Within the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020 (Horizon 2020), the disciplines of psychology, education, linguistics and gender studies are particularly involved in understanding the new cultural features of a globalized and interdependent world. Scientific research in these areas can be of paramount relevance to support the activities regarded as strategic to social and cultural progress (see sections 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5), as well as develop the key priorities of EU’s Lifelong Learning Programme (2013).

The PhD Human Mind and Gender Studies (Mind, Gender and Languages) is deeply rooted in this general context and structures its activities according to an open and cross-disciplinary approach to scientific research. The construction of dynamic research networks concerns the areas included in the ERC panel SH4 (“The Human Mind and its complexity: cognition, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and education”) and involves other ERC panels and sub-panels too, such as SH2_3 “Kinship, cultural dimensions of classification and cognition, identity, gender”, SH_5 “Cultures and cultural production: literature, visual and performing arts, music, cultural and comparative studies”, SH5_3 “Literary theory and comparative literature, literary styles”, SH6 “The study of the human past: archaeology, history and memory”, and SH5_10 “Cultural studies, cultural diversity”. Research-focused activities range from medium- to large-scale international projects and are funded through national research plans (FIRB, PRIN), and, increasingly, by local authorities and EU.
Scientific activities are based on the partnership with national and international research centres and are addressed to social issues or deal with the topics currently debated in the academic communities.

Therefore, the PhD in Human Mind and Gender Studies (Mind, Gender and Languages) can be seen as an outstanding example of an interdisciplinary perspective on scientific research and a remarkable drive for social development.