Access profile

The doctoral programme is designed for students who have taken master’s degrees in telecommunications or computer science and wish to examine a topic or area in greater depth to contribute knowledge. Although we could say that this is the ideal starting point, it is not the only one. Students with other educational backgrounds could also be accepted, although they may need to take bridging courses.

The doctoral programme is designed for people with technological interests who are creative and want to advance the state-of-the-art in the subject. This activity requires an attitude to technology that goes beyond user knowledge to reach an understanding of technology itself, which the doctoral student will know how to improve as a result. Doctoral studies have two benefits. First, they meet personal needs to understand things, and second they train the person, providing them with methodology and knowledge that they can use in their professional activity in positions that require technological creativity.

Research and development departments in companies or the creation of emerging companies are places where this knowledge could be exploited to the maximum.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via the various master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC, in which case bridging courses are not required. For students from other master’s programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse applicants’ academic record and the area in which they will develop their thesis. Based on this information, the committee will decide whether students need to take bridging courses up to a maximum of 30 credits. As a general rule, students who hold a master’s degree in telecommunications (or an equivalent qualification) from other Spanish or European universities can access the research phase directly. Students with a master’s degree in computer science may be asked to take a bridging course in the subject area of telecommunication networks. Students who come from other master’s degrees should take additional credits so that they can gain the knowledge they need rapidly. The range of topics and approaches used to carry out the research makes it difficult to establish specific admission requirements (some theses have a high mathematics content, others are more focused on application). However, in general, knowledge of tools that can be used for performance evaluation will be assessed. Hence, applicants must be able to handle mathematical models, numerical methods, simulation tools such as ns-3, OMNET, Matlab or have knowledge of programming in Java, C++, C or Python for the construction of prototypes. Knowledge of written and spoken English is essential, as this is the language that will be used in the doctoral degree, for training, generation of publications and reports, and the exchange of knowledge with other researchers.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

8

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is four years, counted from the date of first enrolment in the relevant programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is seven years from the date of first enrolment in the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. To calculate these periods, the date of deposit is considered to be the date on which the thesis is made publicly available for review.

If a doctoral candidate has a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the maximum period of study is six years for full-time students and nine years for part-time students.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years.

When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the requirement to complete this minimum period of study.

Temporary disability leave and leave for the birth of a child, adoption or fostering for the purposes of adoption, temporary foster care, risk during pregnancy or infant feeding, gender violence and any other situation provided for in current regulations do not count towards these periods. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which must inform the Doctoral School.

Doctoral candidates may request periods of temporary withdrawal from the programme for up to a total of two years. Requests must be justified and addressed to the academic committee responsible for the programme, which will decide whether or not to grant the candidate's request.

Extension of studies
If a doctoral candidate has not applied to deposit their thesis before the expiry of the deadlines specified in the previous section, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may, at the request of the doctoral candidate, authorise an extension of this deadline of one year under the conditions specified for the doctoral programme in question.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate not having completed their annual enrolment or applied for a temporary interruption.
• The doctoral candidate not having formalised annual enrolment on the day after the end of the authorisation to temporarily interrupt or withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate receiving a negative reassessment after the deadline set by the academic committee of the doctoral programme to remedy the deficiencies that led to a previous negative assessment.
• The doctoral candidate having been the subject of disciplinary proceedings leading to their suspension or permanent exclusion from the UPC.
• A refusal to authorise the extensions applied for, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 of these regulations.
• The doctoral candidate not having submitted the research plan in the period established in Section 8.2 of these regulations.
• The maximum period of study for the doctoral degree having ended, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.4 of these regulations.

Dismissal from the programme means that the doctoral candidate cannot continue studying at the UPC and that their academic record will be closed. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission, and the committee must reevaluate the candidate in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

A doctoral candidate who has been dismissed due to having exceeded the time limit for completing doctoral studies or due to an unsatisfactory assessment may not be Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Page 17 of 33 admitted to the same doctoral programme until at least two years have elapsed from the date of dismissal, as provided for in sections 3.4 and 9.2 of these regulations.

