Some courses in the Specialization Group are flexible curricular units that allow students to adapt their training to the specific needs of their research:

• Tópicos em Engenharia Informática e de Computadores I / II (ACDEIC): These courses are meant to fill gaps in the student’s scientific background that are essential for the progression of the PhD. They may include:

  • Courses in national or international doctoral programs recognized by IST.
  • Summer or winter schools, advanced courses, or scientific-experimental training (e.g., laboratory rotations).
  • Structuring courses considered critical for the development of the thesis work plan.
    Each case must be justified as essential for the student’s progression, proposed by the advisor, and approved by the PhD Program Coordinator.

• Opcional de Especialização I / II (OL): These are PhD-level electives chosen from IST or other Schools of the University of Lisbon. They provide flexibility for students to broaden their training beyond DEI while remaining within the IST/ULisboa doctoral catalogue. Each choice must be approved by the PhD Program Coordinator.

Transversal Skills Group

The Transversal Skills Group equips PhD students with cross-cutting competences that are essential in academic, research, and professional contexts. This group is worth 6 ECTS in total, and every student must complete it as part of the Curso de Doutoramento.

The purpose of this group is to broaden the student’s profile by providing skills in communication, teaching, management, innovation, or professional integration. While the Specialization Group deepens technical expertise in Computer Science, this group focuses on abilities that remain valuable throughout a career inside or outside academia.

The scientific area CT (Competências Transversais / Transversal Skills) includes courses coordinated by the Escola Doutoral do Técnico, covering professional development and transversal competences.

Courses in the Transversal Skills Group:

Clarifications:

• Opcional em Competência Transversal I / II (CT): These electives are offered through the Escola Doutoral do Técnico and may vary each academic year. Topics typically include scientific communication, teaching and pedagogy, research ethics, entrepreneurship, or project management. Students can either take two different 3 ECTS courses or, in some cases, a single 6 ECTS course if available.

• Estágio não Académico II (ACDEIC): This short non-academic internship (approx. 5 weeks, 6 ECTS) may be taken instead of transversal skills electives. It provides exposure to professional environments beyond the university, fostering tranversal competences in real-world contexts. The internship must be jointly supervised by an IST advisor and an external supervisor, and requires approval by the PhD Program Coordinator.

The list of transversal skills courses available in a given academic year is set and approved annually. Students should consult the current catalogue when planning their curriculum.

Free Options Group

The Free Options Group gives PhD students the opportunity to customize their curricular plan with up to 12 ECTS of flexible activities. While the Specialization Group strengthens technical expertise and the Transversal Skills Group develops transversal competences, this group adds breadth and complementarity to the PhD training, depending on each student’s personal and professional goals.

Students may choose from a variety of activities, such as teaching support, longer internships, research stays abroad, or additional courses offered at Técnico or other Schools of the University of Lisbon. All activities must be aligned with the student’s thesis plan and approved by the PhD Program Coordinator.

Courses in the Free Options Group:

Clarifications:

• Apoio ao Ensino I/II (CT): Credits teaching activities performed at IST (approx. 3h/week per semester). Provides valuable pedagogical training and teaching experience, often useful for students aiming at an academic career. Students may complete one or both UCs (up to 12 ECTS).

• Estágio não Académico I (ACDEIC): A longer professional internship (approx. 9 weeks, 12 ECTS) conducted in an external organization. Must be supervised jointly by an IST advisor and an external supervisor. Intended to complement the thesis with applied knowledge and exposure to industry or non-academic institutions.

• Estágio de Investigação no Estrangeiro (ACDEIC): A research stay abroad (approx. 9 weeks, 12 ECTS) at a recognized international research institution. Strengthens international networking, exposure to new methodologies, and collaboration opportunities. Requires joint supervision (IST advisor + external host).

• Opcional I/II (OL): Free electives chosen from any doctoral program offered at IST or other ULisboa Schools. Must be approved by the PhD Program Coordinator. Provide students with flexibility to explore interdisciplinary courses relevant to their research.

• As with the other groups, the exact list of available optional courses is defined and approved annually by IST/ULisboa.

3. Thesis

The PhD Thesis is the central component of the program and carries 210 ECTS. It represents an original research contribution in Computer Science and Engineering, developed under the guidance of a supervisor and subject to the highest academic standards.

From day one, PhD students are expected to engage in research. Coursework and other activities are designed to support and strengthen the research plan, ensuring that by the time of the thesis defense the student’s work demonstrates a substantial and original scientific contribution, typically documented in publications and recognized by the international community.

Thesis Proposal

The Thesis Proposal is a mandatory milestone that must be completed no later than the end of the second year. It consists of a written research plan and an oral defense before a Thesis Advisory Committee (CAT), composed of the supervisor and two additional faculty members.

Its purpose is to demonstrate the motivation, state of the art, and expected contributions of the thesis. The proposal provides structured early feedback on the research trajectory and serves as a checkpoint to confirm that the student is ready to advance toward completing the PhD.

The evaluation is on a pass/fail basis, and a positive outcome is required to continue in the program. The Thesis Proposal does not carry ECTS; all 210 ECTS are attributed to the thesis itself.

Research, Coursework, and Defense

Students begin their research immediately upon entering the program, with the expectation of producing high-quality publications, generating scientific impact, and engaging in international collaboration.

Coursework is usually distributed across the first three years, and each course should be selected strategically to provide knowledge, methodologies, or tools essential for the thesis. The curricular plan is defined jointly by the student and the advisor, always with research needs at the center.

By the end of the second year, students must successfully defend their thesis proposal to confirm the direction of their research. After this milestone, the focus shifts toward deepening research efforts, publishing results, and consolidating international collaborations. Mobility opportunities and conference participation are strongly encouraged.

The PhD concludes with the submission of the thesis by the end of the fourth year (extensions are possible under IST rules). The public defense consists of a presentation and discussion with a jury composed of IST faculty and external experts. The final result is Approved or Reproved, with the possibility of distinctions (Approved with Distinction or Approved with Distinction and Honors).