Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme in Environmental Protection

The duration of Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme in Environmental Protection is four years (240 ECTS credits), and it falls under the third cycle of education withinthe Bologna educational scheme. It is evaluated using the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), enabling students and lecturers to engage in international exchange programs in countries that use ECTS or a comparable system. The programme is aligned with similar doctoral programmes at foreign universities. 

With its interdisciplinary approach, the programme provides advanced knowledge across various dimensions of environmental issues, encompassing technical, biotechnical, medical, social, and humanistic perspectives. Lectures are delivered in Slovenian. However, if a foreign student who does not speak Slovenian is enrolled, the lectures will be conducted in English. Physical presence is required. 

The programme is organised and performed by the University of Ljubljana and its members: Biotechnical Faculty, School of Economics and Business, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Veterinary Faculty and the Faculty of Law. 

All relevant information on the study programme is comprised in the Information Brochure and Video Presentation. For additional information, contact Ms. Martina Tomšič from the Doctoral Student Affairs Office. 

Candidates must submit their completed enrolment applications and the attachments through the online application - eVŠ web portal at https://portal.evs.gov.si/prijava/?lang=en by the August 18, 2025, at latest.
The Call for enrolment for doctoral programmes in the academic year 2025/2026 is available at the following link https://uni-lj.si/en/university/public-announcements/call-for-enrolment-in-doctoral-degree-programmes-in-the-20252026-academic-year.

Technical assistance
Contact for assistance with filling out the application:
E-mail: ekc@gov.si
Phone: 00386 1 478 85 90 (from 9 AM until 4 PM CET)

Mandatory documents to be submitted through the eVŠ portal

1. Diploma – Certified copy of the Diploma in evidence of completed education
2. Diploma supplement or Transcripts of records - Copy of the diploma supplement or Copies of official transcripts of records.
3. Consent of the mentor and comentor - Before enrolment, candidates are required to choose a supervisor and cosupervisor and submit their written acceptance of mentorship upon enrolment at the latest. The list of potential mentors is published here.
4. Concept of research work - Before enrolment, candidates shortly (max 2 A4 pages) present the research problem that is intended to further research, state the hypothesis and research method(s) and list at least ten sources related to the research topic. The concept of a doctoral dissertation proposal is prepared in cooperation with the proposed mentor and co-mentor.

Additional documents to be submitted through the eVŠ portal:

1. Award(s) and/or Achievements (Evidence of award(s) and/or decorations during study and/or evidence of previous scientific/ research work)
2. Candidates who do not have a Slovenian personal registration number (EMŠO) can also submit a copy of an identity document (citizens of EU member states can submit a copy of their identity card or passport; non-EU citizens must submit a copy of their passport).
3. Candidates who want to apply for caniddate with special status or a status of candidate with special needs  have to submit the application.

In case the application documentation is incomplete, candidates will be contacted via eVŠ portal or the e-mail address stated in the application.

Candidates with foreign degree qualifications follow a recognition of foreign higher education qualifications process when applying for studies and have to therefore enclose additional evidence. More information here. 

Knowledge and skills obtained through formal and informal learning, and experience obtained before enrolment to the programme, will be considered when making a selection for the limited number of places. Based on the written applications submitted by candidates, the Programme Council will recognize the knowledge and skills acquired prior to entry, in accordance with the University of Ljubljana's regulations on the procedures and measures for recognizing informally obtained knowledge and skills..

Information days:

Joint Information Day for the Interdisciplinary doctoral study programme Environmental Protection will be held online via Zoom on May 22, 2025, at 15.00 CET
ZOOM link for the event: Topic: Information Day for Doctoral Studies in Environmental Protection
Time: May 22, 2025 03:00 PM Belgrade, Bratislava, Ljubljana
Join Zoom Meeting
https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/97021730121
Meeting ID: 970 2173 0121

Information days will also be held on different dates at the different faculties implementing the doctoral study programme. Students can find more detailed information on their websites. 

Tuition Fee

The tuition fee is paid separately for each academic year that the student enrols in. The tuition fees are published in the price list adopted by the UL Board: Tuition fees and other study contributions | University of Ljubljana

The price list for enrolment fees and study contributions is regulated by Pravilnik o prispevkih in vrednotenju stroškov na UL . 

Tuition fee per programme: €13,600.00

Tuition fee per study year (if progressed through programme regularly):

1^st year: €3,400.00
2^nd year: €3,400.00
3^rd year: €3,400.00
4^th year: €3,400.00


For information about tuition, cofounding, and scholarship opportunities, please visit the Tuition and Co-funding at the University of Ljubljana webpage Tuition and co-funding | University of Ljubljana and the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia webpage.

