PhDs in the AFAM sector

RUFA educational offer – in line with the reform process of the AFAM system enacted by the Ministry of Universities and Research – is expanding exponentially. In addition to the academic courses at the first and second level, equivalent to bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the one-year academic masters for specialization in specific fields of cultural and creative industries, research doctorates are now also available.

RUFA – Rome University of Fine Arts, in order to facilitate the path for those who intend to access the third cycle of studies, has established a collaboration agreement with Roma Tre University (Department of Philosophy, Communication, and Performing Arts), which materializes in a joint PhD programme in “Cultures, Practices, and Technologies of Cinema, Media, Music, Theater, and Dance” for which the academy is offering two PNRR PhD scholarships. The associates joining RUFA and Roma Tre University include high-profile institutions such as the Fondazione Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, Fondazione Roma Tre Teatro Palladium, Accademia di Danza, Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia, Conservatorio di Brescia, and the University of Teramo.

The educational project envisions an innovative dialogue between the theories and practices of audiovisuals and live performance, both in terms of research objects and methodologies, and the respective institutional competencies of the entities associated with the PhD programme. The PhD programme pays particular attention to the historical-critical, theoretical-analytical, performative, technological, and socio-cultural dimensions of topics related to the fields of performance, aligning with the international scenarios of contemporary academic research and with an interdisciplinary openness to the complex fabric of techniques and knowledge that characterize, on one hand, artistic productions and their media contexts, and on the other, the physical and environmental refractions of studies on sound and images. The multidisciplinary nature and the innovative character of the research lines allow for overcoming the limitations of the sectoral nature of individual fields, also through a cultural and technological innovation aimed at fostering the understanding of the specificities and complexities of cultural heritage, with particular reference to the relationship between tangible and intangible heritage and related practices of digital archiving and documentation.

The PhD programme thus offers specialized training that provides the necessary skills to carry out high-level research activities (also for the purpose of accessing careers in public administrations and integrating highly innovative professional paths) in the fields of cinema, photography, television, digital media, music, theater, dance according to cultural, sociological, technological, and artistic-performative contexts. At the same time, the programme allows for adequate preparation to assume responsibility roles in cultural institutions, both artistically and administratively. It also equips individuals with the tools to conduct activities related to the evaluation of the acoustic quality of spaces (soundscape). Finally, there are potential career opportunities both in academia and teaching in secondary schools, concerning the teaching classes related to audiovisual and music disciplines.