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

Organization

• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier

• Aguilar Igartua, Mónica
• Bazán Guillén, Alberto
• Calveras Auge, Anna
• de Andrade Jardim, Marilet
• Gorricho Moreno, Juan Luis
• Hernandez Serrano, Juan Bautista
• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier

• Department of Network Engineering (PROMOTORA)

Agreements with other institutions

There are various joint supervision agreements with European and international universities, for example, with Uruguay, Mexico and Lebanon, among other countries, and projects such as 5GAuRA, which is part of the H2020 Marie Curie Programme.

In addition, verbal agreements have been made with European universities for short-term visits of our doctoral students. As a result, doctoral students have been able to carry out research visits of at least three months in the universities or technology schools of Amsterdam, Grenoble, Glasgow, Milan, Louvain and China (Changsha), among other places.

Joint supervision is also carried out with the Telecommunications Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTTC) in the area of wireless technology, fixed networks and security.

Access profile

The doctoral programme is designed for students who have taken master’s degrees in telecommunications or computer science and wish to examine a topic or area in greater depth to contribute knowledge. Although we could say that this is the ideal starting point, it is not the only one. Students with other educational backgrounds could also be accepted, although they may need to take bridging courses.

The doctoral programme is designed for people with technological interests who are creative and want to advance the state-of-the-art in the subject. This activity requires an attitude to technology that goes beyond user knowledge to reach an understanding of technology itself, which the doctoral student will know how to improve as a result. Doctoral studies have two benefits. First, they meet personal needs to understand things, and second they train the person, providing them with methodology and knowledge that they can use in their professional activity in positions that require technological creativity.

Research and development departments in companies or the creation of emerging companies are places where this knowledge could be exploited to the maximum.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via the various master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC, in which case bridging courses are not required. For students from other master’s programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse applicants’ academic record and the area in which they will develop their thesis. Based on this information, the committee will decide whether students need to take bridging courses up to a maximum of 30 credits. As a general rule, students who hold a master’s degree in telecommunications (or an equivalent qualification) from other Spanish or European universities can access the research phase directly. Students with a master’s degree in computer science may be asked to take a bridging course in the subject area of telecommunication networks. Students who come from other master’s degrees should take additional credits so that they can gain the knowledge they need rapidly. The range of topics and approaches used to carry out the research makes it difficult to establish specific admission requirements (some theses have a high mathematics content, others are more focused on application). However, in general, knowledge of tools that can be used for performance evaluation will be assessed. Hence, applicants must be able to handle mathematical models, numerical methods, simulation tools such as ns-3, OMNET, Matlab or have knowledge of programming in Java, C++, C or Python for the construction of prototypes. Knowledge of written and spoken English is essential, as this is the language that will be used in the doctoral degree, for training, generation of publications and reports, and the exchange of knowledge with other researchers.

Access requirements

As a rule, applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor's degree or equivalent and a Spanish master's degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February).

Applicants who meet one or more of the following conditions are also eligible for admission:

a) Holders of official Spanish degrees or equivalent Spanish qualifications, provided they have passed 300 ECTS credits in total and they can prove they have reached Level 3 in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.
b) Holders of degrees awarded in foreign education systems in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), which do not require homologation, who can prove that they have reached Level 7 in the European Qualifications Framework, provided the degree makes the holder eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded.
c) Holders of degrees awarded in a country that does not belong to the EHEA, which do not require homologation, on the condition that the University is able to verify that the degree is of a level equivalent to that of official university master's degrees in Spain and that it makes the holder eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded.
d) Holders of another doctoral degree.
e) Holders of an official university qualification who, having been awarded a post as a trainee in the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have successfully completed at least two years of training leading to an official degree in a health sciences specialisation.

Note 1: Regulations for access to doctoral studies for individuals with degrees in bachelor's, engineering, or architecture under the system prior to the implementation of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014).