To verify whether candidates meet the requirements for co-funding of doctoral studies, they must include final certificates from all completed study programs in their application documentation. This includes certificates from the first and second points of the required documents, which should be sent by post.

The programme combines structured teaching and individual research. The structured teaching component comprises 60 credits, while the remaining 180 credits are dedicated to individual research work (IRW) for developing and completing the doctoral thesis. The programme is evaluated using the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Before enrolment, each candidate selects a mentor and co-mentor, who assist in choosing courses from the core and elective course lists. All students are required to take the methodological course Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Work. In addition, candidates select two core courses and two elective courses. Students may also take up to 10 ECTS from elective courses offered in other doctoral programmes at the University of Ljubljana or comparable programmes at foreign universities, subject to approval by their mentor and co-mentor.

Syllabus can be found here.

 Curriculum

Students begin their studies with mandatory and elective courses, acquiring foundational theoretical knowledge and skills for scientific research. In the second year, students complete their elective course requirements, building on knowledge gained in the first year and developing expertise for their doctoral dissertation. In the third year, the focus shifts to research work and preparing the doctoral dissertation. The final year is dedicated to completing individual research, presenting research results, and defending the doctoral dissertation publicly.

In their first year of study, doctoral candidates acquire essential theoretical knowledge and research skills through required and elective courses.

In their second year of study, students fulfill the requirements of their elective courses. This allows them to build on the knowledge they gained in their first year while also acquiring the necessary skills to develop a doctoral dissertation..

The focus in the third year of study is on research work, preparation and defence of the doctoral dissertation.

The fourth year of study is dedicated to individual research work and Doctoral dissertation preparation. Students must also present the results of their research work (as a part of the doctoral seminar) and conclude their study with a public defence of the doctoral dissertation.

Mobility

Students have the option to choose up to 10 ECTS credits from elective courses offered by other doctoral programs at the University of Ljubljana or from equivalent programs at foreign institutions. Additionally, elective credits can be earned through the generic skills courses provided by the University of Ljubljana, which are listed on the university's website. All course selections must receive prior approval from both the mentor and co-mentor..

Schedules in Academic Year 2024/2025

Lectures for the mandatory course Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Work (IZRD) in academic year will start 4 of November 2024. You can find theschedule for the mandatory course Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Work here.

N. B. Participation at IZRD's lectures as defined by the schedule is obligatory for all the students in their 1st year of studies.

Lectures are conducted in Slovenian, except when an international student with no knowledge of the Slovenian language is enrolled in the course; they could be conducted in English.

Course implementation in the academic year 2024/2025

The following courses will be implemented in the academic year 2024/2025 based on student selection:

• fully (lecture type courses):

1. Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Work
2. Doctoral seminar with presentation of the doctoral dissertation proposal in the 2nd year of studies
3. Doctoral seminar with presentation of the results of the research work before the completion of the doctoral dissertation and PhD viva in the 4th year of studies

• with consultations (individual research type courses):
• Core courses:

1. Ecology with Nature Conservation
2. Economic and Law of Environmental Management
3. Environmental Chemistry and Technology
4. Disaster medicine
5. Environment, Health, and Wellbeing
6. Environmental and Sociological Aspects of Sustainable Development
7. Soils and Environmental Geology
8. Seismology and Earthquake Engineering
9. Air, Water and Climate

• Elective courses:

1. Environmental Analytical Chemistry
2. Ecotoxicity and Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemicals
3. Waste Management
4. Hybrid Modelling of Environmental Systems
5. Karst and Environment
6. International Environmental Law
7. Designing Environmentally - Friendly Products and Technologies
8. Environmental Epidemiology
9. Ground Water
10. Political Ecology
11. Application of Remote Sensing

Requirements for Progressing Through the Program

To advance from the first to the second year, doctoral candidates must earn at least 45 ECTS credits, with a minimum of 30 credits must come from mandatory methodological and core courses.

Candidates who have completed all required coursework and study requirements for the first and second years and have received a positive evaluation of their doctoral dissertation proposal from the Doctoral Studies Committee of the Faculty Senate may advance to the third year.

To progress to the fourth year, students must complete all academic requirements for the first three years and secure the approval of the University Senate for their doctoral dissertation proposal.

The University of Ljubljana's website Ethics and integrity in research | University of Ljubljana provides guidelines for ethical conduct in research involving human participants, as well as the Code of Ethics for Researchers and Statement of Commitment to Respect UL Codes of Ethics.

Grading system

By the Statute of the University of Ljubljana, examinations are graded on a scale from 5 to 10, with grades from 6 to 10 representing passing marks. The programme's assessments include written and oral examinations, as well as graded seminars and projects. Examinations in doctoral programmes may also be assessed as not passed, passed, or passed with honours.

