regulations in force.

    Criteria for completing the study

    The study programme of the 3rd degree in Industrial Engineering is completed when all prescribed obligations are fulfilled, the defence of the Doctoral dissertation is done and 180 ECTS are collected. The doctoral students are awarded the degree Doctor of Science. The students should publish at least one publication out of their doctoral theses as the first authors. As a relevant publication is considered scientific articles, published in journals with JCR impact factor ranked in the upper three fourths of the quality and patents with the completed test. The details about procedure of registration and confirmation of the doctoral thesis, selection of a mentor, procedure of composition, formatting and evaluation of the doctoral thesis and the procedure of defence is prescribed by the Rules on Ph.D. Thesis Preparation and Defence at the University of Maribor.