Note 2: Agreement number 64/2014 of the Governing Council approving the procedure and criteria for assessing the academic requirements for admission to doctoral studies with non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014).

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Ultimately, admission to the doctoral programme will be regulated by the academic committee of the doctoral programme. As described in Section 8 of this document, this body is directed by the coordinator of the doctoral programme, assisted by a committee comprised of lecturers who participate in the programme who are put forward by the research groups. If the ex officio members of the committee consider it necessary, they may propose other lecturers who represent relevant research areas. The composition of the academic committee of the doctoral programme should be approved by the board of the Department.

The function of the academic committee is to ensure the quality of the doctoral programme by participating in the processes of admission, monitoring, evaluation and assessment. If there is no proposal of a thesis supervisor, the academic committee is responsible for assigning one. Based on the applicants’ thesis topic preferences, the member of the academic committee who is most closely associated with this area will propose a supervisor. If the person responsible for this area cannot meet the requirement, another area will be sought and the request will be repeated. If a supervisor cannot be found after consulting all members of the academic committee, the application cannot be accepted.

If a thesis supervisor is available, applicants are then assessed on the following aspects, with a score of 0 to 10 given for each one and the following weightings:

• Academic record and academic background (30%).
• Research experience (10%).
• Language knowledge (10%).
• Other relevant aspects described in the CV that are not considered in the three previous points (5%).
• Evaluation by the doctoral thesis supervisor (30%).
• Evaluation by the academic committee of the doctoral programme (15%).

Students will be accepted if they have a score of 7 points or over. In all cases, applicants will be notified of the decision, and will be given a report on the overall and partial evaluations. So that the decision is not personalised, the supervisor’s and academic committee director’s evaluations will be averaged, and this will be the score that is announced.

Along with admission, the academic committee will provide enrolment recommendations if bridging courses are required. The recommended credits (up to a maximum of 30) for bridging courses correspond to subjects in the area of telematics that can be taken in the shortest time possible.

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, it will monitor the bridging courses that are taken and establish suitable criteria to limit their duration.

The bridging courses will be on research training, but doctoral students will never be asked to enrol for a number equal to or above 60 ECTS. The academic regulations of doctoral studies state that bridging courses may also be cross-disciplinary. However, this point is likely to be amended so that bridging courses are only associated with research credits, particularly when an applicant enters the doctoral programme with a bachelor’s degree worth 300 ECTS.

Considering the doctoral student activity report (DAD), the academic committee of the programme could propose additional measures to those established in the regulations that lead to the withdrawal of doctoral students who do not meet the established criteria.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via a master’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC, in which case it is not necessary to complete bridging courses. For students from other master’s degree programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse the applicant’s academic record and decide the area in which they will prepare their thesis, as well as whether it is necessary to complete bridging courses, up to a maximum of 30 credits.

Currently, bridging courses are offered in the framework of master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC (https://eetac.upc.edu/en/study/masters-degrees/masteam, https://matt.masters.upc.edu/).

Below are some of the subjects that are currently offered on these master’s degrees:

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

Students enrolling in the doctoral programme for the first time must do so by the deadline specified in the admission decision.

Unless otherwise expressly indicated, enrolments corresponding to admission decisions issued from the second half of April on must be completed within the ordinary enrolment period for the current academic year.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

Ordinary period for second and successive enrolments: first half of October.

More information at the general registration section

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Mobility.
Hours: 480.
Type: optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Training in information skills.
Hours: 1.5.
Type: optional.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Type: optional.

Activity: Innovation and creativity.
Hours: 8.
Type: optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Courses and seminars.
Hours: 18.
Type: compulsory.
At least six seminars will be held per year. Students should attend at least three.

Activity: Specific programme workshops.
Hours: 6.
Type: compulsory.
This doctoral programme participates in an annual workshop, which is already in its third edition. The Barcelona Forum on PhD workshop. Research in Information and Communication Technologies takes one day.