Transfer Between Study Programmes

Transfers between programs are permitted if candidates satisfy the admission requirements of the target program. Applications for transfer to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Environmental Protection are assessed individually by the Program Council, in accordance with the Criteria for transferring between study programmes and the University Statute.

Connections to Other Study Programmes

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme in Environmental Protection is horizontally and vertically integrated with other study programmes at the University of Ljubljana.

• Horizontal Integration: Students can fulfil their elective course requirements by taking courses from other doctoral programmes at the University of Ljubljana, subject to approval from their mentors and course instructors.
• Vertical Integration: The programme's design inherently supports progression through its curriculum, allowing students to select courses tailored to their research interests.

Additionally, course exchanges with comparable programmes at other universities are possible, provided the quality and relevance of the courses are verified by the Programme Council. Opportunities for international exchange are facilitated through bilateral agreements, international contracts, and mobility programmes for both students and faculty. The programme is open to foreign students, fostering a global academic and research environment.

Conditions for Completing the Programme

To earn a doctoral degree, candidates must complete all study requirements as defined by the program and successfully defend their dissertation.

Candidates must publish at least one scientific article related to their doctoral work. The article, with the candidate listed as the first author, must be either published or accepted for publication in an internationally recognised scientific journal relevant to their field of study, before submitting the doctoral dissertation for assessment. The process for obtaining the title of Doctor of Science is governed by the Rules and Regulations on Doctoral Studies at the University of Ljubljana.

Before enrolling in the programme, candidates must select a mentor and co-mentor who agree to supervise their research. Typically, the mentor and co-mentor come from different scientific fields. Together with the candidate, they select courses and design the research plan. The mentor or co-mentor for the doctoral dissertation must hold a university teaching title (assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor) or a research title (research associate, senior researcher, or higher research associate). They must also demonstrate active research engagement, supported by a relevant scientific bibliography in the field of the dissertation topic.

The mentor and co-mentor are formally approved during the registration and approval process for the doctoral dissertation topic. Their primary role is to guide the student and create favorable conditions for their research. In case of laboratory-based research, mentor should ensure access to appropriate research facilities and infrastructure. A foreign expert with a title equivalent to a Slovenian teaching or research title may also serve as a mentor.

The potential mentor and co-mentor list is a mere suggestion and should be used as a reference point for candidates when determining the supervisor and dissertation theme. Supervisors are not obliged to accept supervision.

Programme Council is comprised by one representative from each participating faculty. Members of the Programme Council. Representatives of participating faculties, along with field coordinators, are nominated by faculty senates and appointed by the University Senate for a four-year term.

The Programme Council is responsible for electing the president and deputy presidents, reviewing applications, selecting candidates, and notifying the responsible faculty of the selected candidates. It prepares the necessary documentation for submitting public tenders for funds allocated to doctoral programmes, coordinates the introduction of new courses and changes to existing courses, and analyses the efficiency and quality of course implementation. Additionally, the Council makes decisions regarding individual candidate’s applications and issues related to the doctoral programme, facilitates cooperation among lecturers, and reviews course implementation every six years, agreeing on measures if necessary. The Programme Council also makes decisions on expert matters and confirms rules and regulations concerning the programme's financial management.

The Programme Council is chaired by a president and deputy presidents for course orientations, who are elected by and among its members for a four-year term. The Programme Council operates within the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana.

The schedule for the Programme Council sessions in the Academic Year 2024/25 is as follows :

15. 10. 2024
3. 12. 2024
11. 2. 2025
21. 5. 2025
2. 9. 2025

The student should send their official request concerning doctoral studies in Environmental Protection at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, Student Affairs Office (PhD students), Poljanski nasip 2, 1000 Ljubljana, for: Programski svet Varstvo okolja, or referat.podiplomski@pf.uni-lj.si.  The deadline for submitting student requests is 10 days prior to the Programme Council’s Session.

The Programme Council members representing the participating faculties are as follows:

• Faculty of Law: Vasilka SANCIN (President of the Programme Council)
  E-mail: Vasilka.Sancin@pf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 420 31 29
• Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology: Andreja ŽGAJNAR GOTVAJN
  E-mail: Andreja.Zgajnar@fkkt.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 479 85 79
• Biotechnical Faculty: Mihael Jožef TOMAN
  E-mail: Mihael.Toman@bf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 320 33 40
• Faculty of Economics: Andreja CIRMAN
  E-mail: Andreja.Cirman@ef.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 589 27 55
• Faculty of Social Sciences: Matjaž URŠIČ
  E-mail: Matjaz.Ursic@fdv.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 580 53 49
• Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering: Nataša ATANASOVA
  E-mail: Natasa.Atanasova@fgg.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 476 86 82
• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics: Daniel SVENŠEK
  E-mail: Daniel.Svensek@fmf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 476 66 31
• Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport: Oliver BAJT
  E-mail: Oliver.Bajt@nib.si, Phone: +386 5 671 29 10
• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering: Ciril ARKAR
  E-mail: Ciril.Arkar@fs.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 477 12 34
• Faculty of Medicine: Andreja KUKEC
  E-mail: andreja.kukec@mf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 543 75 44
• Faculty of Arts: Katja VINTAR MALLY
  E-mail: Katja.Vintar@ff.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 241 12 42
• Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering: Nina ZUPANČIČ
  E-mail: Nina.Zupancic@ntf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 470 46 25
• Veterinary Faculty: Štefan PINTARIČ
  E-mail: stefan.pintaric@vf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 477 91 41
• Student Representative: Lana Nastja ANŽUR
  E-mail: la04573@student.uni-lj.si 

Deputy Presidents for Course Orientations:

• Natural Sciences: Nina ZUPANČIČ
  E-mail: nina.zupancic@ntf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 470 46 25
• Technical Sciences: Andreja ŽGAJNAR GOTVAJN
  E-mail: andreja.zgajnar@fkkt.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 479 85 79
• Biotechnical Sciences: Mihael Jožef TOMAN
  E-mail: MihaelJozef.Toman@bf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 320 33 40
• Medicine: Andreja KUKEC
  E-mail: andreja.kukec@mf.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 543 75 44
• Social Sciences and Humanities: Katja VINTAR MALLY
  E-mail: Katja.VintarMally@ff.uni-lj.si, Phone: +386 1 241 12 42

Programme Council’s responsibilities

• Review of applications, selection of candidates,
• Notification of responsible faculty as to the names of selected candidates.
• Reports on study programme implementation.
• Coordination of procedures for introduction of new courses and changes in the existing programme.
• Analysis of efficiency in meeting the planned study programme goals.
• Decision-making with regard to individual candidate applications and questions concerning the doctoral programme.
• Facilitation of co-operation among lecturers.
• Decision-making on expert issues.
• Confirmation of Rules and Regulations concerning financial management of the programme.

Doctoral Programme Rules and Procedures

The doctoral programme in Environmental Protection is governed by the Rules of the Doctoral Programme, which determine the manner and organisation of the doctoral programme in Environmental Protection:

1.    The University publishes a joint call for applications for admission to third-cycle doctoral programmes, which specifies the duration of the study, the entry requirements, the place of delivery, the mode of study and the number of places available for the doctoral programme in Environmental Protection.

2.    The Graduate Studies Office of the Faculty of Law of the UL collects the applications and forwards them to the Programme Council, which decides on the candidates’ admission. The Graduate Studies Office of the Faculty of Law of the UL prepares and issues the decisions on admission to the study programme.

3.    Before enrolment, the candidate chooses a tutor and a co-mentor, with whom he/she designs the course curriculum.

4.    Enrolment is carried out by the Faculty of Law of UL, and all procedures related to the acquisition of academic titles are carried out by the members who are the study providers.

5.    Upon enrolment in the first year of the doctoral programme, the candidate and the UL Faculty of Law shall sign a training agreement. If necessary, an addendum to the contract shall be concluded.

6.    The organisation of the study programme and the implementation of the courses of the PhD programme in Environmental Protection (proposing the providers and providing the premises) are the responsibility of the member institutions of the University of Ljubljana that implement the programme.

7.    The Member Senate that manages the procedure for awarding the doctorate to the student is responsible for managing the application process and evaluating the doctoral thesis, overseeing the procedures for awarding the doctorate to students.  Additionally, the University of Ljubljana's Senate shall consent to the disposition of the doctoral thesis and the selection of the supervisor and the co-supervisor.

8.    After the successful defence of the doctoral dissertation, the University of Ljubljana issues the diploma. It shall be signed by the Rector and the Dean of the Member State which conducted the procedure for obtaining the degree. On the proposal of the Member State where the candidate has successfully defended his/her doctoral thesis, the Rector shall promote the candidate to Doctor of Science.

9.    Bodies and decision-making: The Programme Council’s general responsibilities are published in the submenu Programme Council.

Each student at the University of Ljubljana is assigned a unique digital identity, which provides access to various information services. Online Student Affairs can be accessed through the following link: https://visulvo.uni-lj.si/. 

Your primary email address is the official university e-mail (@student.uni-lj.si). All information regarding your studies will be sent to that address. Your personal email address shall remain in the system as your secondary email address only.

Any issues related to digital identity, forgotten passwords, email, error reports, etc., should be addressed by the student through the ID Portal of the University of Ljubljana.