The school

SISSA’s mission is to advance knowledge and train new generations of scientists through high-level research, international collaboration, and an interdisciplinary, innovation-driven approach. The School combines academic excellence with social responsibility, promoting open science, talent development, and the transfer of knowledge to society.

PhD students at SISSA are involved in research from the very start. The training path combines high-level coursework in the first year with increasingly independent research activity, culminating in the publication of original scientific work. Admission is through a yearly exam in Trieste or online, with a preselection process for non-EU candidates. The four-year program ends with a final exam for the PhD degree, equivalent to the Italian “Dottore di ricerca”, across 12 courses in Physics, Mathematics, and Neuroscience.

PhD students at SISSA are supported in developing transversal skills such as scientific communication, data management, and entrepreneurship, within an environment that encourages regular interaction with supervisors and postdoctoral researchers. Programs include:

• 7 PhD programs in Physics
• 2 PhD programs in Mathematics
• 3 PhD programs in Neuroscience
• 3 postgraduate courses in Science Communication, High Performance Computing, and Data Management and Curation

SISSA carries out both basic and applied research in three main areas: physics, mathematics and neuroscience. Each faculty member leads independent projects as Principal Investigator, often in collaboration with PhD students and postdocs. SISSA ranks in the highest positions among the Italian scientific institutions in terms of awarded European Research Council grants considering the small faculty size, and is consistently among the top Italian institutions in securing all types of competitive funding, both international and at the Italian level, such as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and PRIN (Progetti di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale) funding schemes.

SISSA is part of the Italian system of Scuole Superiori ad Ordinamento Speciale, a small group of public institutions recognized for their excellence in research and advanced education. Unlike traditional universities, SISSA offers only PhD, postdoctoral training and post-graduate courses. In addition of this, it collaborates with other universities in undergraduate and master courses. Being a Scuola Superiore gives SISSA greater autonomy in governance and academic planning, allows for an intense research-focused academic life and a close mentoring relationship between students and faculty. Around 50% of the School’s budget is directly allocated to research—five times more than the national average.

SISSA was the first institution in Italy to award the title of PhD, introduced in 1978 and officially recognised as equivalent to the national doctorate in 1987. Courses are held in English and the School’s community is highly international, with around one third of students and half of postdocs and faculty coming from abroad. 
SISSA played a key role in shaping open access scientific publishing, establishing one of the first online preprint archive and launching in 1997 JHEP - The Journal of High Energy Physics, the first fully electronic open access journal. Today, editorial activities continue through SISSA Medialab, an in-house company focused on academic publishing and public engagement. 
The School has also been a pioneer in the field of science communication. Founded in 1994, the Master’s in Science Communication “Franco Prattico” is one of the first training programs of its kind worldwide. It is the oldest school for science communication in Italy and shares this distinction in Europe with Imperial College London.

SISSA adopts an integrated strategic planning system that ensures alignment between long-term vision and day-to-day operations. The School’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement is supported by four key documents:

• Strategic Plan – Outlines SISSA’s long-term priorities in research, education, and institutional development, providing the framework for future growth and impact.
• Three-Year Planning Document – Defines goals and actions to ensure ethical conduct, transparency, and integrity in all administrative and decision-making processes.
• Performance Report – Evaluates the outcomes achieved in relation to set objectives, fostering internal assessment and performance-based governance.
• PIAO (Integrated Plan of Activities and Organization) – Combines strategic planning, HR forecasting, performance targets, and organizational measures into a single document to improve operational efficiency and transparency.

SISSA regularly supports its researchers in translating scientific results into practical applications and public benefit. Through the Valorisation & Innovation Office, the School manages intellectual property, patent applications, spin-off creation and licensing, and training opportunities for PhD students to continue their career beyond academia. It collaborates closely with industries, SMEs and regional innovation ecosystems such as the PNRR-funded iNEST project, offering laboratories and networking opportunities to foster research-based innovation. SISSA is also a hub for science communication, organizing and participating in public outreach events, being part of national and international projects on science communication training for early career researchers, and organizing the italian National Conference on Science Communication.