Activity: Publications.
Hours: 50.
Type: compulsory.
Description: training objective and content.
The doctoral programme determines that each student must have at least one relevant JCR publication (as well as other types of publications) to complete their doctoral thesis. Publications can be completed in any phase of the three years of the doctoral degree.

Activity: Other workshops.
Hours: 72.
Type: optional.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is four years, counted from the date of first enrolment in the relevant programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is seven years from the date of first enrolment in the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. To calculate these periods, the date of deposit is considered to be the date on which the thesis is made publicly available for review.

If a doctoral candidate has a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the maximum period of study is six years for full-time students and nine years for part-time students.

If a doctoral candidate has not applied to deposit their thesis before the expiry of the deadlines specified in the previous section, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may, at the request of the doctoral candidate, authorise an extension of this deadline of one year under the conditions specified for the doctoral programme in question.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate not having completed their annual enrolment or applied for a temporary interruption.
• The doctoral candidate not having formalised annual enrolment on the day after the end of the authorisation to temporarily interrupt or withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate receiving a negative reassessment after the deadline set by the academic committee of the doctoral programme to remedy the deficiencies that led to a previous negative assessment.
• The doctoral candidate having been the subject of disciplinary proceedings leading to their suspension or permanent exclusion from the UPC.
• A refusal to authorise the extensions applied for, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 of these regulations.
• The doctoral candidate not having submitted the research plan in the period established in Section 8.2 of these regulations.
• The maximum period of study for the doctoral degree having ended, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.4 of these regulations.

Dismissal from the programme means that the doctoral candidate cannot continue studying at the UPC and that their academic record will be closed. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission, and the committee must reevaluate the candidate in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

A doctoral candidate who has been dismissed due to having exceeded the time limit for completing doctoral studies or due to an unsatisfactory assessment may not be Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Page 17 of 33 admitted to the same doctoral programme until at least two years have elapsed from the date of dismissal, as provided for in sections 3.4 and 9.2 of these regulations.

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

List of authorized thesis for defense

NO RESULTS: there are no theses in this list.

Last update: 20/01/2026 05:46:14.

List of lodged theses

NO RESULTS: there are no theses in this list.

Last update: 20/01/2026 08:44:58.

List of defended theses by year

Select a year: 201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026

NO RESULTS: there are no theses in this list.

Last update: 20/01/2026 06:01:33.

Research groups

UPC groups:

• BAMPLA-Design and Evaluation of Broadband Networks and Services
• ISG-Information Security Group
• SISCOM-Smart Services for Information Systems and Communication Networks
• TUAREG-Turbulence and Aerodynamics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Research Group
• WNG-Wireless Networks Group

Teachers

Doctoral Programme teachers

• Aguilar Igartua, Mónica
• Alcober Segura, Jesus
• Alins Delgado, Juanjo
• Calveras Auge, Anna
• Casademont Serra, Jordi
• Cervello Pastor, Cristina
• Cruz Llopis, Luis Javier de la
• Domingo Aladren, Maria del Carmen
• Esparza Martin, Oscar
• Fernandez Muñoz, Marcel
• Forne Muñoz, Jordi
• Garcia Villegas, Eduard
• Gomez Montenegro, Carles
• Gorricho Moreno, Juan Luis
• Hernandez Serrano, Juan Bautista
• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier
• Jofre Cruanyes , Marc
• Lopez Aguilera, Maria Elena
• Martin Escalona, Israel
• Mata Diaz, Jorge
• Melus Moreno, Jose Luis
• Muñoz Tapia, Jose Luis
• Pallares Segarra, Esteve
• Paradells Aspas, Jose
• Parra Arnau, Javier
• Pegueroles Valles, Josep
• Piney Da Silva, Jose Ramon
• Postigo Boix, Marcos
• Remondo Bueno, David
• Rincon Rivera, David
• Sallent Ribes, Sebastian
• Serrat Fernandez, Juan
• Soriano Ibañez, Miquel
• Vidal Ferre, Rafael
• Zola, Enrica Valeria